Religion

In Nazi Germany Society

Aims of Nazi Policies on Religion

• Manipulate religion to portray the good of Nazism.• Glorify the state and state absolutism. Glorify Hitler.• Relate Nazism to other religions.• Show religious Germans that Nazism is ‘the way’.

Actions by Nazis - Policies

• Protestantism – Made MLK appear as a supporter of German nationalism

• Catholicism – near tolerance or total renunciation.• Huge opposition from Priests and Popes.• Abolition of priestly celibacy.• Nationalization of all church property.• Dissolution of monastic orders and religious

congregations.• Dissolution of catholic church influence on

education.

How successful? Why?

• Quite successful.• Policies were put in place by the Fuhrer.• Nobody really dared to oppose the fuhrer.• Opposition from churches reduced substantially.

Key Figures - People

• Adolf Hitler – The Fuhrer• Ludwig Muller – Felt it was his duty to promote

Hitler and his ideals. • Wanted unified Reichskirche of Protestants and

Catholics.• Bernhard Stempfle – Priest that helped write ‘Mein

Kampf’.• Pope Pius XI – opposed nazism and anti-semitism.• issued the encyclical Mit Brennender Sorge

condemning Nazi ideology