Relevance of Gandhi ji’s Letter to Hitler

 

I had read that Gandhi ji had written two letter to Adolf Hitler during his time and many had doubt’s whether these letters have ever reached to him. We have seen photographs that Gandhi ji had met Hitler during his lifetime. The letter is now a history but the relevance of peace is still there.

It was interesting to know that Mahatma Gandhi had written a letter much before the onset of World War II. The letter is now very precious to mention here at this juncture. It was written on 23^rd July, 1939 addressing Adolf Hitler as Dear Friend!

“Dear Friend,

Friends have been urging me to write to you for the sake of humanity. But I have resisted their request, because of the feeling that any letter from me would be an impertinence. Something tells me that I must not calculate and that I must make my appeal for whatever if may be worth.

It is quite clear that you are today the one person in the world who can prevent a war which may reduce humanity to the savage state. Must you pay that price for an object however worthy it may appear to you to be? Will you listen to the appeal of one who has deliberately  shunned the method of war not without considerable success? Any way I anticipate your forgiveness, if I have erred in writing to you.

I remain,

Your sincere friend

Signature of M.K. Gandhi”

 The main aim of Gandhi ji was to convey Hitler about the possibility of breaking another World War. It was clear that he wanted to warn Hitler to  think of possible outcomes of another World War. He emphasized that "It is quite clear that you are today the one person in the world that can prevent a war" indicating that Hitler was very powerful at that time, but he also tried to show him a different perspective. He tried to show Hitler that he could be a powerful ruler and influence in this world without waging war, but by considering to maybe spread his regime in other neighboring countries.

He had asked two questions in his letter:

 1. Must you pay that price for an object however worthy it may appear to you to be?

2. Will you listen to the appeal of one who has deliberately shunned the method of war not without considerable success?

Gandhi ji knew  that humanity has a great deal to suffer from another world war. These questions still hold relevance! When we talk about the price worthiness of war then it is not the economic part but the loss of human life, their displacement, loss of livelihood and the pain. No one can compensate and this doesn't have any price.