What did German religion look like in 1933?

Germany – Religion in Nazi Germany, 1933-45

In this course, Dr Thomas Brodie (University of Birmingham) explores the complex relationship between religion and the Nazi regime from 1933 to 1945. We begin by examining the religious landscape of Germany in 1933, focusing on the state of religion and the structure of the Protestant and Catholic churches. Next, we investigate the relationship between the churches and the Nazi regime during the Nazi seizure of power, analysing how the churches initially aligned with the regime. Following this, we study the evolution of Nazi policies towards the churches, highlighting how the relationship changed over the course of the regime. We then turn to the churches' responses to the Nazi persecution of the Jews, exploring the lack of outspoken opposition from church leadership. Afterward, we delve into the lives of prominent religious figures such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Niemöller, and Clemens August Graf von Galen, to understand the nature of religious resistance to Nazi rule. Finally, we conclude by synthesising these findings, emphasising the coexistence of cooperation and tension between the churches and the Nazi state, and considering how religious beliefs contributed to the broader dynamics of German society during this period.

What did German religion look like in 1933?

In this lecture titled, we examine the state of religion in Germany in 1933. We focus on the key questions: (i) What was the state of religion in German society before the Nazi seizure of power in 1933?; (ii) How were the Protestant and Catholic churches structured and what was their influence in Germany?; (iii) What was the relationship between the churches and the German state before and during the First World War?; (iv) How did the churches react to the Weimar Republic after the First World War?; and (v) What was the relationship between religious groups and the Nazi party during the late Weimar Republic?