Nazi Church-State Relations

Most Germans were either Catholic or Protestant, and many supported the Nazi Party due to its anti-communist stance. The Nazis borrowed some ideas from Christianity for their own rituals, but they ultimately wanted Nazism to replace Christianity as the main belief system for the Aryan people.

The Protestant Churches

• In 1934, the Nazis created the Reichskirche to merge the various Protestant denominations in Germany into one state-controlled church. This move allowed the Nazis to have greater control over Protestant religious practices.
• The majority of Protestant churches in Germany were forced to unite under the Reichskirche. They had to follow new rules set by the Nazi Party, which included:
• No more Bible publication or distribution to congregations.
• Removal of traditional Christian symbols, like the crucifix, from churches.
• Replacing the Bible with Mein Kampf and a sword on altars.
• These measures aimed to weaken Protestant opposition and consolidate power under the Nazi-controlled Reichskirche. Some Protestants resisted and formed the Confessional Church, led by theologians like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Niemöller, and Karl Barth. They believed that Nazi ideology conflicted with Christian teachings.
• Many Confessional Church members were arrested, including Niemöller, who was imprisoned until the end of the war. Bonhoeffer was executed in 1945 for his resistance activities.

The Catholic Church

• Although Hitler was raised Catholic, he renounced his faith later in life. Initially, the Nazis were less popular among Catholics than Protestants, but Hitler aimed to control the Catholic Church too.
• In 1933, he signed a Concordat with the Vatican, allowing the Catholic Church to maintain its position in Germany if the clergy swore loyalty to the Nazi regime and stayed out of politics. Despite this agreement, the Nazis soon began interfering with Catholic activities, especially in education and youth groups.
• Pope Pius XI strongly criticised the Nazis for breaking the Concordat and denounced their anti-Semitic policies. He issued the encyclical Mit brennender Sorge (With Burning Anxiety) in 1937, condemning Nazi actions.
  • His successor, Pope Pius XII, who witnessed Nazi atrocities firsthand, took a more cautious approach to avoid further persecution of German Catholics. Although he did not publicly condemn the Nazis, he worked behind the scenes to protect Jews and others targeted by the regime.
  • One notable protest came from Bishop August von Galen of Münster in 1941. He delivered powerful sermons against the Nazis' policy of forced euthanasia of the mentally and physically disabled. Galen urged Catholics to resist these inhumane practices, stating:

"Avoid those who blasphemed, attacked their religion, or brought about the death of innocent men and women. Otherwise they would become involved in their guilt."

• Historians like Richard J. Evans regard this campaign as one of the strongest and most explicit protests against Nazi policies during the Third Reich.
• The Nazi attempts to control and suppress religious institutions faced significant resistance from both Protestant and Catholic communities, highlighting the complex and often adversarial relationship between the church and the Nazi state.

Rapid Fire Essay Prep - Church-State Relations under Hitler

• Creation of the Reichskirche: In 1934, the Nazis established the Reichskirche to unite Protestant churches under state control, aiming to replace traditional Christian practices with Nazi ideology. This included banning the Bible and Christian symbols and promoting Mein Kampf and Nazi symbols in churches.
• Suppression of Religious Opposition: The Nazis targeted those who resisted their control, such as the Confessional Church led by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemöller. Many members of this resistance were arrested, imprisoned, or executed for opposing Nazi policies.
• Concordat with the Vatican: In 1933, Hitler signed a Concordat with the Catholic Church, allowing it to maintain its position in exchange for loyalty to the Nazi regime and abstention from politics. Despite this agreement, the Nazis soon began to interfere in Catholic activities, particularly in education and youth organisations.
• Papal Criticisms: Pope Pius XI and later Pope Pius XII criticised Nazi policies. Pius XI issued the encyclical Mit brennender Sorge in 1937, condemning the Nazis' breach of the Concordat and anti-Semitic actions. Pius XII, while more cautious publicly, worked behind the scenes to protect those persecuted by the Nazis.
• Bishop von Galen's Resistance: Bishop August von Galen of Münster openly denounced the Nazis' forced euthanasia program in 1941, urging Catholics to resist these atrocities. His powerful sermons were a significant act of defiance against Nazi policies.