The population of Germany in 1933 was around 60 million. Almost all Germans were Christian, belonging either to the Roman Catholic (ca. 20 million members) or the Protestant (ca. 40 million members) churches. The Jewish community in Germany in 1933 was less than 1% of the total population of the country.
How did Christians and their churches in Germany respond to the Nazi regime and its laws, particularly to the persecution of the Jews? The racialized anti-Jewish Nazi ideology converged with antisemitism that was historically widespread throughout Europe at the time and had deep roots in Christian history. For all too many Christians, traditional interpretations of religious scriptures seemed to support these prejudices.
The attitudes and actions of German Catholics and Protestants during the Nazi era were shaped not only by their religious beliefs, but by other factors as well, including:
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Backlash against the Weimar Republic and the political, economic, and social changes in Germany that occurred during the 1920s
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Anti-Communism
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Nationalism
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Resentment toward the international community in the wake of World War I, which Germany lost and for which it was forced to pay heavy reparations
These were some of the reasons why most Christians in Germany welcomed the rise of Nazism in 1933.
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Catholic clergy and Nazi officials, including Joseph Goebbels (far right) and Wilhelm Frick (second from right), give the Nazi salute. Germany, date uncertain. (Photo courtesy of USHMM)
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Father Bruno with Jewish children he hid from the Germans. Yad Vashem recognized Father Bruno as "Righteous Among the Nations." Belgium, wartime. (Photo courtesy of USHMM)
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Martin Niemöller, a prominent Protestant pastor who opposed the Nazi regime. He spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps. Germany, 1937.
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Nazi officials and Catholic bishops listen to a speech by Wilhelm Frick, Reich Minister of the Interior. March 1, 1935. (Photo courtesy of USHMM)
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Wow, kinda crazy to imagine living in that time period. The Catholic Church could’ve done more! 🤷🏻♂️✝️