Letter from <roleName>Senator</roleName> <persName ref="http://d-nb.info/gnd/118608819">Helmut Schmidt</persName> to <roleName>Bischop </roleName><persName ref="http://d-nb.info/gnd/118769731">Hans-Otto Wölber</persName>, <placeName ref="http://vocab.getty.edu/tgn/7005289">Hamburg</placeName>, <date when="1964-07-13">July 13, 1964</date> Insa Kummer Institute for the History of the German Jewsredaktion@juedische-geschichte-online.net
Beim Schlump 83, 20144 Hamburg

With the kind permission of Helmut Schmidt.

jgo:source-112

Landeskirchliches Archiv der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche in Norddeutschland, Kiel, Signatur 11.02, 1693

Helmut SchmidtHamburgJuly 13, 1964Landeskirchliches Archiv der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche in NorddeutschlandLandeskirchliches Archiv der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche in Norddeutschland, Kiel, Nachlass Wölber, Signatur 11.02, 1693. EnglishSource:Textdeu
HELMUT SCHMIDT Senatorhandwritten annotation Hamburg 1 Johanniswall 4 July 13, 1964Bischop Dr. Hans-Otto Wölber, private and confidential !Hamburg 1 Bugenhagenstr. 21Stamp Dear Dr. Wölber!

Revisiting the subject of our correspondence, I have to confess that you persuaded me halfway, yet only halfway. While I can agree with the term “service to Israel”, I still consider the term “mission to the Jews” inappropriate, just as I consider any kind of missionary work among German Jews inappropriate. I am in no way implying that overbearance, lack of repentance or racial prejudice among Christians in Germany plays any part in this, however.

Kind regardsYours truly Schmidt