Language:
German
Year of publication:
1989
Titel der Quelle:
Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte
Angaben zur Quelle:
2,1 (1989) 14-37
Keywords:
Jews History 1933-1939
;
Kristallnacht, 1938
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
;
Church history 20th century
;
Pogroms
Abstract:
Shows that the German Protestant Church did not protest against the "Kristallnacht" pogrom. The "German Christians" had, in any case, embraced anti-Judaism on both national-racist and Christian-religious grounds. The central body of the Church, including the moderates of the Confessing Church (e.g. Bishop Theophil Wurm), were concerned over the pogrom's illegality and violence but justified Nazi restrictions on Jews because of their "destructive" cultural and economic influence. The radical wing of the Confessing Church was already under attack and was forced to remain silent. When Julius von Jan, who had preached against the pogrom, was beaten up and imprisoned, the Bavarian Church condemned the action but justified the legal proceedings, warning its ministers against taking a "political" stand. Although Dietrich Bonhoeffer had turned away from traditional Christian anti-Judaism, he felt that a public protest would endanger other opposition projects. Argues that it was sociocultural anti-Judaism, rather than racial or religious considerations, which caused most Protestants to acquiesce in Nazi policy.
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