The interplay between a religion and an issue within a particular historical context Flashcards
What interplay between a religion and an issue we will talk about
The interplay between the Catholic Church and the European fascism between 1920 and 1945
What does interplay mean?
The way in which two things have an effect on or influence one other. In our context, the interplay is the way that the Catholic Church and Fascism in 1930s and 1940s Germany had an effect on each other.
Outline what is meant by the term fascism
Is a far right form of government in which most of the country’s power is held by one ruler or a small group , under a single party. Fascist governments are usually totalitarian and authoritarian one party states.
Outline the key features of Mussolini’s form of fascism
“Fascism is a movement that promotes the idea of forcibly monolithic, regimented nation under the control of an autocratic ruler”
On March 23, 1919 , the Fasci Italiani di Combattimento led by Mussolini met together at a rally. The idea that anything that might impede national unity had to be gotten rid of.
Compare Mussolini’s form of fascism with Hitlers.
Mussolini thought that democracy was a failed system.
You’re just supposed to worship the nation. Nation over class. Anything contrary to that belief had to be gotten rid of violently.
Nazi germany one party state. Freedom of speech and association abolished. Nazis claimed Nordic race had finest qualities.
Identify two facist regimes that existed in Europe in the period 1920-1945.
Mussolini’s tolitarian right wing nationalist reigme and the Nazi party in Germany.
Summarize the features of fascism
Supremacy of the Military
Even when domestic problems, military given disproportionate amount of funding.
Controlled by mass media
Media directly controlled or indirectly controlled by the government.
Rampant sexism
exclusively male dominant. traditional gender roles are more rigid. State ultimate guardian of family institution.
Labor power suppressed
organizing power of labor only real threat to facism, labor unions suppressed or eliminated.
Powerful and Couniting Nationalism
constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, facist flags everywhere.
Key features of Italian fascism
Inspired by experience of trauma associated with WWI and its aftermath
nation must be able to grow even at expense of the weak.
questioning government not tolerated.
A short history of Nazi party
Adolf Hitler and the Rise of the Nazi Party
Background:
Austrian national, entered German politics in 1919.
Joined and led the German Workers’ Party, renamed it to Nazi Party in 1920.
Core Ideology:
Belief in Aryan superiority and citizenship based on ‘German blood.’
Non-Aryans denied rights and benefits.
Key Events:
Beer Hall Putsch (1923): Failed coup attempt; increased Hitler’s popularity.
Mein Kampf (1925): Promoted Aryan dominance, Lebensraum, and anti-Semitism.
Political Strategy:
Shifted from violent uprising to using democratic processes.
Initially lost support during economic recovery but gained traction during the Great Depression (1929).
Electoral Gains:
Nazis appealed to industrialists fearing communism.
Significant gains in Reichstag elections (1930, 1932).
Chancellorship:
Hitler became a German citizen to run for president (1932).
Finished second to Hindenburg but Nazis won plurality in Reichstag.
Appointed Chancellor (January 30, 1933) under Hindenburg, leading to Nazi control of German institutions.
Outline the purpose of concordats
Popes generally tried to use concordats to protect the rights of Catholics and specify the obligations of the Church as a nation state.
Summarise the Lateran Pacts
(date, people, purpose, what signatories received)
Before 1870, the city of Rome and the area of Lazio were a papal state or nation under the Catholic Church. Land was forcibly acquired by gov in 1870. Church no longer nation state. Lateran Concordat involved Italian Fascist gov recognizing papal control over Vatican city. Gov paid compensation for loss on land in 1879. Concordat made Catholicism official religion of Italy. In turn Church recognized Mussolini’s government.
Explain how the Catholic Church and Mussolini’s fascist regime both benefitted from the signing of the Lateran Treaty.
Mussolini saw the destruction of the parliamentary Catholic Italian Popular Party an opposing party to his government. The Church received their own micro state, reparations and privileges.
Outline the Catholic Church’s view of the Italian Fascist party in 1931.
Catholic Church viewed Italian fascist party as too controlling in people’s religious freedom in 1931.
Pope Pius encyclical Non Abbiamo Bisongo the Pope brought up the “impossibility of being at one and the same time a fascist and a Catholic.”
Condemned fascism’ pagan worship of the state’ and revolution which snatches the young from the Church and Jesus Christ.
Describe the interplay between the Catholic Church and the Nazi party (1920-1932)
Catholic Church seen as potential rival for the arts and minds of the German people. Seen by Nazi’s as organization that had presence to influence Germany’s relationships with the other countries.
Nazi party tended to be anti Catholic. Article 24 still allowed for religious practice.
Church skeptical of Nazism. Problem was some leading Nazi’s were Catholic. Some Catholics supportive do to Nazism’s anti communist views.
When was Reichskonkordat signed
Signed 20, 1933
How was Catholic Church influenced into signing Reich Concordat.
Pius didn’t trust Hitler , but refusal to sign would of allowed Nazi’s to persecute.
Many German Catholic’s would likely of reproached Church for not accepting such good ‘peace treaty’
terms very good, Church assured complete freedom of expression, education and action
would of split and weakened Church.
What did Church gain from Reichskonkordat
be free to establish colleges for training clergy.
parishes, religious orders and societies be recognized as legal entities in law
Sunday prayers to be offered for Germany and its people.
Freedom to publish pastoral letters.
How did Nazi gov break Reich Concordat and in turn persecute Catholics?
What is Gleichschaltung
German term applied to Nazification of German society. All educational, social , and cultural activities were brought under Nazi control.
How did Nazi gov break Reich Concordat and in turn persecute Catholics?
What followed the policy of Gleichschaltung
Hitler moved quickly to eliminate political Catholicism. Arrested thousands of members of German centre party.
Despite what had been promised in Reich Concordat , policy meant Catholic organizations gradually became subject to Nazi control.
Positions formerly allotted to nuns were given to secular teachers.
Tel Aviv (2023) Gleichschaltung
How did Nazi gov break Reich Concordat and in turn persecute Catholics?
Fire in.
State of
Enabling act what was it
1933 fire in German parliment. Created state of emergency. Hitler exploited to create emergency powers.
March 1933 Enabling Act passed.
Laws could be passed that altered constitution with consent of Reichstag.
How did Nazi gov break Reich Concordat and in turn persecute Catholics?
editors law
December 1933 editors law passed
became an offence to give details of pilgrimages , print liturgical calendars or announce meeting of local church clubs.
prevented church leaders from protesting breaches
(Alpha history 2020)
Religion in Nazi Germany
How did Nazi gov break Reich Concordat and in turn persecute Catholics?
schools replaced
Catholic schools, replaced with community schools run by Nazi sympathizers, crucifixes removed from all Church owned buildings.
How did Catholic Church respond to Nazi governments actions through the encyclical Mit Brennender Sorge
written in
what does it mean
read all at
what did it proclaim
Means of Burning Concern.
Written in German rather than Latin easily understood
copies smuggled read all at same time
Palm Sunday Mass (March 14 1937)
Reinforced belief in God, divine revelation and authority of Pope.
Proclaimed natural law as the basis for morality over Nazi philosophy.
How did Catholic Church respond to Nazi governments actions through the encyclical Mit Brennender Sorge
what did it criticize
denounced
criticized aspects of nazism including elevation of one race above others.
denounced the paganist national socialist ideology
encouraged Catholics to reject national socialism.
Example quote from Mit Brennender Sorge
To hand the moral law to man’s subjective opinion, which changes with time, instead of anchoring it in the Holy Will of the eternal God and His commandments is to open wide every door to the forces of destruction.
