The document discusses the conflict between National Socialism and Christianity in Nazi Germany, highlighting the Nazis' efforts to control both Protestant and Catholic churches while promoting a 'positive Christianity' that aligned with their ideology. The 1933 Concordat with the Catholic Church aimed to maintain church autonomy in exchange for political non-engagement, but was soon violated through persecutions and restrictions. Key figures like Cardinal Galen opposed Nazi policies, particularly against euthanasia, leading to limited but notable resistance from the churches amidst general compliance.

1. Policies on religion
and the Churches

2. National Socialism and Christianity were
two totally conflicting sets of beliefs.
To many Germans, National Socialism was
itself a religion
The main churches posed a problem for
the Nazis.
• They were against organisations with
ideals opposed to Nazism to operate in
Germany. But…
• churches played a key role in many
Germans’ lives.

3. • 40 million Germans (58% of the
population) identified as Protestant,
• 22 million (32%) were Catholic.
both represented an alternative to the Nazi
ideal of the national community
The Catholics even had their own political
Centre Party.

4. The Nazis’ 1920 25-Point Plan
had demanded Freedom of
Religion in Germany (for
Christian churches)….
as long as they did not endanger
or challenge the state.
The Nazis advocated ‘Positive
Christianity’ which mixed
some Christian ideas with the
goals of the Nazis.

5. Hitler had nothing but
contempt for Christianity,
calling it the ‘Jewish Christ
creed with its effeminate pity
ethics’.
Hitler planned to replace
Christianity with a Nazi faith,
which would further help his
goal of Volksgemeinschaft.
To do this he would take control
of the main churches.

6. • Protestants had a long tradition of loyalty to the state
and obedience to authority
• In July 1933 the Nazis set up the Reich Church to
coordinate all Protestant Churches.
• The Confessional Church opposed the Nazis’ attempt
to control and ‘Nazify’ the Protestant faith
• May 1934 Pastor Martin Niemöller, condemned the
Nazi control of religion
• ‘For us it is a question of which master the German
Protestants are going to serve. Christ or another.’
• He was imprisoned in Dachau from 1937 -45
• In November 1933 the Nazis supported the Deutsche
Christen (German Christians) movement, which
aimed to remove all un-German references from the
Bible.

7. • Why did Hitler decide to work with the Catholic church in 1933 rather than to totally oppose it as threat to the Nazi regime.
• a. Impressed by the authority and structure of the RCC, political and diplomatic advantage
• what was the agreement that Hitler signed with the Vatican?
• a. The concordat
• What was one of the results of this agreement
• a. Guaranteed the rights of the RCC, which promised not to engage in political activity, CCP dissolved
• Why was the agreement eventually violated, and in what ways was it violated?
• a. Wanted to remove all aspects Christianity form German life, restrictions placed on catholic schools, youth organisations
dissolved, priests and nuns persecuted, press closed down, religious instructions phased out
• What was the response of the CC?
• 1937 encyclical Pope accused the Nazis of breaking the terms of the concordat, calling it ‘illegal and inhuman’ – called them the
spreaders of ‘hatred’
• Why was it easier to deal with the Protestant churches in comparison to the catholic churches?
• Not part of an international organisation, long tradition of obedience and loyalty to the government.
• Who was appointed the head of the Reich church?
• Ludwig Mueller "pacifism is blasphemy against God.“openly expressed anti-semitic views. ‘we demand the protection of the
nation from the unfit and inferior’
• Why did many oppose the Nazi control of religion?
• They opposed the Nazi’s attempt to Nazify religion, opposing the way the Nazi’s attempted to control normal life
• Why do you think the churches as a whole remained passive to the Nazi regimes ideological actions.
• Generally, the religious faiths did not have the combined strength to stand up against Nazi authority, hence generally only
individuals were willing to oppose nazi ideology, also most supported the right wing politics of the nazis’

8. The Nazis found it harder to
control the Catholic Church
because it was a global church.
Instead they reached a
Concordat with the Vatican in
July 1933. This meant that the
Catholic Church agreed to stay
out of politics, in exchange for
keeping control of their
organisations, such as schools.

9. • It was not long before the provisions of the
concordat were violated.
• Places restrictions on Catholic schools,
• Catholic youth organisations were brought
under the control of the Hitler Youth,
• Priests and nuns were persecuted,
• Catholic press was closed down,
• Religious instruction in schools was phased
out.
• In March 1937 Pope Pius XI condemned the
persecution of the Roman Catholic Church in
the Reich,
• Calling it ‘illegal as it is inhuman’ accusing the
Nazi’s of spreading ‘hatred and hostility to
Christ and His Church’.

10. Religious opposition – Catholics
One exception was Cardinal Galen, who delivered a powerful sermon against the Nazi
euthanasia programme in 1941.
Code named "Aktion T4," the Nazi program to eliminate "life unworthy of life" began on
Hitler's order in October 1939.
In his sermon he stated
I have been assured that the Reich Interior Ministry and the office of the Reich Doctors' Leader, Dr. Conti,
make no bones about the fact that in reality a large number of mentally ill people in Germany have been
deliberately killed and more will be killed in the future.
It is impossible to imagine the degree of moral depravity, of general mistrust that would then spread even
through families if this dreadful doctrine is tolerated, accepted and followed.
Woe to mankind, woe to our German nation if God's Holy Commandment 'Thou shalt not kill,' which God
proclaimed on Mount Sinai amidst thunder and lightning, which God our Creator inscribed in the conscience
of mankind from the very beginning, is not only broken, but if this transgression is actually tolerated and
permitted to go unpunished.

11. The sermon sent a shockwave through the Nazi
leadership all the way up to Hitler.
He ordered the arrest of three parish priests who had
distributed Cardinal Galen’s sermon, and then had them
beheaded. However, Hitler left Galen unharmed.
Why do you think that the Nazis chose
not to execute Galen?
Hitler then officially suspended the euthanasia programme
which had accounted for nearly a hundred thousand
deaths by this time. It continued in secret – drugs and
starvation were now used instead of mass gassings.
Was Catholic resistance more significant
than that of the Protestants?
Cardinal Galen

12. Protestant churches were
targeted by a Church Secession
Campaign in the mid-1930s.
This aimed to persuade Germans
to abandon their churches and
saw 100,000 government
employees do so.
After World War Two the Nazis
planned to introduce a new
German Faith Movement.

13. First they came for the socialists, and I did not
speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did
not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak
out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one
left to speak for me.
—Martin Niemöller
Martin Niemöller
Imprisoned 1937-45. Died 1984
Cardinal Galen, Died 1946
Dietrich Bonhoefer
Executed 1945

14. German attitudes towards the
Nazis and churches were mixed.
Some religious people felt that
their Church did not do enough
to stop Nazism, or defend its
own faith.
Others though continued to
practice their faith, even in spite
of Nazi attempts to end the
influence of churches.

15. Historians are divided on the role
of Churches in Nazi Germany.
Some argue that the main
Churches were weak and
interested only in protecting
their own positions.
Others claim that the Churches
did undermine Nazism in
different ways, and stop
Volksgemeinschaft.

16. Historians’ views
• Jeremy Noakes: The churches were allowed to keep their own
ideologies and so were an obstacle to Nazi control in Germany.
• Alan Wilt: The churches’ response to Nazism was weak and
thus reduced their general influence on German life.
• J.R.C. Wright: The churches did oppose Nazi aggression but
this was about protecting their own position rather opposing
the Nazis’ wider action.