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How did the Nazis use religious persecution to control Germany?

How did the Nazis use religious persecution to control Germany?. How did the Nazis use religious persecution to control Germany?. Why were the Churches a threat to the Nazis? Why were the Churches useful to the Nazis? Which was more of a threat – the Catholic or Protestant Church?.

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How did the Nazis use religious persecution to control Germany?

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  1. How did the Nazis use religious persecution to control Germany?

  2. How did the Nazis use religious persecution to control Germany? • Why were the Churches a threat to the Nazis? • Why were the Churches useful to the Nazis? • Which was more of a threat – the Catholic or Protestant Church?

  3. Useful or a threat? • “One is either a Christian or a German. You can’t be both…” Hitler speaking to a colleague in 1933. • In 1933 nearly all Germans were Christians. 1/3 were Catholics and 2/3 Protestants. • The Protestant Church had more members than any other organisation in Germany, including the Nazi party.

  4. Useful or a threat? • Many church members had voted for Hitler. • Many of the best Nazi speakers were Protestant pastors. • The Church agreed with the Nazis about the importance of family life, discipline and obedience, and the army. • “Hitler talked about the blessing of the Almighty and declared that he drew the strength for his great work from the Word of God.” Helmut Thielicke, a Christian who later opposed Hitler, describing Hitler’s attitude to religion in 1933.

  5. Why do these sources disagree? • “One is either a Christian or a German. You can’t be both…” Hitler speaking to a colleague in 1933. • “Hitler talked about the blessing of the Almighty and declared that he drew the strength for his great work from the Word of God.” Helmut Thielicke, a Christian who later opposed Hitler, describing Hitler’s attitude to religion in 1933.

  6. The Catholic Church How did the Nazis treat the Catholic church at first? How did their policy change later? How did the Pope respond and with what effect? The Protestant Churches Who were ‘German Christians’ and what did they do? What did many Protestant pastors and their congregations do? What happened to the ministers who left the ‘Reich Church’? The churchesAnswer these questions using pages 74-75.

  7. What does this symbol remind you of? The German Faith movement encouraged Germans to worship the sun and the seasons, and recreated ‘traditional’ German rituals and costumes. For example, they encouraged the celebration of the Winter Solstice instead of Christmas.

  8. So, were the Nazis Christian? Members of the SA attending a church service Yes, because… No, because… Sort of, because…

  9. How successfully did the churches oppose the Nazis? • Pastor Martin Niemöller • Pastor Paul Schneider • Cardinal Galen • Fr Josef Fath • The Jehovah’s Witnesses

  10. "In Germany, they came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist; And then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew; And then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist; And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up."

  11. Successes Failures How successfully did the Nazis control people’s religion?Find examples on pages 98-99 to show their

  12. How successfully did the churches oppose the Nazis? • Why was there so little opposition to Hitler from the churches in Germany in the years 1934-45? (2007)

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