The Nazis & the Church

Question 1

How did the relationship between the Nazis and the Church change?

Answer 1

At first, the Nazis were reassuring to the Church, but then began to oppress it with the force of the Police State.

Question 2

Describe what the relationship between the Nazis and Catholic Church was like at first.

Answer 2

1933 Concordat

• In this treaty, Hitler agreed to let Catholic churches worship freely if they did not criticise the Nazis.
• The Catholic Church agreed not to interfere in politics, and ordered its bishops and priests to sweat loyalty to the Nazis.

Question 3

How did the Nazis begin to treat the Catholic Church differently throughout the 1930s?

Answer 3

• Catholic priests were harassed and arrested by Nazis
• Catholic schools were shut down
• Catholic youth groups were banned

Question 4

What opposition to the Nazis was there from the Catholic Church, and how was it dealt with?

Answer 4

• Some Catholic priests spoke out against the Concordat and Nazi ideology and policy.
• ~400 priests were imprisoned in Dachau (the 1st concentration camp opened in 1933).
• 1937: the Pope officially criticised the Nazis.

Question 5

Describe what the relationship between the Nazis and Protestant Church was like at first.

Answer 5

• Protestant leaders who supported Nazi ideology were allowed to continue to provide Church services.
• Some Protestant Church leaders allowed Nazi flags to hang inside Churches.
• The Nazis insisted that no Jewish Old Testament readings be used in services.

Question 6

What opposition to the Nazis was there from the Protestant Church?

Answer 6

Pastor Martin Niemoller set up the Pastors’ Emergency League to campaign against:

• The joining of regional churches into one national German Christian Church.
• Nazi attempts to stop Jews becoming Christians, and to ban the Jewish Old Testament.
• 1934: the PEL set up the Confessing Church; this church refused to cooperate with the Nazis.

Question 7

How did the Nazis respond to the Protestant resistance?

Answer 7

• 1937: PEL was banned; Niemoller was sent to a concentration camp.
• 800 of the Pastors who joined the Confessing Church were arrested and sent to concentration camps.

Question 8

Who set up the PEL?

Answer 8

Pastor Martin Niemoller.

Question 9

What did the PEL campaign against?

Answer 9

• The joining of regional churches into one national German Christian Church.
• Nazi attempts to stop Jews becoming Christians, and to ban the Jewish Old Testament.

Question 10

What did the PEL set up in 1934?

Answer 10

The Confessing Church.