Religion And Hitler Flashcards
Why were the Catholics a threat?
They voted for the Centre Party, which Hitler intended to get rid of.
First allegiance to the pope.
The Catholic schools had messages at odds with those of the Nazi party.
How did Hitler solve his differences with the Catholic Church?
He signed a concordats in July 1933 agreeing not to interfere with the church if they did not interfere with religion.
How did he break his concordat?
The nazis harassed and arrested priests- these ended up in concentration camps.
Hitler got rid of monasteries.
He interfered with Catholic schools and youth movements, soon shutting these down.
Who were the German Christians?
These were Christians who supported Hitler’s ideas and hoped to combine all Protestants under the Reich church.
The church was led by Ludwig Muller who became national leader in September 1933.
Who opposed the German Christians?
Some Protestants felt that the German Christians went against the teachings of religion.
Martin Niemoller and Protestants who opposed Nazism formed the Pastors’ Emergency League in Dec 1933, forming the confessional church the following year. Niemoller was arrested in 1937, sent to a concentration camp, and the church was banned.
What were the qualities of Christianity compared to nazism ?
Glorified love as opposed to strength and violence.
Mercy for the weak as opposed to hate for the weak.
Racial equality as opposed to superiority.
Belief in God instead of seeing Hitler as a god-like figure.
