Chapter XX: Section 3: of Chapter XV for further material on the Reich Cabinet.) (3)

Document │ Description │ Vol. │ Page
│ │ │
│Charter of the International Military │ │
│ Tribunal, Article 6, especially 6 (a).│ I │ 5
│ │ │
│International Military Tribunal, │ │
│ Indictment Number 1, Section IV (D) 3 │ │
│ (c) (1). │ I │ 19
│ ————— │ │
│Note: A single asterisk (*) before a │ │
│document indicates that the document was│ │
│received in evidence at the Nurnberg │ │
│trial. A double asterisk (**) before a │ │
│document number indicates that the │ │
│document was referred to during the │ │
│trial but was not formally received in │ │
│evidence, for the reason given in │ │
│parentheses following the description of│ │
│the document. The USA series number, │ │
│given in parentheses following the │ │
│description of the document, is the │ │
│official exhibit number assigned by the │ │
│court. │ │
│ ————— │ │
*392-PS │Official NSDAP circular entitled “The │ │
│Social Life of New Germany with Special │ │
│Consideration of the German Labor │ │
│Front”, by Prof. Willy Mueller (Berlin, │ │
│1938). (USA 326) │ III │ 380
│ │ │
*404-PS │Excerpts from Hitler, Mein Kampf, pp. │ │
│456, 475. (USA 256) │ III │ 385
│ │ │
405-PS │Law Concerning Trustees of Labor, 19 May│ │
│1933. 1933 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p.│ │
│285. │ III │ 387
│ │ │
614-PS │Proclamation of the Action Committee for│ │
│the Protection of German Labor, 2 May │ │
│1933. Documents of German Politics, Vol.│ │
│I, p. 151-3. │ III │ 447
│ │ │
1389-PS │Law creating Reich Labor Service, 26 │ │
│June 1935. 1935 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part │ │
│I, p. 769. │ III │ 963
│ │ │
*1678-PS │Speech of Dr. Robert Ley. Documents of │ │
│German Politics, Vol. V, pp. 373, 376. │ │
│(USA 365) │ IV │ 190
│ │ │
1770-PS │Law concerning factory representative │ │
│councils and economic organizations, 4 │ │
│April 1933. 1933 Reichsgesetzblatt, Part│ │
│I, p. 161. │ IV │ 343
│ │ │
*1814-PS │The Organization of the NSDAP and its │ │
│affiliated associations, from │ │
│Organization book of the NSDAP, editions│ │
│of 1936, 1938, 1940 and 1943, pp. 86-88.│ │
│(USA 328) │ IV │ 411
│ │ │
1817-PS │Bureau for factory troops, from │ │
│Organization Book of the NSDAP, 1936 │ │
│edition, p. 211. │ IV │ 457
│ │ │
1818-PS │Bureau for Factory troops and training, │ │
│from Organization Book of the NSDAP, │ │
│1940 edition, pp. 195-196b. │ IV │ 457
│ │ │
1861-PS │Law on the regulation of National labor,│ │
│20 January 1934. 1934 Reichsgesetzblatt,│ │
│Part I, p. 45. │ IV │ 497
│ │ │
*1913-PS │Agreement between Plenipotentiary │ │
│General for Arbeitseinsatz and German │ │
│Labor Front concerning care of │ │
│non-German workers. 1943 │ │
│Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 588. (USA │ │
│227) │ IV │ 547
│ │ │
1939-PS │Speech by Ley published in Forge of the │ │
│Sword, with an introduction by Marshal │ │
│Goering, pp. 14-17. │ IV │ 581
│ │ │
1940-PS │Fuehrer edict appointing Ley leader of │ │
│German Labor Front. Voelkischer │ │
│Beobachter, Munich (Southern German) │ │
│edition, p. 1. │ IV │ 584
│ │ │
1947-PS │Letter from von Fritsch, 11 December │ │
│1938, concerning need of Germany to be │ │
│victorious over working class, Catholic │ │
│Church and Jews. │ IV │ 585
│ │ │
2005-PS │Second law integrating the “Laender” │ │
│with the Reich, 7 April 1933. 1933 │ │
│Reichsgesetzblatt, Part I, p. 173. │ IV │ 641
│ │ │
2050-PS │The Constitution of the German Reich, 11│ │
│August 1919. 1919 Reichsgesetzblatt, │ │
│Part I, p. 1383. │ IV │ 662
│ │ │
*2224-PS │The End of the Marxist Class Struggle, │ │
│published in National Socialist Party │ │
│Press Agency, 2 May 1933, pp. 1-2. (USA │ │
│364) │ IV │ 864
│ │ │
2225-PS │The Front of German Workers has been │ │
│Erected, published in National Socialist│ │
│Party Press Agency, 3 May 1933, p. 1. │ IV │ 868
│ │ │
2226-PS │The Labor Front Stands, published in │ │
│National Socialist Party Press Agency, 4│ │
│May 1933, p. 2. │ IV │ 869
│ │ │
2228-PS │Order issued by German Labor Front, │ │
│published in National Socialist Party │ │
│Press Agency, 26 June 1933, p. 5. │ IV │ 869
│ │ │
2230-PS │Agreement between Ley and Lutze, chief │ │
│of staff of SA, published in │ │
│Organization Book of NSDAP, 1938, pp. │ │
│484-485b, 486c. │ IV │ 871
│ │ │
2270-PS │Coordination of Cooperatives, published │ │
│in National Socialist Party Press Agency│ │
│release of 16 May 1933. │ IV │ 938
│ │ │
2271-PS │The National Socialist Factory Cells │ │
│Organization, published in Organization │ │
│Book of NSDAP, pp. 185-187. │ IV │ 940
│ │ │
2275-PS │The German Labor Front, published in │ │
│Nature-Aim-Means. Footnote on p. 11. │ IV │ 949
│ │ │
2276-PS │The German Labor Front, published in │ │
│Nature-Aim-Means. p. 55. │ IV │ 950
│ │ │
*2277-PS │Affidavit, 17 October 1945, of Gustav │ │
│Schiefer, Chairman of General German │ │
│Trade Union Association, Local │ │
│Committee, Munich, in 1933. (USA 748) │ IV │ 951
│ │ │
*2283-PS │The Fifth Day of the Party Congress, │ │
│from Voelkischer Beobachter, Munich │ │
│(Southern German) Edition, Issue 258, 14│ │
│September 1936. (USA 337) │ IV │ 971
│ │ │
*2330-PS │Order of Protective Custody, Police │ │
│Directorate of Nurnberg-Fuerth of Josef │ │
│Simon, Chairman of German Shoemaker’s │ │
│Union, 29 August 1935. (USA 237) │ IV │ 1038
│ │ │
*2331-PS │Declaration required of union leader │ │
│Josef Simon upon his release from │ │
│Protective Custody by Bavarian Political│ │
│Police, 20 December 1935. (USA 743) │ IV │ 1039
│ │ │
2332-PS │Death certificate, Flossenburg │ │
│Concentration Camp, concerning union │ │
│leader Staimer and official letter to │ │
│his wife, 22 December 1941. │ IV │ 1040
│ │ │
*2333-PS │Death certificate, Flossenburg │ │
│Concentration Camp, concerning union │ │
│leader Herrmann, and official letter to │ │
│his wife, 29 December 1941. (USA 744) │ IV │ 1040
│ │ │
*2334-PS │Affidavits of Lorenz Hagen, Chairman of │ │
│Local Committee, German Trade Unions, │ │
│Nurnberg. (USA 238) │ IV │ 1041
│ │ │
*2335-PS │Affidavits of Josef Simon, Chairman of │ │
│German Shoemakers’ Union in 1933. (USA │ │
│749) │ IV │ 1046
│ │ │
2336-PS │Special Circular on Securing of │ │
│association of German Labor Front │ │
│against hidden Marxist sabotage, 27 June│ │
│1933. │ IV │ 1052
│ │ │
2411-PS │Chart of unions of workers and │ │
│employees, from Statistical Yearbook for│ │
│German Reich, 1932, p. 555. │ V │ 87
│ │ │
*2895-PS │Joint affidavit of union leaders Simon, │ │
│Hagen, and Lex, 13 November 1945. (USA │ │
│754) │ V │ 563
│ │ │
*2928-PS │Affidavit of Mathias Lex, deputy │ │
│president of the German Shoemakers │ │
│Union. (USA 239) │ V │ 594
│ │ │
Statement XII │Political Testament of Robert Ley, │ │
│written in Nurnberg prison, October │ │
│1945. │ VIII │ 742
│ │ │
Statement XIII │Outline of Defense of Dr. Robert Ley, │ │
│written in Nurnberg prison, 24 October │ │
│1945. │ VIII │ 749

6. SUPPRESSION OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

A. _The Nazi conspirators sought to subvert the influence of the churches over the people of Germany._

(1) _They sought to eliminate the Christian Churches in Germany._

(_a_) _Statements of this aim._ Martin Bormann stated in a secret decree of the Party Chancellery signed by him and distributed to all Gauleiters 7 June 1941:

“Our National Socialist ideology is far loftier than the
concepts of Christianity, which in their essential points have
been taken over from Jewry * * *. A differentiation between the
various Christian confessions is not to be made here * * * the
Evangelical Church is just as inimical to us as the Catholic
Church. * * * All influences which might impair or damage the
leadership of the people exercised by the Fuehrer with the help
of the NSDAP must be eliminated. More and more the people must
be separated from the churches and their organs the pastors. * *
* Just as the deleterious influences of astrologers, seers and
other fakers are eliminated and suppressed by the State, so must
the possibility of church influence also be totally removed. * *
* Not until this has happened, does the state leadership have
influence on the individual citizens. Not until then are the
people and Reich secure in their existence for all time.”
(_D-75_)

Hans Kerrl, Reich Minister for Church Affairs, in a letter dated 6 September 1939 to a Herr Stapel, which indicated that it would be brought to the attention of the Confidential Council and of the defendant Hess, made the following statements:

“The Fuehrer considers his efforts to bring the Evangelical
Church to reason, unsuccessful and the Evangelical Church with
respect to its condition rightfully a useless pile of sects. As
you emphasize the Party has previously carried on not only a
fight against the political element of the Christianity of the
Church, but also a fight against membership of Party Members in
a Christian confession. * * *

“The Catholic Church will and must, according to the law under
which it is set up, remain a thorn in the flesh of a Racial
State * * *.” (_129-PS_)

Gauleiter Florian, in a letter dated 23 September 1940 to the defendant Hess, stated:

“The churches with their Christianity are the danger against
which to fight is absolutely necessary.” (_064-PS_)

Regierungsrat Roth, in a lecture 22 September 1941, to a group of Security Police, in the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) concluded his address on Security Police (_Sipo_) measures for combatting church politics and sects with the following remarks:

“The immediate aim: the church must not regain one inch of the
ground it has lost. The ultimate aim: Destruction of the
Confessional Churches to be brought about by the collection of
all material obtained through the intelligence service
(_Nachrichtendienst_) activities which will at a given time be
produced as evidence for the charge of treasonable activities
during the German fight for existence.” (_1815-PS_)

The Party Organization Book states:

“Bravery is valued by the SS man as the highest virtue of men in
a struggle for his ideology.

“He openly and unrelentingly fights the most dangerous enemies
of the State; Jews, Free Masons, Jesuits, and political
clergymen.

“However, he recruits and convinces the weak and inconstant by
his example, who have not been able to bring themselves to the
National Socialistic ideology.” (_1855-PS_)

(_b_) _The Nazi conspirators promoted beliefs and practices incompatible with Christian teachings._ The 24th point of the Program of the NSDAP, unchanged since its adoption in 1920, is as follows:

“We demand freedom of religion for all religious denominations
within the state so long as they do not endanger its existence
or oppose the moral senses of the germanic race. The Party as
such advocates the standpoint of a positive Christianity without
binding itself confessionally to any one denomination. It
combats the Jewish materialistic spirit within and around us,
and is convinced that a lasting recovery of our nation can only
succeed from within on the framework: common utility precedes
individual utility.” (_1708-PS_)

In official correspondence with the defendant Rosenberg in 1940, Bormann stated:

“Christian religion and National Socialist doctrines are not
compatible. * * * The churches cannot be subjugated through
compromise, only through a new philosophy as prophesied in
Rosenberg’s works.”

He then proposed creation of a National Socialist Catechism to provide a “moral foundation” for a National Socialist religion which is gradually to supplant the Christian churches. He stated the matter was so important it should be discussed with members of the Reich Cabinet as soon as possible and requested Rosenberg’s opinion before the meeting. (_098-PS_)

In a secret decree of the Party Chancellery, signed by Bormann and distributed to all _Gauleiters_ on 7 June 1941, the following statements appeared:

“When we National Socialists speak of a belief in God, we do not
understand by God, like naive Christians and their spiritual
opportunists, a human-type being, who sits around somewhere in
the sphere * * *. The force of natural law, with which all these
innumerable planets move in the universe, we call the Almighty,
or God. The claim that this world force * * * can be influenced
by so-called prayers or other astonishing things is based upon a
proper dose of naiveté or on a business shamelessness.

“As opposed to that we National Socialists impose on ourselves
the demand to live naturally as much as possible, i.e.,
biologically. The more accurately we recognize and observe the
laws of nature and of life, the more we adhere to them, so much
the more do we conform to the will of the Almighty. The more
insight we have into the will of the Almighty, the greater will
be our successes.” (_D-75_)

Rosenberg in his book “The Myth of the 20th Century” advocated a new National Socialist faith or religion to replace the Christian confessions in Germany. He stated that the Catholic and Protestant churches represent “negative Christianity” and do not correspond to the soul of the “Nordic racially determined peoples”; that a German religious movement would have to declare that the idea of neighborly love is unconditionally subordinated to national honor; that national honor is the highest human value and does not admit of any equal valued force such as Christian love. He predicted:

“A German religion will, bit by bit, present in the churches
transferred to it, in place of the crucifixion the spirit of
fire—the heroic—in the highest sense.” (_2349-PS_)

The Reich Labor Service (_Reichsarbeitsdienst_), a National Socialist youth organization, was prohibited from participating in religious celebrations of any kind, and its members were instructed to attend only the parts of such ceremonies as weddings and funerals which took place before or after the church celebration. (_107-PS_)

The Nazi conspirators considered religious literature undesirable for the Wehrmacht. National Socialist publications were prepared for the Wehrmacht for the expressed purpose of replacing and counteracting the influence of religious literature dissimulated to the troops. (_101-PS_; _100-PS_; _064-PS_)

The Nazi conspirators through Rosenberg’s Office for Supervision of the Ideological Training and Education of the NSDAP and the Office of the Deputy of the Fuehrer “induced” the substitution of National Socialist mottoes and services for religious prayers and services in the schools of Germany. (_070-PS_)

On 14 July 1939, Bormann, as Deputy of the Fuehrer, issued a Party regulation excluding clergymen, persons closely connected with the church, and Theology students from membership in the Party. It was further decreed that in the future Party Members who entered the clergy or turned to the study of Theology must leave the Party. (_840-PS_)

(_c_) _The Nazi conspirators persecuted priests, clergy and members of monastic orders._ The priests and clergy of Germany were subjected by the police to systematic espionage into their daily lives. The Nazi conspirators through the Chief of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) maintained a special branch of the Security Police and Security Service (Sipo/SD) whose duties were to investigate the churches and maintain constant surveillance upon the public and private lives of the clergy. (_1815-PS_)

At a conference of these police “church specialists” called by Heydrich, who was then SS Gruppenfuehrer and Chief of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA), in Berlin, 23 September 1941, SS Sturmbannfuehrer Hartl, acting for Heydrich, stated that the greatest importance was to be attached to church political activity. The intelligence network in this field, he continued, was to be fostered with the greatest of care and enlarged with the recruitment of informants, particular value being attached to contacts with church circles. He closed his lecture with the following words:

“Each of you must go to work with your whole heart and a true
fanaticism. Should a mistake or two be made in the execution of
this work, this should in no way discourage you, since mistakes
are made everywhere. The main thing is that the enemy should be
constantly tackled with determination, will, and effective
initiative.” (_1815-PS_)

In a letter of 22 October 1941, Heydrich, as Chief of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) issued detailed instructions to all State Police Offices outlining the organization of the Catholic Church and directing close surveillance of the activities, writings, and reports of the Catholic clergy in Germany. In this connection he directed:

“Reports are also to be submitted on those Theological students
destined for Papal Institutes, and Priests returning from such
institutes to Germany. Should the opportunity arise of placing
someone for intelligence (_Nachrichtendienst_) purposes in one
of these Institutes, in the guise of a Theological student, we
should receive immediate notification.” (_1815-PS_)

Priests and other members of the clergy were arrested, fined, imprisoned, and otherwise punished by executive measures of the police without judicial process. In his lecture before a conference at the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) in Berlin, for “church specialists,” of the Security Police, 22 November 1941, _Regierungsrat_ Roth stated (_1815-PS_):

“It has been demonstrated that it is impracticable to deal with
political offenses (malicious) under normal legal procedure.
Owing to the lack of political perception which still prevails
among the legal authorities, suspension of this procedure must
be reckoned with. The so-called “Agitator-Priests” must
therefore be dealt with in future by Stapo measures, and, if the
occasion arises, be removed to a Concentration Camp, if agreed
upon by the RSHA.

“The necessary executive measures are to be decided upon
according to local conditions, the status of the person accused,
and the seriousness of the case—as follows:

1. Warning

2. Fine

3. Forbidden to preach

4. Forbidden to remain in parish

5. Forbidden all activity as a priest

6. Short-term arrest

7. Protective custody.”

Members of monastic orders were forced by the seizure and confiscation of their properties to give up their established place of abode and seek homes elsewhere (_R-101-A_; _R-101-D_). A secret order of the SS Economic Administration Office to all Concentration Camp Commanders, dated 21 April 1942, concerning labor mobilization of clergy, reveals that clergymen were at that time, and had previously been, incarcerated in Concentration Camps. (_1164-PS_)

On the death of von Hindenburg, the Reich Government ordered the ringing of all church bells on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th August 1934. In Bavaria, there were many instances of failure to comply with this order. The Bavarian police submitted a report outlining the above situation and stating that in three cases the taking into protective custody of recalcitrant clergy could not be avoided.

“The Parish priest, Father Johann Quinger of Altenkunstadt BA
Lichtenfels. He was taken into protective custody on 3 August on
the express order of the State Ministry of the Interior, because
he assaulted SA leaders and SA men who were ringing the bells
against his wishes. He was released from custody on 10 August
1934.

“The Parish priest, Father Ludwig Obholzer of Kiefersfelden, BA
Rosenheim. For his personal safety he was in police custody from
2400 hours on the 2 August 1934, till 1000 hours on 3 August
1934. On 5 August 1934, he said sarcastically in his sermon,
referring to the SA men who had carried out the ringing of the
funeral knell on their own account, ‘Lord forgive them, for they
know not what they do’! “The Parish priest, Father Johann
Nepomuk Kleber of Wiefelsdorf, BA Burglengenfeld, refused to
ring the church bells on the 2nd and 3rd. He is badly tainted
politically and had to be taken into protective custody from the
5th to the 8th of August 34 in the interests of his own safety.”
(_1521-PS_)

After Hitler’s rise to power, Bishop Sproll of Rottenburg delivered a series of sermons regarded by the Nazis as damaging, and on 10 April 1938 he refrained from voting in the plebiscite. For this, the Reich Governor of Wuertemberg declared he would no longer regard Bishop Sproll as head of the Diocese of Rottenburg; made an official request that he leave the Gau; and declared he would see to it that all personal and official intercourse between the Bishop and the State and Party offices as well as the Armed Forces would be denied (_849-PS_). For his alleged failure to vote in the plebiscite, of 10 April 1938, the Party caused three demonstrations to be staged against the Bishop and his household in Rottenburg. The third demonstration was described as follows in a teletype message from Gestapo Office Stuttgart to Gestapo Office Berlin:

“The Party on 23 July 1938 from 2100 on carried out the third
demonstration against Bishop Sproll. Participants about
2,500-3,000 were brought in from outside by bus, etc. The
Rottenburg populace again did not participate in the
demonstration. The town took rather a hostile attitude to the
demonstrations. The action got completely out of hand of the
Party Member responsible for it. The demonstrators stormed the
palace, beat in the gates and doors. About 150 to 200 people
forced their way into the palace, searched the rooms, threw
files out of the windows and rummaged through the beds in the
rooms of the palace. One bed was ignited. Before the fire got to
the other objects of equipment in the rooms and the palace, the
flaming bed could be thrown from the window and the fire
extinguished. The Bishop was with Archbishop Groeber of Freiburg
and the ladies and gentlemen of his menage in the chapel at
prayer. About 25 to 30 people pressed into this chapel and
molested those present. Bishop Groeber was taken for Bishop
Sproll. He was grabbed by the robe and dragged back and forth.
Finally the intruders realized that Bishop Groeber is not the
one they are seeking. They could then be persuaded to leave the
building. After the evacuation of the palace by the
demonstrators I had an interview with Archbishop Groeber, who
left Rottenburg in the night. Groeber wants to turn to the
Fuehrer and Reich Minister of the Interior Dr. Frick anew. On
the course of the action, the damage done as well as the homage
of the Rottenburg populace beginning today for the Bishop I
shall immediately hand in a full report, after I am in the act
of suppressing counter mass meetings.” (_848-PS_)

Reich Minister for Church Affairs Kerrl and other Party officials alleged that these demonstrations were spontaneously staged by indignant citizens of Rottenburg and caused representations to be made to the Holy See in an effort to effect the Bishop’s removal from office. (_849-PS_)

On or about 3 December 1941, a copy of a secret decree of the Party Chancellery on the subject of Relationship of National Socialism to Christianity was found by the Security Police in the possession of Protestant Priest Eichholz at Aix-la-Chapelle. For this he was arrested and held for questioning for an unknown period of time. (_D-75_)

(_d_) _The Nazi conspirators confiscated church property._ On 20 January 1938, the Gestapo District Office at Munich issued a decree dissolving the Guild of the Virgin Mary of the Bavarian Diocese, together with its branches and associations. The decree also stated:

“The property belonging to the dissolved Guild is to be
confiscated by the police. Not only is property in cash to be
confiscated, but also any stock on hand and other objects of
value. All further activity is forbidden the dissolved Guilds,
particularly the foundation of any organization intended as a
successor or as a cover. Incorporation as a body into other
women’s societies is also to be looked on as a forbidden
continuation of activity. Infringements against the above
prohibition will be punished according to par. 4 of the order of
28.2.1933.”

The reasons for the dissolution and confiscation were that the Guild of the Virgin Mary had occupied itself for years “to a most far-reaching degree” with arrangements of a “worldly and popular sporting character” such as community games and “social evenings”; and further that the president of the society supplied the members with “seditious materials” which served for “seditious discussions”; and that the members of the Guild were trained and mobilized for “political and seditious tasks.” (_1481-PS_)

In a lecture delivered to a conference of police investigators of Church Affairs assembled in the lecture hall of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) in Berlin, 22 September 1941, _Regierungsrat_ Roth stated that about 100 monasteries in the Reich had been dissolved and pointed out that the proper procedure called for seizure of the churches at the same time the monasteries were dissolved. (_1815-PS_)

In February 1940, SS Gruppenfuehrer Heydrich suggested to Himmler the seizure of monasteries for the accommodation of Racial Germans. He proposed that the authorities of the monastic orders be instructed to make the monasteries concerned available and move their own members to less populous monasteries. He pointed out that the final expropriation of properties thus placed at their disposal could be carried out step by step in the course of time. Himmler agreed to this proposal and ordered the measure to be carried out by the Security Police and Security Service (_Sipo_ and SD) in collaboration with the Reich Commissioner for Consolidation of German Folkdom. (_R-101-A_)

These orders for confiscation were carried out, as revealed in a letter dated 30 March 1942 from the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA) Chief of Staff to Himmler mentioning claims for compensation pending in a number of confiscation cases. In this letter he stated that all rental payments to those monasteries and ecclesiastical institutions whose premises had been put to use as camps for resettlers had been stopped on receipt of Himmler’s order. Concerning current developments, he stated:

“After further preparations in which the Party Chancellery
participated prominently, the Reich Minister of the Interior
found a way which makes it possible to seize ecclesiastical
premises practically without compensation and yet avoids the
impression of being a measure directed against the Church. * *
*” (_R-101-D_)

In a letter of 19 April 1941, Bormann advised Rosenberg that libraries and art objects of the monasteries confiscated in the Reich were to remain for the time being in these monasteries and that the Fuehrer had repeatedly rejected the suggestion that centralization of all such libraries be undertaken. (_072-PS_)

(_e_) _The Nazi conspirators suppressed religious publications._ On 6 November 1934, Frick, as Reich and Prussian Minister of the Interior, issued an order forbidding until further notice publication of all announcements in the daily press, in pamphlets and other publications, which dealt with the Evangelical Church; with the exception of official announcements of the Church Government of the Reich. (_1498-PS_)

By order of the State Police for the District of Duesseldorf, the Police Regulation which is quoted in part below was promulgated 28 May 1934:

“The distribution and sale of published items of any sort in
connection with worship or religious instructions in public
streets or squares near churches is forbidden. In the same sense
the distribution and sale of published items on the occasions of
processions, pilgrimages and similar church institutions in the
streets or squares they pass through or in their vicinity is
prohibited.” (_R-145_)

In January 1940, Bormann informed Rosenberg that he had sought to restrict production of religious publications by means of having their rations of printing paper cut down through the control exercised by Reichsleiter Amann, but that the result of these efforts remained unsatisfactory. (_101-PS_)

In March 1940, Bormann instructed Reichsleiter Amann, Director of the NSDAP Publications Office, that in any future redistribution of paper, confessional writings should receive still sharper restrictions in favor of literature politically and ideologically more valuable. He went on to point out:

“* * * according to a report I have received, only 10% of the
over 3000 Protestant periodicals appearing in Germany, such as
Sunday papers, etc. have ceased publication for reasons of paper
saving.” (_089-PS_)

In April 1940, Bormann informed the High Command of the Navy that use of the term “Divine Service” to refer exclusively to the services arranged by Christian Confessions was no longer to be used, even in National Socialist daily papers. In the alternative he suggested:

“In the opinion of the Party the term ‘Church Service’ cannot be
objected to. I consider it fitting since it properly implies
meetings arranged and organized by the _Churches_.” (_068-PS_)

(_f_) _The Nazi conspirators suppressed religious organizations._ On 28 May 1934, the State Police Office for the District of Duesseldorf issued an order concerning denominational youth and professional organizations which stated in part as follows:

“Denominational youth and professional organizations as well as
those created for special occasions only are prohibited from
every public activity outside the church and religious sphere.

“Especially forbidden is: Any public appearance in groups, all
sorts of political activity. Any public sport function including
public hikes and establishment of holiday or outdoor camps. The
public display or showing of flags, banners, pennants or the
open wearing of uniforms or insignia.” (_R-145_)

On 20 July 1935, Frick, as Reich and Prussian Minister of the Interior, issued secret instructions to the provincial governments and to the Prussian Gestapo that Confessional youth organizations were to be forbidden to wear uniforms, or uniform-like clothing, to assemble publicly with pennants and flags, to wear insignia as a substitute for uniforms, or to engage in any outdoor sport activity. (_1482-PS_)

On 20 January 1938 the Gestapo District Office at Munich, issued a decree which stated in part as follows:

“The Guild of the Virgin Mary (_die Marianisch
Jungfrauenkongregation_) of the Bavarian dioceses, including the
diocese of Speyere, together with its branches and associations
and the Societies of Our Lady (_Jungfrauenvereinen_) attached to
it, is by police order to be dissolved and forbidden with
immediate effect.”

Among the reasons cited for this action were the following:

“The whole behavior of the Guild of the Virgin Mary had
therefore to be objected to from various points of view. It
could be repeatedly observed that the Guild engaged in purely
worldly affairs, such as community games, and then in the
holding of ‘Social Evenings’.

“This proves incontestably that the Guild of the Virgin Mary was
active to a very great degree in a manner unecclesiastical and
therefore worldly. By so doing it has left the sphere of its
proper religious task and entered a sphere of activity to which
it has no statutory right. The organization has therefore to be
dissolved and forbidden.” (_1481-PS_)

According to the report of a Security Police “church specialist” attached to the State Police Office at Aachen, the following points were made by a lecturer at a conference of Security Police and Security Service church intelligence investigators in Berlin, on 22 September 1941:

“Retreats, recreational organizations, etc., may now be
forbidden on ground of industrial war-needs, whereas formerly
only a worldly activity could be given as a basis.

“Youth camps, recreational camps are to be forbidden on
principle, church organizations in the evening may be prevented
on grounds of the blackout regulations.

“Processions, pilgrimages abroad are to be forbidden by reason
of the over-burdened transport conditions. For local events too
technical traffic troubles and the danger of air-attack may
serve as grounds for their prohibition. (One Referent forbade a
procession, on the grounds of it wearing out shoe leather).”
(_1815-PS_)

(_g_) _The Nazi conspirators suppressed religious education._ In a speech on 7 March 1937, Rosenberg stated:

“The education of youth can only be carried out by those who
have rescued Germany from disaster. It is therefore impossible
to demand one Fuehrer, one Reich and one firmly united people as
long as education is carried out by forces which are mutually
exclusive to each other.” (_2351-PS_)

In a speech at Fulda, 27 November 1937 Reich Minister for Church Affairs Hans Kerrl stated:

“We cannot recognize that the Church has a right to insure that
the individual should be educated in all respects in the way in
which it holds to be right; but we must leave it to the National
Socialist State to educate the child in the way it regards as
right.” (_2352-PS_)

In January 1939, Bormann, acting as Deputy of the Fuehrer, informed the Minister of Education, that the Party was taking the position that theological inquiry was not as valuable as the general fields of knowledge in the universities and that suppression of Theological Faculties in the universities was to be undertaken at once. He pointed out that the Concordat with the Vatican placed certain limitations on such a program, but that in the light of the general change of circumstances, particularly the compulsory military service and the execution of the four-year plan, the question of manpower made certain reorganizations, economies and simplification necessary. Therefore, Theological Faculties were to be restricted insofar as they could not be wholly suppressed. He instructed that the churches were not to be informed of this development and no public announcement was to be made. Any complaints, if they were to be replied to at all, should be answered with a statement that these measures are being executed in a general plan of reorganization and that similar things are happening to other faculties. He concludes with the statement that the professorial chairs vacated by the above program are to be turned over to the newly-created fields of inquiry, such as Racial Research. (_116-PS_)

A plan for the reduction of Theological Faculties was submitted by the Reich Minister for Science, Education and Training in April 1939 to Bormann, who forwarded it to Rosenberg for consideration and action. The plan called for shifting, combining and eliminating Theological Faculties in various schools and universities throughout the Reich, with the following results:

“To recapitulate this plan would include the complete closing of
Theological Faculties at Innsbruck, Salzburg and Munich, the
transfer of the faculty of Graz to Vienna and the vanishing of
four Catholic faculties.

“_a._ Closing of three Catholic Theological Faculties or Higher
Schools and of four Evangelic Faculties in the winter semester
1939/40.

“_b._ Closing of one further Catholic and of three further
Evangelic Faculties in the near future.” (_122-PS_)

In a secret decree of the Party Chancellery, signed by Bormann, and distributed to all Gauleiters on 7 June 1941, the following statement concerning religious education was made:

“No human being would know anything of Christianity if it had
not been drilled into him in his childhood by pastors. The
so-called dear God in no wise gives knowledge of his existence
to young people in advance, but in an astonishing manner in
spite of his omnipotence leaves this to the efforts of the
pastors. If therefore in the future our youth learns nothing
more of this Christianity, whose doctrines are far below ours,
Christianity will disappear by itself.” (_D-75_)

(2) _Supplementary evidence of acts of suppression within Germany._ In laying the groundwork for their attempted subversion of the Church, the Nazi conspirators resorted to assurances of peaceful intentions. Thus Hitler, in his address to the Reichstag on 23 March 1933 declared:

“While the government is determined to carry through the
political and moral purging of our public life, it is creating
and insuring prerequisites for a truly religious life. The
government sees in both Christian confessions the factors most
important for the maintenance of our Folkdom. It will respect
agreements concluded between them and the states. However, it
expects that its work will meet with a similar appreciation. The
government will treat all other denominations with equal
objective justice. However, it can never condone that belonging
to a certain denomination or to a certain race might be regarded
as a license to commit or tolerate crimes. The Government will
devote its care to the sincere living together of Church and
State.” (_3387-PS_)

(_a_) _Against the Evangelical Churches._ The Nazi conspirators, upon their accession to power, passed a number of laws, under innocent-sounding titles, designed to reduce the Evangelical Churches to the status of an obedient instrument of Nazi policy. The following are illustrative:

Document │ Date │Reichsge│ Title and Gist of Law │Signed by
Number │ │setzblat│ │
│ │ t—Page │ │
│ │ │ │
_3433-PS_ │ 14.7.33│I.471 │_Gesetz ueber die Verfassung │Hitler
│ │ │ der Deutschen Evangelischen │Frick
│ │ │ Kirche_ (Law concerning the │
│ │ │ Constitution of the German │
│ │ │ Evangelical Church), │
│ │ │ establishing among other │
│ │ │ things the new post of Reich│
│ │ │ Bishop. │
│ │ │ │
_3434-PS_ │ 26.6.35│I.774 │_Gesetz ueber das │Hitler
│ │ │ Beschlussverfahren in │Frick
│ │ │ Rechtsangelegenheiten der │
│ │ │ Evangelisschen Kirche_ (Law │
│ │ │ concerning procedure for │
│ │ │ decisions in legal affairs │
│ │ │ of the Evangelical Church), │
│ │ │ giving the Reich Ministry of│
│ │ │ the Interior sole authority │
│ │ │ to determine the validity of│
│ │ │ measures taken in the │
│ │ │ Churches since 1 May 1933, │
│ │ │ when raised in a civil │
│ │ │ lawsuit. │
│ │ │ │
_3435-PS_ │ 3.7.35│I.851 │_Erste Verordnung zur │Frick
│ │ │ Durchfuehrung des Gesetzes │
│ │ │ ueber das Beschlussverfahren│
│ │ │ in Rechtsangelegenheiten der│
│ │ │ Evangelischen Kirche_ (First│
│ │ │ Ordinance for Execution of │
│ │ │ the Law concerning procedure│
│ │ │ for decisions in legal │
│ │ │ affairs of the Evangelical │
│ │ │ Church), setting up detailed│
│ │ │ organization and procedures │
│ │ │ under the law of 26 June │
│ │ │ 1935. │
│ │ │ │
_3466-PS_ │ 16.7.35│I.1029 │_Erlass ueber die │Hitler
│ │ │ Zusammenfassung der │Rust
│ │ │ Zustaendigkeiten des Reichs │Koerner
│ │ │ und Preussens in │
│ │ │ Kirchenangelegenheiten_ │
│ │ │ (Decree to unite the │
│ │ │ competences of Reich and │
│ │ │ Prussia in Church affairs) │
│ │ │ transferring to Kerrl, │
│ │ │ Minister without Portfolio, │
│ │ │ the church affairs │
│ │ │ previously handled by Reich │
│ │ │ and Prussian Ministers of │
│ │ │ the Interior and of Science,│
│ │ │ Education, and Training. │
│ │ │ │
_3436-PS_ │ 24.9.35│I.1178 │_Gesetz zur Sicherung der │Hitler
│ │ │ Deutschen Evangelischen │Kerrl
│ │ │ Kirche_ (Law for the │
│ │ │ Safe-guarding of the German │
│ │ │ Evangelical Church) │
│ │ │ empowering the Reich │
│ │ │ Minister of Church Affairs │
│ │ │ (Kerrl) to issue Ordinances │
│ │ │ with binding legal force. │
│ │ │ │
_3437-PS_ │ 2.12.85│I.1370 │_Fuenfte Verordnung Zur │Kerrl
│ │ │ Durchfuehrung des Gesetzes │
│ │ │ zur Sicherung der Deutschen │
│ │ │ Evangelischen Kirche_ (Fifth│
│ │ │ decree for execution of the │
│ │ │ law for the Safe-guarding of│
│ │ │ the German Evangelical │
│ │ │ Church) prohibiting the │
│ │ │ churches from filling their │
│ │ │ pastorates, ordaining │
│ │ │ ministers, visitation, │
│ │ │ publishing of banns, and │
│ │ │ collecting dues and │
│ │ │ assessments. │
│ │ │ │
_3439-PS_ │ 25.6.37│I.697 │_Fuenfzehnte Verordnung zur │Kerrl
│ │ │ Durchfuehrung des Gesetzes │
│ │ │ zur Sicherung der Deutschen │
│ │ │ Evangelischen Kirche_ │
│ │ │ (Fifteenth decree for the │
│ │ │ Execution of the Law for │
│ │ │ Security of the German │
│ │ │ Evangelical Church) │
│ │ │ establishing in the Reich │
│ │ │ Ministry for Church Affairs │
│ │ │ a Finance Department, to │
│ │ │ supervise administration of │
│ │ │ the church property budget, │
│ │ │ tax assessment, and use of │
│ │ │ budget funds. │

With the help of their Reich Bishop, Bishop Mueller, they manoeuvered the Evangelical Youth Association into the Hitler Jugend under Von Schirach in December 1933. (_1458-PS_)

They arrested prominent Protestant leaders such as Pastor Niemoeller. By 1937, the result of all these measures was complete administrative control by the Nazi conspirators over the Evangelical churches.

(_b_) _Against the Catholic Church._ Just as in their program against the Evangelical Churches, so in their attack on the Catholic Church, the Nazi conspirators concealed their real intentions under a cloak of apparent respect for its rights and protection of its activities. On 20 July 1933, a Concordat was concluded between the Holy See and the German Reich, signed for the Reich by Von Papen (_3280-A-PS_). It was the Nazi Government, not the Church, which initiated the negotiations.

“The German Government asked the Holy See to conclude a
Concordat with the Reich.” (_3268-PS_)

By Article I of the Concordat,

“The German Reich guarantees freedom of profession and public
practice of the Catholic religion.

“It acknowledges the right of the Catholic Church, within the
limit of those laws which are applicable to all, to manage and
regulate her own affairs independently, and, within the
framework of her own competence, to publish laws and ordinances
binding on her members.” (_3280-A-PS_)

Other articles formulated agreements on basic principles such as free communication between Rome and the local ecclesiastical authorities, freedom of the Catholic press, of Catholic education and of Catholic action in charitable, professional, and youth organizations. In return, the Vatican pledged loyalty by the clergy to the Reich Government and emphasis in religious instruction on the patriotic duties of the Christian citizen. (_3280-A-PS_)

In reliance upon assurances by the Nazi conspirators, the Catholic hierarchy had already revoked their previous prohibition against Catholics becoming members of the Nazi Party (_3389-PS_). The Catholic Center Party, under a combination of Nazi pressure and assurances, published on 29 December 1933, an announcement of its dissolution (_2403-PS_). Thus the Catholics went a long way to disarm themselves and cooperate with the Nazis. Nevertheless, the Nazi conspirators continued to develop their policy of slow strangulation of religion, first in covert, and then in open, violation of their assurances and agreements.

In the Encyclical “_Mit Brennender Sorge_”, on 14 March 1937, Pope Pius XI described the program:

“It discloses intrigues which from the beginning had no other
aim than a war of extermination. In the furrows in which we had
labored to sow the seeds of true peace, others—like the enemy
in Holy Scripture (Matt. xiii, 25)—sowed the tares of
suspicion, discord, hatred, calumny of secret and open
fundamental hostility to Christ and His Church, fed from a
thousand different sources and making use of every available
means. On them and on them alone and on their silent and vocal
protectors rests the responsibility that now on the horizon of
Germany there is to be seen not the rainbow of peace but the
threatening storm clouds of destructive religious wars. * * *
Anyone who has any sense of truth left in his mind and even a
shadow of the feeling of justice left in his heart will have to
admit that, in the difficult and eventful years which followed
the Concordat, every word and every action of Ours was ruled by
loyalty to the terms of the agreement; but also he will have to
recognize with surprise and deep disgust that the unwritten law
of the other party has been arbitrary misinterpretation of
agreements, evasion of agreements, evacuation of the meaning of
agreements, and finally more or less open violation of
agreements.” (_3280-PS_)

The Nazis suppressed the Catholic Youth League, beginning ten days after the concordat was signed. (See Section 8, infra.)

On 18 January 1942, in declining to accede to a demand made by the German Government that no further appointment of Archbishops, Bishops, and other high administrative dignitaries be made in the new territories of the Reich, or of certain of them within the old Reich, without previous consultation with the German Government (_3261-PS_), the Secretary of State of Pope Pius XII pointed to measures taken by the German Government,

“Contrary not only to the existing Concordats and to the
principles of international law ratified by the Second Hague
conference, but often—and this is much more grave—to the very
fundamental principles of divine law, both natural and
positive.”

The Papal Secretary of State continued:

“Let it suffice to recall in this connection, among other
things, the changing of the Catholic State elementary schools
into undenominational schools; the permanent or temporary
closing of many minor seminaries, of not a few major seminaries
and of some theological faculties; the suppression of almost all
the private schools and of numerous Catholic boarding schools
and colleges; the repudiation, decided unilaterally, of
financial obligations which the State, Municipalities, etc. had
towards the Church; the increasing difficulties put in the way
of the activity of the religious Orders and Congregations in the
spiritual, cultural and social field and above all the
suppression of Abbeys, monasteries, convents and religious
houses in such great numbers that one is led to infer a
deliberate intention of rendering impossible the very existence
of the Orders and Congregations in Germany.

“Similar and even graver acts must be deplored in the annexed
and occupied territories, especially in the Polish territories
and particularly in the _Reichsgau Wartheland_, for which the
Reich Superintendent has issued, under date of September 13th
last, a ‘Decree concerning Religious Associations and Religious
Societies’ (_Verordnung ueber Religioese Vereinigungen und
Religion-gesellschaften_) in clear opposition to the fundamental
principles of the divine constitution of the Church.”
(_3261-PS_)

Illustrative of the numerous other cases and specific incidents which might be adduced as the program of suppression was carried into action within Germany proper, are the measures adopted beginning in 1936 to eliminate the priest Rupert Mayer of Munich. Because of his sermons, he was confined in various prisons, arrested and rearrested, interned in Oranienburg-Sachsenhausen concentration camp, and the Ettal Monastery, from which he was released by Allied troops in May 1945, and later died. (_3272-PS_)

(_c_) _Against other religious groups._

Members of the sect known as “_Bibelforscher_”—meaning “Members of a Biblical Society” or “Bible-Researchers”—were as early as 1937 sent as a routine matter to concentration camps by the Gestapo, even after serving of a sentence imposed by a court or after the cancellation of an arrest order (_D-84_). At one camp alone—Dachau—there were over 150 “_Bibelforscher_” in protective custody in 1937. (_2928-PS_)

B. _Acts of suppression of the Christian Churches in Annexed and Occupied Territories._

(1) _In Austria._ The methods of suppression of churches followed in Austria by the occupying power began with measures to exclude the Church from public activities, such as processions, printing of newspapers and Reviews which could spread Christian doctrines; from forming Youth organizations, such as Boy Scouts; from directing educational or charitable activities; and even from extending help in the form of food to foreigners. Unable in conscience to obey the public prescription, ministers of religions were arrested and sent to concentration camps, and some were executed. Churches were closed, convents and monastries suppressed, and educational property confiscated. The total number of confiscations, suppressions, or alienations of religious institutions exceeded 100 cases in one diocese alone. (_3278-PS_)

The Lutheran Church in Austria, though comprising a small minority of the population, was subjected to organized oppression. Its educational efforts were obstructed or banned. Believers were encouraged, and sometimes intimidated, to repudiate their faith. Lutheran pastors were given to understand that a government position would be awarded to each one who would renounce his ministry and if possible withdraw from the Lutheran Church. (_3273-PS_)

In summation of the period of Nazi domination and in review of the attempted suppression of the Christian Church, the Archbishops and Bishops of Austria in their first joint Pastoral after liberation declared:

“At an end also is an intellectual battle, the goal of which was
the destruction of Christianity and the Church among our people;
a campaign of lies and treachery against truth and love, against
divine and human rights and against international law.”
(_3274-PS_)

(2) _In Czechoslovakia._ The Czechoslovak Official Report for the prosecution and trial of the German Major War Criminals by the International Military Tribunal established according to the Agreement of the Four Great Powers of 8 August, 1945 describes in summary form the measures taken by the Nazi conspirators to suppress religious liberties and persecute the churches. The following excerpts are quoted from this report (_998-PS_):

“(_a_) _Catholic Church._

“* * * At the outbreak of war, 487 Catholic priests were among
the thousands of Czech patriots arrested and sent to
concentration camps as hostages. Venerable high ecclesiastical
dignitaries were dragged to concentration camps in Germany. * *
* Religious orders were dissolved and liquidated, their
charitable institutions closed down and their members expelled
or else forced to compulsory labor in Germany. All religious
instruction in Czech schools was suppressed. Most of the
weeklies and monthlies which the Catholics had published in
Czechoslovakia, had been suppressed from the very beginning of
the occupation. The Catholic gymnastic organization “Orel” with
800,000 members was dissolved and its property was confiscated.
To a great extent Catholic church property was seized for the
benefit of the Reich.

“(_b_) _Czechoslovak National Church._

“* * * The Czechoslovak Church in Slovakia was entirely
prohibited and its property confiscated under German compulsion
in 1940. It has been allowed to exist in Bohemia and Moravia but
in a crippled form under the name of the Czecho-Moravian Church.

“(_c_) _Protestant Churches._

“The Protestant Churches were deprived of the freedom to preach
the gospel. German secret state police watched closely whether
the clergy observed the restrictions imposed on it. * * * Some
passages from the Bible were not allowed to be read in public at
all. * * *

“* * * Church leaders were especially persecuted, scores of
ministers were imprisoned in concentration camps, among them the
General Secretary of the Students’ Christian Movement in
Czechoslovakia. One of the Vice-Presidents was executed.

“Protestant Institutions such as the YMCA and YWCA were
suppressed throughout the country.

“The leading Theological School for all Evangelical
denominations, HUS Faculty in Prague and all other Protestant
training schools for the ministry were closed down in November
1939, with the other Czech universities and colleges.

“(_d_) _Czech Orthodox Church._

“The hardest blow was directed against the Czech Orthodox
Church. The Orthodox churches in Czechoslovakia were ordered by
the Berlin Ministry of Church Affairs to leave the Pontificat of
Belgrade and Constantinople respectively and to become
subordinate to the Berlin Bishop. The Czech Bishop Gorazd was
executed together with two other priests of the Orthodox Church.
By a special order of the Protector Daluege, issued in September
1942, the Orthodox Church of Serbian Constantinople jurisdiction
was completely dissolved in the Czech lands, its religious
activity forbidden and its property confiscated.

“All Evangelical education was handed over to the civil
authorities and many Evangelical teachers lost their employment;
moreover the State grant to salaries of many Evangelical priests
was taken away.” (_998-PS_)

(3) _In Poland._ The repressive measures levelled against the Christian Church in Poland where Hans Frank was Governor-General from 1939 to 1945, were even more drastic and sweeping. In protest against the systematic strangulation of religion, the Vatican, on 8 October 1942, addressed a memorandum to the German Embassy accredited to the Holy See in which the Secretariat of State emphasized the fact that despite previous protests to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Reich, von Ribbentrop, the religious condition of the Catholics in the _Warthegau_ “has become even sadder and more tragic.” This memorandum states:

“For quite a long time the religious situation in the
_Warthegau_ gives cause for very grave and ever-increasing
anxiety. There, in fact, the Episcopate has been little by
little almost completely eliminated; the secular and regular
clergy have been reduced to proportions that are absolutely
inadequate, because they have been in large part deported and
exiled; the education of clerics has been forbidden; the
Catholic education of youth is meeting with the greatest
opposition; the nuns have been dispersed; insurmountable
obstacles have been put in the way of affording people the helps
of religions; very many churches have been closed; Catholic
intellectual and charitable institutions have been destroyed;
ecclesiastical property has been seized.” (_3263-PS_)

On 18 November 1942 the Papal Secretary of State requested the Archbishop of Breslau, Cardinal Bertram, to use every effort to assist Polish Catholic workers transferred to Germany, who were being deprived of the consolations of religion. In addition, he again appealed for help for the Polish priests detained in various concentration camps, whose death rate was “still on the increase.” (_3265-PS_). On 7 December 1942 the Cardinal Archbishop of Breslau replied that all possible efforts were being put forward by the German Bishops without success on behalf of the victims of concentration camps and labor battalions, and deplored “the intolerable decrees” against religious ministration to Poles. (_3266-PS_)