80 years ago — April 6, 1938
“The annexation of Austria aggravates the church problem for Hitler. When he came to power in Germany in 1933, the churches were divided and weak; in Austria … the church is strong, united and anti-Nazi. … Probably in anticipation of the Austrian coup, Hitler, has sought to create the impression … that he was discounting his war on the churches. Hundreds of clergyman have been released from concentration camps since Christmas.” So is this a change of heart for Hitler or just a clever means to an end? In Germany the first attacks on religion were felt by the Catholic Church. By censuring the religious press, he controlled what people knew about issues. Then the Nazis attacked the Protestant churches. “The problem here is to break the hold not of the church, but of its ideology. The Nazi god is a jealous god. For a Protestant to say, ‘We must obey God rather than man,’ is blasphemy in his sight. … Thousands of clerical and lay leaders have been sent to concentration camps on genuine or manufactured charges of disloyalty.”
From the article “Hitler dooms the church,” by Philip S. Bernstein (reprinted by permission from The Nation)
