It is no
coincidence that religions are more stable than forms of government. They
mostly tend to sink their roots deeper into the earth; they would not be
conceivable at all without this broad folk.
Speech of
May 10, 1933 in Berlin
In that the government is determined to undertake the political and moral
detoxification of our public life, it creates and secures the prerequisites for
a really deep return of religious life.
Speech of
March 23, 1933 in Berlin
The Reich government, which sees in Christianity the unshakeable fundaments
of the folk’s ethics and morality.
Speech of
March 23, 1933 in Berlin
And no less have we taken up the struggle against the decomposition of
religion. Without us committing ourselves to any denomination, we have
nonetheless again given faith the prerequisite, because we were of the
conviction that the folk requires and needs this faith. We have thus taken up
the struggle against godlessness not with a few theoretical declarations, we
have exterminated it.
Speech of
October 14, 1933 in Berlin
The discussion of the new state with both Christian denominations: Filled
with the wish to secure for the German folk the great religious, ethical and
moral values anchored in both Christian denominations, we have eliminated the
political organizations, but strengthened the religious institutions. For a
contract with the energetic National Socialist state is more valuable to a
church than the struggle of denominational federations, which in their coalition-determined
politics of compromise must also buy personnel advantages for party supporters
with the surrender of ideals and of the really inner religious education and
consolidation of the folk. We all, however, live in the expectation that the
merger of the evangelical provincial churches and denominations into a German
evangelical Reich church may give real satisfaction to the yearning of those,
who believe they must fear in the absent-mindedness of evangelical life a
weakening of the strength of the evangelical faith in itself. In that the
National Socialist state has in this year proven its respect for the strength
of the Christian denominations, it expects the same respect from the
denominations for the strength of the National Socialist state!
Speech of
January 30, 1934 in Berlin
We have endeavored to produce the reconciliation of the denominations
with the new state, are determined - insofar as the evangelical denominations
are meant - to end their purely organizational fractionalization in a great
evangelical Reich church, filled with the conviction that it is not acceptable
to make a virtue out of the respect and consideration for the individual
states, forced on Martin Luther by need, in a time when the states themselves
already no longer exist. And we know: If the great reformer stood among us,
then he would - happy to have escaped the need of that time - just like Ulrich
von Hutten in his last prayer, think not of provincial churches, rather of
Germany and his evangelical church.
Proclamation
of September 5, 1934 in Nuremberg
The national government sees in both Christian denominations the most
important factors for the preservation of our folkdom. It will respect the
contracts made between them and the provinces. Their rights should not be
infringed. It expects, however, and hopes that the work on the national and
moral rejuvenation of our folk, which the government has made its task,
likewise receives the same appreciation. It will deal with all other
denominations with objective justice. But it cannot tolerate that membership in
a specific denomination or in a specific race could be a release from the
general legal obligations or even a license for unpunished committing or
toleration of crimes. The concern of the government is directed at the honest
coexistence of church and state.
Speech of
March 23, 1933 in Berlin
Not we, rather those before us, distanced themselves from it (from
Christianity). We have merely made a clean separation between politics, which
concerns itself with earthly things, and religion, which must occupy itself
with the spiritual.
Speech of
August 27, 1934 at Ehrenbreitstein
And above all, we have removed the priests from the marsh of political
party conflict and led them back into the church again. It is our will that
they should never return to an area, which is not created for them, which
degrades them and must invariably bring them into opposition to millions of
people, who inwardly want to be devout, but who want to see priests who serve
God and not a political party!
Speech of
October 24, 1933 in Berlin
Lord, you see, we have changed. The German folk is no longer the folk of
dishonor, of shame, of self-mutilation, of faintheartedness and of small faith.
No, Lord, the German folk is strong again in its will, strong in its
perseverance, strong in the endurance of all sacrifices. Lord, we will not
depart from you! Now bless our struggle for our freedom and thus our German
folk and fatherland!
Speech
of May 1, 1933 in Berlin
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