American Christians seem to be completely unaware of the degree to which Christians in Germany threw their support behind Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. If they did, they might be less likely to pretend that the crimes of Hitler and the Nazis can be traced to atheism or secularism. They might also be less likely to do so much to transform their own Christianity into an American echo of Germany's extreme nationalistic Christianity.
11. Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber: Catholics Should Pray for the Life of the Führer
You are witnesses for the fact that on all Sundays and holidays at the main service we pray in all churches for the Führer as we have promised in the Concordat. ...We will today give an answer, a Christian answer: Catholic men, we will now pray together a paternoster for the life of the Führer. This is our answer.
- Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber of Bavaria, Sermon, responding to newspaper story about a Swiss Catholic asking children to pray for Hitler's death, July 7, 1936
12. Fulda German Bishops' Conference: May God Help the Führer Succeed
[Germany must be made militarily stronger to ensure that not only would Europe be] cleansed from Bolshevism, but the entire rescued civilized world will be able to be thankful to us. ...The task which this imposes upon our people and Fatherland follows as a matter of course. May our Führer, with God's help, succeed in completing this terribly difficult undertaking with unshakable determination and faithful participating of all Volksgenossen.
- Fulda German Bishops' Conference, Pastoral Letter, August 19, 1936
13. Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber: Hitler Lives in Faith in God
"The Führer commands the diplomatic and social forms better than a born sovereign. ...Without a doubt the chancellor lives in faith in God. He recognizes Christianity as the foundation of Western culture. ...Not as clear is his conception of the Catholic Church as a God-established institution." As a result of this report, the conference votes to "once again affirm our loyal and positive attitude, demanded by the fourth commandment, toward today's form of government and the Führer." They assure the Führer they will provide him "all available moral resources his world-historical struggle aimed at repelling Bolshevism."
- Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber, meeting of Bavarian bishops on his meeting with Adolf Hitler, December 13, 1936
14. Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber: Church Must Strengthen Confidence in Hitler
"The Führer and Chancellor of the Reich, Adolf Hitler, has sighted the advance of Bolshevism from afar and his thoughts and aspirations aim at averting the horrible danger from our German people and the entire Occident. The German bishops consider it their duty to support the head of the German Reich by all those means which the Church has at its disposal." Faulhaber insists that defending against Bolshevism is a religious duty and, to achieve this, it is necessary for the Church to muster all its moral and spiritual assets "to strengthen confidence in the Führer."
- Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber of Bavaria, Pastoral Letter, January 3, 1937
15. Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber: Concordat Improves Reputation of Nazi Germany
At a time when the heads of the major nations in the world faced the new Germany with cool reserve and considerable suspicion, the Catholic Church, the greatest moral power on earth, through the Concordat expressed its confidence in the new German government. This was a deed of immeasurable significance for the reputation of the new government abroad.
- Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber of Bavaria, Sermon, February 14, 1937
16. Cardinal Theodor Innitzer: Pray to God in Thanks for Hitler and the Nazis
[Austrian Catholics should greet Adolf Hitler and the Nazis by] praying to the Lord God in thanks for the bloodless course of this great political change and to ask for a happy future for Austria. Of course, all orders from the authorities will be happily and willingly obeyed.
- Cardinal Theodor Innitzer, Archbishop of Vienna, March 12, 1938
17. Cardinal Theodor Innitzer: Priests Must Support the Führer
Those...entrusted with souls and the faithful will unconditionally support the great German state and the Führer, because the historical struggle against the criminal illusion of Bolshevism and for the security of German life, for work and bread, for the power and honor of the Reich and for the unity of the German nation, is obviously accomplished by the blessing of Providence. ...Faith and the intimate union of souls gives Christians the conviction that the natural community of the nation is called upon to realize a divine idea, and it follows that a truly religious life presupposes the practice of national virtues.
- Cardinal Theodor Innitzer, Archbishop of Vienna, to Catholic clergy after meeting with Hitler, March 15, 1938
18. Catholic Hierarchy of Austria: National Socialism Defends Against Atheist Bolshe
We joyfully acknowledge that the National Socialist movement has done and is still doing eminent work in the domain of national and economic construction as well as in the domain of social policy, for the Reich and the German nation... We are also convinced that the activity of the National Socialist movement has averted the danger of an all-destroying atheistic Bolshevism. For the future, the bishops confer their heartiest blessing on this activity, and they will instruct the faithful to this effect. ...it is for us a national duty, as Germans, to vote for the German Reich, and we also expect all believing Christians to demonstrate that they know what they owe to their nation.Catholic Hierarchy of Austria, March 18, 1938
19. Bishop Hans Meiser: Loyalty Oath to the Führer
Pastors in the Bavarian regional church are required as public officials to perform the following oath: 'I swear to God the Almighty and All-knowing: I will be loyal and obedient to the Führer of the Reich and Volk, Adolf Hitler, I will obey the laws, and I will conscientiously fulfill all my official duties, so help me God.' This law is effective immediately.Bishop Hans Meiser of the Bavarian Evangelical-Lutheran Church, May 18, 1938
20. Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber: Adolf Hitler is a Man of Peace
"[Adolf Hitler is a] man of peace. ...The great deed of safeguarding peace...moves the German episcopate acting in the name of the Catholics of all the German dioceses...to extend congratulations and thanks and to order a festive ringing of bells on Sunday." Read in all Berlin pulpits: "God has heard the prayer of all Christendom for peace. By His grace and the tireless efforts of the responsible statesmen the terrible affliction of a war has been averted... [W]e desire now with a prayer and a Te deum to praise God for His goodness in that He has preserved peace for us...[and] assured the return of our Sudeten kinsmen to the German Reich."
- Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber, commemorating Germany occupying Sudentenland, October 2, 1938
