starter activity

This extraordinary photo taken in the 1930s shows Catholic bishops in Germany giving the Nazi salute. List as many reasons as you can, why you might expect the Nazis to destroy the Church and why you might want to keep it for your own use. How might Hitler’s attitudes change after the War?

Reasons for destroying Reasons for destroying ChurchChurch

Nearly all Germans Nearly all Germans Christian – 1/3 RC. 2/3 Christian – 1/3 RC. 2/3 ProtestantProtestant

Nazi ideology Nazi ideology contradicted Christian contradicted Christian valuesvalues

Church meetings could Church meetings could be centre for oppositionbe centre for opposition

Many leading Many leading opponents were opponents were religious, e.g. religious, e.g. NiemöllerNiemöller

Reasons for keeping the Reasons for keeping the ChurchChurch

Smoke screen for Smoke screen for Nazi policiesNazi policies

Priests were effective Priests were effective public speakerspublic speakers

Common policies – Common policies – traditional family traditional family valuesvalues

People often turn to People often turn to religion in time of religion in time of needneed

Why didn’t the Why didn’t the Nazis destroy the Nazis destroy the

churches?churches?To identify ways the Nazis manipulated To identify ways the Nazis manipulated

the Churchthe ChurchTo assess the impact of key individuals To assess the impact of key individuals

& movements& movementsTo conduct a case studyTo conduct a case study

LOs

Key words: Protestant / Catholic concordat pastor

Your taskYour task Read p. 94-5 (SHP)and list the way in Read p. 94-5 (SHP)and list the way in

which the Nazis manipulated the Church which the Nazis manipulated the Church in Germany. Focus on these areas:in Germany. Focus on these areas: ConcordatConcordat Reich ChurchReich Church Faith MovementFaith Movement

Which area of society was more Which area of society was more important to Hitler: compare Sources 1 important to Hitler: compare Sources 1 & 2 (p.94). How and why are they & 2 (p.94). How and why are they different?different?

Manipulation of the Manipulation of the ChurchChurch

Public support Public support – Hitler: – Hitler: Christianity was ‘the Christianity was ‘the unshakeable foundation of the moral life of our people’unshakeable foundation of the moral life of our people’

AgreementsAgreements – June 1933, Concordat with Rome – June 1933, Concordat with Rome not to interfere with Church in return for not to interfere with Church in return for supportsupport

Protestant Church reorganised Protestant Church reorganised – Reich Church, – Reich Church, headed by Bishop Müllerheaded by Bishop Müller

Faith Movement Faith Movement – pagan alternative– pagan alternative ChangesChanges - carols and nativity plays banned in - carols and nativity plays banned in

schools (1937); Church schools abolished schools (1937); Church schools abolished (1939)(1939)

Your taskYour task

Study the individuals on p.96-7 Study the individuals on p.96-7 ((Bonhoeffer, p.152) & complete the Bonhoeffer, p.152) & complete the table below:table below:Name Catholic/

Protestant/ Other?

What did they oppose?

What happened to them?

Threat to regime (5* for greatest)

Martin Niemöller

Paul Schneider

Cardinal Galen

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Martin NiemöllerMartin Niemöller

Faith: ProtestantFaith: Protestant Opposed: Reich Opposed: Reich

Church & ‘German Church & ‘German Christians’Christians’

How dealt with: How dealt with: concentration camp; concentration camp; Hitler ordered Hitler ordered execution but execution but survivedsurvived

Threat: ???Threat: ???

Paul SchneiderPaul Schneider

Faith: Protestant pastorFaith: Protestant pastor Opposed: Nazi regime Opposed: Nazi regime

& preached critical & preached critical sermonssermons

How dealt with: How dealt with: Buchenwald Buchenwald concentration camp; concentration camp; tortured; captive 2 tortured; captive 2 yearsyears

Threat: ???Threat: ???

Cardinal GalenCardinal Galen

Faith: Roman Catholic Faith: Roman Catholic bishop – aka ‘Lion of bishop – aka ‘Lion of Munster’Munster’

Opposed: euthanasia Opposed: euthanasia programmeprogramme

How dealt with: Nazis How dealt with: Nazis wanted to avoid wanted to avoid martyrs BUT executed martyrs BUT executed 3 priests3 priests

Threat: ???Threat: ???

Josef FathJosef Fath Faith: Roman Catholic Faith: Roman Catholic

priestpriest Opposed: Nazi Opposed: Nazi

schoolteachers & leaders schoolteachers & leaders of Hitler Youth; ignored of Hitler Youth; ignored celebrating religious celebrating religious festivalsfestivals

How dealt with: How dealt with: denounced to authoritiesdenounced to authorities

Threat: ???Threat: ???

Jehovah’s WitnessesJehovah’s Witnesses Faith: Jehovah’s Faith: Jehovah’s

WitnessesWitnesses Opposed: Nazi Opposed: Nazi

interference with their interference with their faithfaith

How dealt with: How dealt with: concentration camps – concentration camps – marked out with marked out with purple badgespurple badges

Threat: ???Threat: ???

Dietrich BonhoefferDietrich Bonhoeffer Faith: ProtestantFaith: Protestant Opposed: Reich Opposed: Reich

Church & ‘German Church & ‘German Christians’; Nuremberg Christians’; Nuremberg Laws; Hitler – joined Laws; Hitler – joined Abwehr and conspired Abwehr and conspired to assassinate himto assassinate him

How dealt with: How dealt with: arrested & executedarrested & executed

Threat: ???Threat: ???

If you were given the task of

designing a Nazi church what

would it look like and what kind of

ceremonies would you hold

there?

Extension - study the information on p.98-9 about the Church in Bavaria. Work in pairs. One student gather evidence the Nazis succeeded in controlling the Church in Bavaria, the other that it failed. Hold a silent debate with your partner to see who wins.

HomeworkHomework Imagine you are a Protestant priest Imagine you are a Protestant priest

giving a sermon (a speech) to your giving a sermon (a speech) to your congregation. Explain what you hate congregation. Explain what you hate about Nazi methods of control. You about Nazi methods of control. You should mention the following:should mention the following:

Attempts by the Nazis to destroy the Attempts by the Nazis to destroy the ChurchChurch

Criticisms of the Reich Church & the Criticisms of the Reich Church & the Faith MovementFaith Movement

Comments on the treatment of fellow Comments on the treatment of fellow people of faith, e.g. Niemöllerpeople of faith, e.g. NiemöllerStarter sentence: ‘Fellow Christians, we gather

together in very dangerous times …..’

Why didn’t the Why didn’t the Nazis destroy the Nazis destroy the

churches?churches?To identify ways the Nazis manipulated To identify ways the Nazis manipulated

the Churchthe ChurchTo assess the impact of key individuals To assess the impact of key individuals

& movements& movementsTo conduct a case studyTo conduct a case study

LOs

Key words: Protestant / Catholic concordat pastor

Plenary