16 - Nazi policies towards Churches

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  • Nazi Policies towards Churches
    • The Protestant Church
      • The Reich Church
        • 1933 nazis began to coordinate the Church into the regime
        • July 1933 German Christians won in Church elections
          • Ludwig Muller was appointed Reich bishop
        • Muller abolished all elected Church bodies + reorganised it with the SA's help
        • Mass Christian rally in Berlin Nov 1933
          • They demanded un-allied pastors were dismissed with non-Aryans
            • 18 pastors were dismissed
      • The Confessional Church
        • Sept 1933 dissident pastors created the Pastors' Emergency League
          • This evolved into the breakaway Confessional Church
            • Supported by 5000 pastors
        • Some rural congregations joined it as they were traditional
        • 1935 a new Ministry for Church affairs was created
        • Regime attempted to weaken the Church through repression + exploiting its divisions
          • Late 1930s Church schools were abolished (reducing influence)
        • Church Secession Campaign to persuade party members o renounce their faith
          • By 1939 5% retained their faith but weren't registered
          • Party members couldn't hold Church office
          • Stormtroopers couldn't wear uniform at mass
          • Priests/pastors couldn't play a part in the regime
          • The unemployed who relied on the state (teachers) were pressured to renounce their faith
      • Main PC was the German Evangelical Church
        • Politically conservative + tradition for cooperating with the State
          • Anti-Semitic and Anti-Communist
    • The Roman Catholic Church
      • The Concordat
        • When trade unions were abolished the Catholic ones voluntarily disbanded
        • July 1933 the Vatican and the regime agreed upon the Concordat
          • Vatican recognised the regime + promised not to interfere in politics
          • The regime promised not to interfere in RCC
            • The Church would keep control of its schools, youth organisations and lay groups
        • Summer 1933 this agreement was broken
          • Nazi began to seize Catholic organisation's property
          • Catholic newspapers had to drop the 'Catholic' title
          • Gestapo/** surveilled priests
          • June 1934 Night of the Long KNives leading Catholics were murdered
        • Catholic hierarchy made no protest
      • Conflict between the regime and the Catholic Church
        • 1935-36 some Catholic priests began to speak out
        • Regime increased it's pressure
          • Permission to hold public meetings was restricted
          • Catholic newspapers were heavily censored
          • Propaganda campaign against catholic financial corruption
            • Many had their funds seized + offices closed
        • 1937 Pope Pius XI published 'With Burning Grief' and regime increased its pressure
          • Gestapo/** agents were placed inside Catholic organisation
          • Tightened restrictions on Catholic press
          • Pilgrimages were restricted + youth groups closed
          • Propaganda detailed priest sex scandals
            • 200 priests were arrested on sex charges
          • By 1939 Summer all Church schools had been made into Community schools
        • By 1939 Catholic power/influence was significantly reduced
        • Young people could no longer attend Catholic schools
        • Some older Catholics were torn between faith and being a good German
        • Some older Catholics continued to attend mass to prove their Catholic loyalty
        • The Church as a whole didn't pose opposition to the regime
      • Presented a greater obstacle as they took their lead from the Pope
        • Nazis saw this as undermining Germany state authority
      • Early 1930s Catholics were least likely to vote Nazi
      • When Hitler came to power the Church were willing to compromise
        • Agreed on anti-Semitism
    • Majority of Germans were Protestant, a significant minority were Catholic
    • Loyalty to Hitler was difficult to secure as religious loyalties were strong
    • Nazis had no coherent view on religion
      • Hitler had mentioned both adhering to religion and eradicating it
        • Some wanted a Nazi faith
    • Hitler was careful not to alienate Churches

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