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{{Nazism}} |
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#REDIRECT ] |
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This article is about '''] in relation to other concepts'''. Specifically, it discusses the relationships between Nazism and ], ], ] and ]. |
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=== Nazism and religion === |
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The relationship between ] is one that has provoked both curiosity and controversy over the years, as has the relationship between Nazism and ]. |
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Hitler and other Nazi leaders clearly made use of both Christian and ] symbolism and emotion in propagandizing the Germanic public, and it remains a matter of controversy whether Hitler believed himself a Christian, a ], or something else entirely. Some historians have typified Hitler as a ]ist or ]ist, whereas other writers have utilized Nazism's occasional outward use of Christian doctrine, regardless of what its inner-party mythology may have been. The existence of a Ministry of Church Affairs, instituted in ] and headed by ], was hardly recognized by ideologists such as ] and by other political decision-makers. |
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The possible existence of ties between Nazism and Protestantism has been hotly debated for decades. One difficulty is that "Protestantism" is a term used to describe a vast number of religious bodies many of whom had little relation to each other. Added to that Protestantism tends to allow more variation among individual congregations then Catholicism or Eastern Orthodox related Christianity which makes statements about "official positions" of denominations problemattic. Still many Protestant organizations or denominations were solidly opposed the Nazism and died fighting it. The forms or offshoots of Protestantism that advocated pacificism, anti-nationalism, or racial equality tended to oppose in the strongest terms. Prominent Protestant, or Protestant offshoot, groups known for their efforts against Nazism include the ] and the ]. Many of their members died in the camps or fiercely struggled against the Nazis. |
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Despite that Protestant segments of Germany tended to vote for Hitler more then non-Protestant ones did. (Exempting Catholic Bavaria which supported Nazism, source here is '''Hitler and Nazi Germany''' by Jackson J. Spielvogel ISBN: 0131898779) books like '''The Holy Reich : Nazi Conceptions of Christianity, 1919-1945''' by Richard Steigmann-Gall(ISBN:0521823714) alleged a linkage between several Protestant churches and Nazism. Hitler citing of anti-Semitic pamphlets by ] and accusations that the Lutheran establisment supported Hitler being the main aspect. The small Methodist population at times was deemed foreign so felt the urge to be "more German than the Germans" to avoid suspicion. Methodist Bishop ] did tours for Hitler in the US to protect his church, but in private letters indicated he feared or hated Nazism and so retired to Switzerland. Methodist Bishop ] took a far more collaborationist position that including apparently sincere support for Nazism. He stated that "The Lord Blesses every step that Hitler takes" and as late as ] hoped to alienate Americans from ] who he called an ally of "Bolshevism.". He felt that serving the Reich was both a patriotic duty as well as a means for advancement. To show his grattitude in ] Hitler made a gift of 10,000 marks to a Methodist congregation to purchase an organ. It should be noted that outside of Germany Melle's views were overwhelmingly rejected by most Methodists. The leader of Pro-Nazi segment of Baptists was Paul Schmidt. Hitler also led to the unification of Pro-Nazi Protestants in the ] which was led by ]. The idea of such a "national church" was possible in the history of mainstream German Protestantism, but National Churches devoted primarily to the state were generally forbidden among the ], ], and in ]. |
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The nature of the Nazi Party's relations with the ] is also complicated. Many Catholic priests and leaders vociferously opposed Nazism on the grounds of its incompatibility with Christian morals. Pope ] issued the ] ] (1937) condemning Nazi ideology. There was also strong protests among Catholics, and various other Christians, to the ] programs.(Spielvogel) Further like political dissenters, many priests were sent to the concentration camps for their opposition, including the parson of Berlin Cathedral ]. (Some of these were ] persecuted for their nationality.) However Hitler was never ] by the Catholic Church and several Catholic bishops in Germany or Austria are recorded as encouraging prayers of support for "The Fuhrer." |
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Nonetheless, since the 1960s it has been claimed by some that the Church hierarchy headed by Pope ] remained largely silent in the face of Nazism, and allegations of the Pope's complicity are today commonplace; see for example John Cornwell's book ''Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII'' (although many works have since been published defending Pius's wartime record, e.g. Ralph McInerny's ''The Defamation of Pius XII''.) |
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As Nazism continued to rule Germany, to many people it became a kind of religion in and of itself, sometimes called ], and sometimes associated with ]. |
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=== Nazism and fascism === |
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The term ''Nazism'' is often used interchangeably with '']'', but this usage is controversial. Some use the word Fascism (spelled with a capital ''F''), only to describe Italian Fascism, while generic ''fascism'' (spelled with a small ''f'') may include many different movements, in many different countries. |
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Nazism and Italian Fascism both employed a similar style of ], including military parades and uniforms, and the ]. The ideologies of both ostensibly included an extreme ] and a rebirth of their own nation to some former, past state of national greatness. Both movements, when in power, also put in place totalitarian governments that pursued wars of expansion. |
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There were also many important differences between the two movements. For example, racism was central to Nazism but of less significance in Italian Fascism. Fascist Italy did not adopt ] until it followed Hitler's example. |
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=== Nazism and socialism === |
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Nazism is an abbreviation for "National Socialism", and Nazi leaders sometimes described their ideology as being related to socialism. Thus, a number of people believe that Nazism was a form of socialism, or that there are similarities between Nazism and socialism. This view has been rejected by self-described socialists from the time of the Nazi Party's creation to the present day. |
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It has for example been argued that the Nazi ], large ] projects, demand for ], and state interventions such as the National Labour Law of January 20, 1934 are indicative of socialism. |
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Much depends on the definition that one chooses to give to the term "socialism". Definitions of socialism can range from the very restrictive to the very broad. Under a restrictive definition - for example one stating that only a system adhering to the principles of ] can qualify as socialist - there is a well-defined and very large gap between Nazism and socialism. Under a middle definition - for example one stating that socialism is any economic system based on extensive ] of the economy and ] over the ] - the distinction remains clear, though the gap narrows. However, advocates of the view that Nazism was an instance of socialism often hold a very broad definition of socialism; for example, they may argue that many forms of ] by the government necessarily constitute socialist policy. Under such a definition, not only Nazi Germany but also the majority of Western countries in the second half of the 20th century fall under the category of "socialism". |
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Nazi leaders were opposed to the ] idea of ] and opposed the idea that capitalism should be abolished and that workers should control the ]. For those who consider class conflict and the abolition of capitalism as essential components of socialism, these factors alone are sufficient to categorize "National Socialism" as non-socialist. |
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For the socialists who consider ] a core tenet of socialism, Nazism is seen as a polar opposite of their views. |
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All forms of socialism focus on economic relationships as central in shaping society. In contrast, as can be seen in '']'', the central doctrine of Nazism is ] and the struggle between peoples. Nazis see society divided not according to social classes, but according to races and peoples. |
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There were ideological shades of opinion within the Nazi Party, particularly before their seizure of power in 1933, but a central tenet of the party was always the ''leader principle'' or ]. The Nazi Party did not have party congresses in which policy was deliberated upon and concessions made to different ]s. What mattered most was what the leader, ], thought and decreed. Those who held opinions which were at variance with Hitler's either learned to keep quiet or were ]d, particularly after ]. This is comparable to the behavior of certain ]s such as that of ] in the ] or ] in ], although it also presents a strong contrast to the collective leadership exercised in other Communist parties, and even more so to the democratic organization of most other socialist parties. |
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Industries and trusts were not nationalised in Nazi Germany, with the exception of private rail lines (nationalised in the late 1930s to meet military contingencies). The only private holdings that were expropriated were those belonging to ]s. These holdings were then sold or awarded to businessmen who supported the Nazis and satisifed their ethnic and racial policies. Military production and even film production remained in the hands of private industries whilst serving the Nazi government, and many private companies flourished during the Nazi period. The Nazis never interfered with the profits made by such large German firms as ], ], and ]. |
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Nevertheless, efforts ''were'' made to coordinate business's actions with the needs of the state, particularly with regard to rearmament, and the Nazis established some state-owned concerns such as ]. The Nazis also engaged in an extensive public works program including the construction of the ] system. However, independent ] were outlawed, as were ]s. |
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Since the fall of the Nazi regime, many theorists have argued that there are similarities between the government of Nazi Germany and that of ] ]. In most cases this has taken the form of arguing that both Nazism and ] are forms of ], rather than socialism. This view was advanced most famously by ] in '']''. |
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] argued that there was an important distinction between the policies of ] and those of the ] or the ]: while they were all arguably totalitarian, and all had their idea of what kind of parasitic classes or races society ought to be rid of, Levi saw the Nazis assigning a place given by birth (since one is born into a certain race), while the Soviets and Chinese determined their enemies according to their social position (which people may change within their life). |
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''For more information see the articles on ] and ].'' |
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====The politics of the time==== |
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Established socialist movements in Germany - the largest of whom were the ] (SPD) and ] (KPD) - viewed the Nazis as enemies and argued that they were thinly disguised ]. |
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Hitler despised ] and condemned Communism and Marxism as a ''Judeo-Bolshevist'' ]. He pledged to block its rise in ] and argued that the nation's downfall was due to Marxism and its Jewish influence. These political views prompted some prominent conservatives and capitalists to fund and support the Nazis because they saw them as a bulwark against Communism. |
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Some of the traditional ] and ] political parties of the ] accused the Nazis of being socialists, citing planks in the Nazis' party program which called for nationalization of trusts and other social measures. However, the ], the most important party on the mainstream right, usually treated the Nazis as a respected potential ally. |
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Historians such as ] note the links between the Nazis and the conservative German political and economic ], as well as the significance of the ] in which Hitler purged much of the ] elements (such as the ] and homosexuals) in the Nazi Party. This was done at the insistence of the military and conservatives. |
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The Nazis came to power through an alliance with some traditional conservative factions, though also experienced opposition from others. ], a conservative former ] and former member of the ] supported Hitler for the position of Chancellor. Events during the Hitler chancellorship led to the ] which gave the Nazis ]ial powers, passed with the support of conservative and centrist deputies in the ], over the opposition of Social Democrats and Communists. Among the conservatives who opposed Hitler, the most notable was ], who held the Chancellorship before Papen. He attempted to construct a center-right-led "cross front" that would unite anti-Hitler factions on the right and center-left in the Reichstag. His failure to do so led to Papen's rise to power, which in turn paved the way for Hitler's. Schleicher was later assassinated by the Nazis on the Night of the Long Knives. |
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=== Nazism and race === |
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Nazis claimed to scientifically measure a strict hierarchy among races; at the top was the ] (minus the ]s, who were seen as below Aryan), then lesser races. At the bottom of this hierarchy were "parasitic" races, or ]en, which were perceived to be dangerous to society. Lowest of all in the ] were the ]s. |
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Nazi theory said that because the nation was the expression of the race, the greatness of a race could be evaluated according to a race's ability and desire to acquire a large homeland. German accomplishments in science, weaponry, philosophy and art were interpreted as scientific evidence to support Nazi racist claims. |
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] |
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