(Book) Originally published in German as Gesammelte Schriften vols. 1-5 (rough translation: "Collected Works"). True Patriotism is in fact the third volume in a selective translation of Bonhoeffer's writings, edited by Edwin H. Robertson and translated by Robertson and John Bowden. First published in English translation, 1973 by William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. and Harper & Row.
The selections in this volume largely focus on Bonhoeffer's thoughts and rationale as a (Lutheran) Christian theologian opposed to and ultimately involved in one of several plots to assassinate Adolf Hitler. As noded in the entry on Bonhoeffer, he was a lecturer in theology at Berlin University until shortly after 1933, when he first attacked Hitler's political ideas.
The book is divided into three sections that focus, respectively on writings from three periods of Bonhoeffer's life from 1939 to his execution on 9 April, 1945, just 21 days before Hitler would die in his bunker. The sections are:
"The Theologian in Wartime"
- Largely concerned with theological correspondence and related writings, since Bonhoeffer was generally not permitted to speak publically from the beginning of the War until his death.
"The Double Agent"
- Writings dating from (roughly) his appointment to the Abwehr, "a kind of intelligence corps of the armed forces." This is considered roughly the period he began a career as a double agent.
"The Prisoner"
- Writings, testimony and documents relating to his imprisonment and execution.