In 1936 there is a turning point in relations between the Protestant Churches and Hitler. It quickly understands that its policy of domination of the church is paying off and choose to abandon the original idea through a Reich Church and devote efforts to weaken the Bekennende Kirche. The latter had developed signs of discord between those who viewed a total break with the regime and keep advocating moderation.
The parties responded on the one hand, those representatives of the churches that were in areas dominated by DC and therefore in opposition and those under which they called the church intact.
To accentuate the division and at the same time to break the autonomy and independent management of the Confessing Church, Hitler creates the administrative Reichkircheministerium (Ministry of Culture) and Hans Kerrl appoints the head of it. This suggests the idea of \u200b\u200bregional commissions to facilitate the management and communication between church and state and invites all churches to be part of this project. This maneuver required the churches to decide to be part of the state administration or completely separated. Knowing the conflicting views within the Confessing Church, Hitler hoped to accelerate the decomposition process of this organization that was clearly opposed.
the moderate wing in principle accepted the proposal in the belief that this attitude was closed over the progress that had the DC over the churches. Not so the radical wing refused all forms together.
There is then the creation of two executive committees in the Bekennende Kirche, a sector that responds to moderate, and another to the industry Lutherrat radical Vorläufige Kirchenleitung.
Shortly before the Olympic Games in 1936, a memorandum is addressed to Hitler in the become very severe criticism and allegations of abuses of the Nazi regime. Among other things, states that the government seeks to eliminate the churches in public life and dechristianize into German society, claims that the enthronement of the idea of \u200b\u200b"race" is contrary to the Gospel which must not be sacrificed on the altar of legality of Nazi ideology, while cautioning that anti-Semitism dominant is decidedly anti-Christian. Also makes them hard mentions concentration camps, abuse of power and the cult of the Führer. This document is written by Friedrich Weissler belonging to the radical and possibly represents sector, according to several historians, the most critical document and opposed to the Nazi policy of the time, issued by an ecclesiastical institution.
The situation becomes very serious when it is leaked to the foreign press, although it was expected to keep quiet until Hitler gave an answer. Involving the Gestapo and in 1937 were arrested Weissler with two other pastors, accused of writing and delivered to foreign correspondents. In are immediately imprisoned in Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where Weissler be executed in 1938.
This however, does not frighten the radical fraction would continue batallando.En Bekennende the summer of 1936 composing a message to be read in all the pulpits of churches during the Olympics and, following the thinking of Luther and the beginning of the Reformation, encourages active resistance against a regime that opposes the divine commandments. The moderate sector Bekennende not considered prudent to read and therefore was not reading in the churches that responded to their direction.
Hitler strengthened by the prevailing division within the Bekennende decide then charge directly against the most critical sector and send Martin Niemöller arrest on charges of crime against the Third Reich. Despite international protests and the Supreme Court sentenced him only a short temporary detention, for Hitler's order is sent to the Buchenwald concentration camp (Dachau tranferírían then) as his personal prisoner. Would be released when the war ended in 1945 when the camp liberated by American troops.
In September 1938, once again propose radical Bekennende, according to the Lutheran tradition to write a prayer to be repeated in all churches. It was actually a confession to God to recognize the sin of the German people, admitting that he committed crimes, abuse and desecration. For being too castigator of reality carried out by the Nazi government, is opposed by the moderate that distance by making a declaration that is signed by the pastors who is pressured by the fear of the SS and their accusations of treason country.
This is the lowest point and the virtual breakdown in the Bekennende Kirche, between those fearful caution that trying to avoid further confrontation and its inevitable consequences and those who believed that the Nazi regime and its authorities should be fought because they represented the evil in its very essence.
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