churches

• Describe two problems Germany faced because of the Depression.
• Describe two problems faced by Gustav Stresemann when he became Chancellor in November 1923.
• Truman Doctrine


  USA's policy to contain the spread of communism
• Explain your answer using source G and your contextual knowledge.
• Religion and the Nazis


  • Many religious people supported the Nazis because they had traditional values (family centred, woman stay at home)
• Hitler's religious beliefs


  • Born and raised a Catholic (stopped going to Mass when he was 16)
  • Believed in a 'supreme being'
  • Had no belief in the afterlife
• The Nazis and Christianity


  • The Nazis didn't like Christianity
  • Jesus was Jewish
  • Christianity is about charity and compassion
  • They were loyal to their faith and not Hitler
• The Nazi plan


  1. Gain as much control as possible over the existing Churches

  2. Weaken the hold of traditional Christianity

  3. Replace Christianity with a true Nazi religion
• How did the Nazis try to control the Churches?

  1. 1933-1935 Catholic Church = Compromise, sign Concordat

  2. 1933-1935 Protestant Church = Control, make all join Reich Church
• After 1935


  The Nazis are more hostile to both Catholic and Protestant Churches
• Many priests were arrested on trumped up charges
• Catholic newspapers were banned from using the word 'Catholic' in their title
• Protestant opposition


  • Many Protestants were unhappy about the Reich Church
  • They didn't like the fact the Church was Nazified (pictures of Hitler etc.)
  • A new Protestant Church, outside of the Reich Church was set up, it was called the Confessional Church
• The Confessional Church


  • The Confessional Church was a traditional Protestant Church
  • The Church was popular in areas where the Nazis were popular showing that people went there because they liked the fact it was traditional
  • It's leaders were anti Nazi though
• Between 1935-1937

  The Nazi Party was harassing the Catholic Church
• The Papal Encyclical 1937

  • Pope Pius XI 1922-1939
  • All priests in Germany must read out an encyclical (letter) at Church. The letter is entitled 'With Burning Grief' and attacks the anti Christian nature of Nazism
• Catholic opposition to Action T4

  • The Catholic Church campaigned against Action T4
  • Due to Catholic pressure the practice of killing mentally ill people was stopped in 1941
• Make notes on Cardinal Galen and Josef Fath