Apostle of Peace vs. Architect of War: Gandhi’s Letter to Hitler
This week on famous letters from history we bring you one of the most surprising and thought-provoking exchanges in history.
Mahatma Gandhi—a global symbol of nonviolence—sat down to write a letter to Adolf Hitler. It was 1939, and the world was on the brink of World War II. The tensions were palpable, the devastation looming, yet Gandhi’s response was simple: he wrote to plead for peace.
The letter opens with an extraordinary salutation: “Dear Friend.” Addressing someone who had come to symbolize aggression and oppression, Gandhi’s choice of words reflects his deep conviction that even the most destructive forces could be met with respect and dialogue. He appealed to Hitler’s humanity, urging him to abandon the path of war. Gandhi wrote with sincerity and hope:
"It is quite clear that you are today the one person in the world who can prevent a war which may reduce humanity to a savage state."
What makes this letter even more fascinating is not just its content but its fate. The real letter has probably vanished from history however the contents remain. The British colonial authorities intercepted it before it could ever reach Hitler. To them, the risk was too great—they feared the Nazis might use the letter as propaganda or that it might be misinterpreted as sympathy toward Germany. In their eyes, Gandhi’s words, though innocent and earnest, carried the potential for unintended consequences.
This act of interception wasn’t just about a single letter; it was about control. The British government was wary of Gandhi’s influence, especially during a time of war. They monitored his every move, even his written words, because they knew the power he wielded—through ideas, not armies.
Still, the letter’s legacy endured. It showcases Gandhi’s audacity to address even a dictator like Hitler with compassion and hope. It’s a poignant reminder of his unshakable belief in nonviolence as a solution to the world’s most dire conflicts.
Read the full contents of the letter below:
As at Wardha
C.P.
India.
23.7.'39.
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 it 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.
Herr Hitler
Berlin Germany.
I remain,
Your sincere friend
Mk.Gandhi
