Prof. Dr. F.J.Th. Rutten
From his commemorative speech (1942)
“In love lay his decisive power.”
“From this deceased rays emanate.”
From a written testimony (1955)
“My judgement in 1942, 'from this deceased rays emanate,' is based on a peculiarity in the memory of Father Brandsma, which I noticed in my surroundings. When people talked about Father Brandsma, they almost always only remembered his striking goodness. There was no mention of particular incidents in his life, not even by those who had known him very well.”
Dr. (Jacobus) van Ginneken, (SJ)
From his commemorative address (1942):
“We know from his Carmel retreat that he had prepared himself diligently for death. His intention from the first recital of the ninth day was: to learn to die. In his last will we read: 'I unite myself in my death with the death of my Redeemer and with Mary I place myself under the feet of the Cross of my Lord. Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo.’ I will sing of the Lord's mercy for ever and ever (Ps. 88:2).”
Reverend (Johannes) Kapteijn
Camp Amersfoort and the prison of Kleve
Fr. Titus and Kapteijn were shackled together when they started their trip to Dachau
"Our dear brother in Christ, Titus Brandsma, is truly a mystery of grace".
Van Mierlo
Camp Amersfoort
“Professor Brandsma was physically very weak, but mentally one of the strongest. He was totally above his physical suffering. Without exception we all loved him very much, especially for his natural and amiable manner. He knew no hatred or aversion, nor impatience or hardness.”
Colonel Fogtelo
Scheveningen prison and Camp Amersfoort
“It was as if this man was in the free world.”
Dr. Jacobus Gerard G. Borst
Camp Amersfoort
“I knew Professor Brandsma from earlier and had great friendship and admiration for him. Whenever I could find the time, I would go and talk to him. Professor Brandsma was always cheerful, and he also knew how to suffuse his environment with this cheerfulness. He was interested in all possible kinds of problems, and he was not in the least impressed by the methods of terror with which they tried to crush us mentally and physically.”
Pastor Heinrich Rupieper
Dachau Concentration Camp
“He made a gentle, quiet impression on me. He had surrendered his life into God's hand. He did not know hatred. I was always surprised that Father Titus patiently endured everything without any expression of disgust or inner sadness. He prayed the rosary a lot, on his fingers, and said: 'We must pray for them.”
Chaplain Meertens
Camp Amersfoort
“He lived from hour to hour in an intimate union with God and yet was not unworldly. On the contrary: he was man with men, sincerely loved the good things in nature, and for higher motives endured the troubles that befell him.”
Chaplain (Nikolaus) Jansen
Dachau Concentration Camp
“When Father Titus arrived in Dachau, he looked like an abomination. Of course, that only got worse there. In the short time he was with us he was often beaten, sometimes his face was covered in blood. But he kept up the courage and was spiritually unshakeable.”
Father Van Genuchten
Dachau Concentration Camp
“I thank God that I was allowed to know this joy-filled and sunny person. When Professor Brandsma came to us, Dachau was a hell like never seen before or since. His short stay in Dachau was a true martyrdom. And yet he always remained cheerful and happy, an example and even a support to us all. I will never forget Professor Brandsma and I hope he will not forget me either!
Fr. Joseph Kentenich
Priest of the Pallotine Congregation
“His person and words always bespoke such a calm, such an abandon and so much good hope that one can never forget this venerable person.”
R. Höppener
Dachau prisoner
“His spirit could simply not be broken. Any thought of revenge was far from him: thus he could say his Our Father in silence while in the presence of his attackers.”
Fr. Othmarus Lips, OFM Cap
Capuchin religious
“Simple and unobstrusive among the 1200 priests of Dachau... a perpetual smile, filled with patience and inner calm, a smile of mystical serenity in the midst of all the suffering he had to undergo.”
P. Verhulst
Dachau prisoner
“Fr. Titus knew of no feelings of hate, he was all love. There was no favoritism with him. When I returned home I said immediately to my mother: That man will be canonized one day.”
