Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam, of the Boston area of the Methodist Church,

denounced today the alleged beating of Jewish boys as an apparent

expression of incipient Fascism and, in a statement, demanded, "who is

flooding the nation with anti-Semitic literature, and why?" <265>

Declaring that "the beating of Jewish boys is not the work of hoodlums,"

Bishop Oxnam expressed hope that Jews, Catholics and Protestants could

unite "in demanding that these beatings stop and that steps be taken to

discover and destroy the dangerous forces that lie back of them."

The Bishop's statement followed the placing of charges before Governor

Leveratt Saltonstall that Jews had been made the victims of ruffians

over a period of months in the Boston area. The Governor, acting upon a

petition of which Bishop Oxnam was one of the signers, has appointed five

prominent citizens of various faiths to an advisory committee on

anti-Semitism.

"The beating of Jewish boys must stop," the statement said. "The beaters

must be apprehended and punished. The beating of any boys by gangs is bad

enough at any time. The beating of boys of a particular race is worse. But

the real menace lies in the apparent fact that these beatings are an

expression of incipient Fascism, that they follow a similar pattern, and

that, in one case, at least, the beaters wore black shirts.

"Who is flooding the nation with anti-Semitic literature, and why? Who

finances these movements? Why is it that the anti-Semitic leaders now

under Federal indictment have attacked such religious organizations as the

Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, the Methodist Church and

other Protestant religious bodies? Why has Franco, the Fascist dictator of

Spain, been extolled?

Bishop Oxnam, in an interview with "The Boston Traveller", said that the

recent outbreaks of racial violence in the Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan

districts of Boston follow a pattern. "I was in Germany when these things

began there. It is the same pattern in which organized gangs beat up a

scapegoat race whether they be Jews or any one else," he asserted.

He asserted that Fascism is prevalent in Brooklyn now, and predicted that

it would show itself in Detroit and sections of the Pacific Coast before

long. "I think Brooklyn, New York and Boston are currently the most

difficult centres, however," he added. [573]

In Dec., 1943, a Senate resolution proposed the creation of a special

commission "to bring about the rescue of the surviving Jews of Europe".

Eight Protestant leaders sent "a Christmas Appeal for speedy adoption of

the Resolution" to Vice President Henry A. Wallace, Senate majority and

minority leaders and members of the House and Senate committees involved.

Asserting that "more than 2,000,000 European Jews have been slaughtered

by the Nazis, the message added that "we cannot approach Christmastide

without declaring that too many of us have been found wanting in the will

to rescue these suffering people." <266>

"Let no possible sanctuary be closed, whether in America or elsewhere,"

the appeal said. "Let each door of refuge be kept open. This is the

Christian way."

The message was signed by Bishop William T. Manning (Protestant Episcopal);

Archbishop Athenagoras (Greek Orthodox); Bishop William J. McConnell

(Methodist), and others. [574]

On Jan. 15, 1944, fifteen hundred persons attended a rally against

anti-Semitism at Carnegie Hall. Dr.Henry Smith Leiper of the Federal

Council of Churches of Christ in America, chairman of the meeting, asserted

that anti-Semitism was "treason against God, treason against the country".

"Anybody spreading such slander," he said, "is helping Hitler just as much

as if he were a paid agent of the Reich."

Dr. Leiper and several others spoke out against what they said was the

desire on the part of many to approach the problem of anti-Semitism with

too much caution. Dr. Leiper said that exactly this idea prevailed in Germany

in 1932, but did not halt the rise of fascism. [575]

The biennial convention of the United Lutheran Church in America adopted,

on Oct. 13, 1944, the following Resolution:

"Recognizing that the Jewish problem has been made one of the central

elements in the present assault on civilization, the United Lutheran Church

in America, viewing with concern the manifestations of a rising tide of

anti-Semitism in American life, begs its members to consider their Jewish

brethren in the spirit of Luther, who spoke kindly things of them as 'blood

brothers of our Lord', to use every available means to assure the Jewish

people of their communities of the efforts of our church for the preservation

of their rights, and to offer prayers on their behalf." [576]

We do not record all the statements issued by Protestant Churches in the

United States over the years 1943-1944.

The Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the United Presbyterian Church

in North America issued a statement in 1943; the American Baptist Convention,

the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the General Synod

of the United Church of Christ issued a statement in 1944.

Most of these statements condemned anti-Semitic and anti-Negro prejudices.

<267>

e. The Churches in the U.S.A. that kept Silent

Three important Protestant denominations in the United States did not

speak out unequivocally against anti-Semitism and the persecution and

extermination of the Jews: the Southern Baptist Convention, the Lutheran

Church - Missouri Synod, and the American Lutheran Church. [577]

John G. Mager comments:

"... It might have been felt that since a large proportion of the

membership of the Synod was of German origin or descent, it would have

made for ecclesiastical suicide if the official organ of the Synod made

pronouncements against a country to which many were bound by ties of

blood, culture and sentiment..." [578]

It must be borne in mind that the Lutheran Churches in Denmark, Norway,

Sweden and Slovakia clearly expressed their horror at German anti-semitism,

and they did so under much more difficult circumstances. This should dissuade

us from wrong platitudes such as: "Lutherans tend to be anti-Semitic".

Recently it has been suggested that "the causal chain that links Christian

belief and faith to secular anti-Semitism begins with orthodoxy - commitment

to a literal interpretation of traditional Christian dogma". [579] My

knowledge of the situation of Churches in America is limited. Therefore I

would not venture to suggest that there is a causal chain between the

orthodoxy of a Church in America and its failure to denounce anti-Semitism.

Moreover, in other countries, like the Netherlands for example, such a

connection does not appear to exist. <268>

It is noteworthy, however, that the three great Protestant Churches in the

United States mentioned above, which failed to issue a clear statement

against anti-Semitism, were not members of the Federal Council.

Moreover, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Lutheran Church (Missouri

Synod) are not members of the World Council of Churches, to this day.

These Churches apparently did not feel challenged by the protest issued by

the Assembly of the Church of England, in 1935, as was the Federal Council;

[580] they did not receive the information provided by the General

Secretariat of the World Council of Churches, Geneva, during the war. [581]

Ecclesiastical isolationism is very dangerous indeed, especially in a time

of crisis.

They were probably afraid of watering down their own principles by

co-operating with other Churches and this lack of co-operation and

communication probably contributed to the fact that they did not fulfil

the word of the Bible: "Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all

such as are appointed to destruction.

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and

the needy". (Prov. 31, 8-9).

35 THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

The war years were the testing time of the World Council. Contacts with

Great Britain and the United States were relatively frequent until the end

of 1942, when the whole of France was occupied by the Germans. Since it

proved impossible to hold fully representative meetings, the Provisional

Committee met and continued to meet in three groups - one in Geneva under

the leadership of Dr. Boegner (later of Dr. Koechlin), one in Great Britain

under Archbishop Temple, and one in New York under Dr. John R. Mott. <269>

The fact that the World Council had offices in New York, London, and Geneva,

proved a blessing, for each office had its area of contacts with Churches

which the other could not reach. [582]

When the second world war broke out, the World Council of Churches was still

"in process of formation", and it had not as yet an adequate apparatus at

its disposal. But the General Secretary, Dr. Visser 't Hooft, and the Director

of the Department for Refugees, Dr. Freudenberg, had their contacts with the

World Jewish Congress in Geneva, and with Church leaders in Germany and the

occupied countries. They could thus pass on valuable information to the

Churches in the free world, and stir them to action.

a. Letters Sent to the International Red Cross

On October 29, 1941, Dr. Visser 't Hooft sent the following Memorandum

to the President of the Mixed Relief Committee of the International Red

Cross, Prof. Dr. Karl Burckhardt:

Memorandum on the Situation in Poland

I. "We have received some information about the situation in the

General government of Poland from a reliable and objective observer

who has been travelling there during recent weeks. According to him,

there exists a great difference between city and country. In the large

cities, especially in Warsaw, the Polish and, to a greater extent the

Jewish population, is suffering famine. Typhus is spreading in and

outside the ghetto of Warsaw. Our spokesman heard of 2,000 cases in the

ghetto alone. The mortality of infants less than three years old is

amounting to 26%...

We know of only one modest relief activity: American Poles have, in

co-operation with American Mennonites, the German Red Cross, the Polish

and the American Relief Committee (Hoover), organized a soup-kitchen,

where they weekly distribute to the distressed population of Warsaw, fish

purchased in Danzig for DM. 5,000. This feeding, which is merely a drop

in the ocean, reaches Poles as well as Jews. Moreover, a despatch of

medicine from the United States is expected to arrive in Lisbon one of

these days.

II. The greatest wave of deportations of German Jews and Christians of

Jewish origin to Poland has been going on since the middle of October.

Seven thousand Jews were deported from Berlin to Litzmannstadt on the

nights of October 18/19 and 19/20. 20,000 Jews of the Rhineland are

already there, or are en route. 2,000 are to be transported from Prague.

Deportations from Vienna have already been going on for some time. A number

of Jews from Breslau is believed to be engaged in labour in the Bohemian

Riesengebirge. <270>

According to our spokesman, the able-bodied men who have been deported

to Poland are constructing roads behind the Eastern front whilst the

able-bodied women are employed in ammunition factories.

In Litzmannstadt hut camps are said to be provided as temporary lodging,

but we have no particulars about this. The deportees were allowed to take

only a handbag and 10 RM. with them. Sufficient protection against the

cold will be out of the question.

One may assume that these measures are the beginning of the complete

deportation of the Jews and Christians of Jewish origin from the Reich

and the Protectorate. This concerns people the majority of whom, owing to

their mental powers having been overcharged for many years, will be unfit

to cope with these new hard measures.

III. In view of its Christian responsibility the Provisional Ecumenical

Council of the Churches cannot heedlessly close its eyes to this misery

of the refugees in Poland. As it practically can no longer carry out its

own relief work, it feels all the more its duty to intervene with the

competent bodies towards quick relief action. The Jewish organizations,

generally speaking, are no longer in a position to undertake effective

steps on behalf of their co-religionists.

The Jewish question touches the centre of the Christian message: neglect

of the Church to raise its warning and protective voice here, and do all

in its power to help, would be disobeying its God.

It is, therefore, the duty of the Christian Churches, and especially of

their Ecumenical representative, the Provisional Ecumenical Council, to

intervene on behalf of the persecuted.

IV. Therefore the Provisional Ecumenical Council of the Churches appeals

to the competent bodies of the Red Cross with the request to pay special

attention to the situation in Warthegau and the General government

of Poland.

We urge that the Red Cross speedily send a delegate, if possible a medical

man, to the regions in question.

This delegate would have to investigate, especially in the large Polish

cities, the most urgent needs of the Polish as well as of the Jewish

population, thus ascertaining the medical, sanitary and clothing

requirements.

Such a survey should include not only the Warthegau (especially

Litzmannstadt) but also the region of Lublin where the Jews from Germany,

Austria and Bohemia who were deported in the winter of 1939/1940 are said

to be living. We hardly know anything about their fate but it is most

certainly very critical.

The Provisional Ecumenical Council is prepared to request urgent support

from its member Churches, especially those in the United States, for a

relief action organised by the International Red Cross." [583] <271>

Dr. Visser 't Hooft stated in the covering letter that he had also sent a

copy to the President of the Red Cross, Dr. Huber, and that he would be

grateful for a speedy reply.

On June 3, 1942, the Secretary of the Ecumenical Commission for Refugees,

Dr. A. Freudenberg, sent the following letter to the Mixed Relief Committee

of the International Red Cross:

"An absolutely reliable correspondent requests us, to communicate to the

organizations of the Red Cross the following:

'A serious lack of restoratives, digitalis etc. is prevalent in the Jewish

ghettos in the East, especially in the camps of Yzbica and Piaski near

Lublin, and also in Riga, Wilna, Kowno, Warsaw and Lodz. Many people who

had been admitted to the hospitals because of diminishing strength and

under-nourishment or other reasons, must now perish there owing to a lack

of these restoratives. They could be saved if one could supply them with

strengthening food. I have been implored to inform the International Red

Cross about this, so that it may render aid wherever possible.'

This information, indicating that the deportees and the Polish Jews are

suffering terribly from famine, has been confirmed by others As most of

them are destitute, numerous cries of distress have reached us both

directly and indirectly.

Therefore we join in the request of our correspondent, and implore the

organizations of the International Red Cross to continue to relieve the

fate of these unfortunate people in every possible way." [584]

On December 3, 1942, Dr. Visser 't Hooft again wrote to the President of

the Mixed Relief Committee of the International Red Cross, Prof. Dr. Karl

Burckhardt. The letter reads as follows:

"We refer to our letter of 29th October, 1941, in which we submitted to

you a Memorandum concerning the persecution and the misery of the Jews in

Poland.

Since then the situation has deteriorated in an alarming way. No doubt you

have been informed of the mass executions of which the Polish Jews and the

Jews in Poland deported from the European countries, are the victims.

To the information that has reached other organizations, we can add the

contents of a message received from a very distinguished German personality

whose reliability we can guarantee. The message informs us that at one

place in Poland, 6,000 Jews - men, women and children - are being shot

every day. These executions are made in three groups, each of 2,000 persons,

and this has already been going on for weeks. <272>

In our Memorandum of 29th October, 1941, we remarked that the Jewish question

touches the centre of the Christian message. Therefore we feel compelled to

raise our voice anew on behalf of these people who are being threatened with

extermination.

We therefore permit ourselves to renew our suggestions of last year, that

the International Committee of the Red Cross take urgent steps to send

delegates to the areas in question.

There is reason to hope that such steps, even if they do not directly have

the desired result, would encourage certain circles in Germany to combat

the mass executions more energetically. Though from the letters received

from Theresienstadt in Bohemia it is not possible to ascertain the real

conditions existing in this reception centre, we would be grateful if the

requested action could also include that city." [585]

The letter mentions "certain circles in Germany". These were groups of

resistance with which the Secretariat of the World Council of Churches

was in contact, especially the "Kreisau Circle" and Dietrich Bonhoeffer

with his friends. [586]

b. Co-operation with the World Jewish Congress

A unique aspect of the activities of the World Council of Churches regarding

the persecution of the Jews was the close co-operation between Dr. Visser

't Hooft and Dr. Freudenberg on the one hand, and the Director of the World

Jewish Congress at Geneva, Dr. G. M. Riegner. Dr. Riegner stated: "... My

correspondence with Dr. Freudenberg starts already in November, 1940, and

during certain periods we have been in nearly daily contact". [587]

In the same letter to Dr. Visser 't Hooft, Dr. Riegner wrote: <273>

"I remember that you and the World Council have also played an important

part in convincing the Swiss authorities of the deadly danger threatening

the Jews in all occupied countries and trying to obtain from them a more

liberal attitude in admitting refugees.

I remember distinctly, though I do not find any trace in writing, that I

have put at your disposal several times very detailed information and

reports which you have been good enough to communicate on behalf of the

World Council of Churches to the Swiss authorities.

If I am not mistaken, at least on one occasion you have personally intervened

with Federal Councillor von Steiger in such matter."

Dr. Riegner commented on this point as follows:

"I am still convinced that these interventions of the World Council have

been at certain moments of great value. In the course of the discussions

which I had during the last year with either Dr. Visser 't Hooft or Dr.

Freudenberg, I became convinced that these representations have most

probably been made by Dr. Alfons Koechlin, (Base]), the former head of the

Protestant Federation of Switzerland and one of the Presidents of the

Provisional World Council at that time. Dr. Koechlin, of course, received

the material from Dr. Visser 't Hooft and Dr. Freudenberg." [588]

Jews and Christians also co-operated together in breaking the wall of

silence. The Secretary of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in the

United States, Dr. McCrea Cavert, visited Dr. Visser 't Hooft in Sept.,

1942. Dr. Riegner reports about this visit:

"With regard to our knowledge of the Nazi plan of total extermination of

European Jewry, I wish to state that the first report on this plan reached

me in the last days of July I 942 and I communicated it to Rabbi Wise in

New York and Mr. Silverman in London during the first days of August 1942

(through diplomatic channels).

Dr. Wise received the message during the last days of August 1942 and asked

Mr. Cavert to use his visit to Geneva at the beginning of September 1942

to find out from us whether deportation really meant extermination. After

having spoken to us - I believe to Prof. Guggenheim - he confirmed this in

a cable to the United States." [589]

In the same letter to Dr. Visser 't Hooft, Dr. Riegner stated:

"Some of the very forceful speeches by Dr. Bell and other dignitaries of

the Anglican Church in the House of Lords were based on reports which we

have communicated to them." <274>

A telegram was sent by Dr. Visser 't Hooft to the Archbishop of Canterbury

and to the Federal Council of Churches in the United States. Its contents

were as follows:

15.000 Berlin Jews brought to assembling centres Some hundreds shot. Total

evacuation Berlin in execution. Similar news other regions prove extermination

campaign at climax.

Please back Allied rescue efforts suggest rapid proposals exchange against

German civilians and guarantees of re-emigration money food supply enabling

European Neutrals to grant transitory asylum. [590]

On March 23, 1944, Dr. Visser 't Hooft and Dr. Freudenberg sent a telegram to

the Bishop of Chichester, Dr. Bell:

Most anxious destiny 800,000 Hungarian Jews among whom numerous Christians

stop suggest you contact Mr. Silverman World Jewish Congress, I Harley Street

W.I. and support suggestions cabled by Riegner to Silverman stop suggest

also interest Church of Scotland. [591]

We know of another joint approach made by the Secretariats of the World

Council of Churches and the World Jewish Congress. The following Aide-memoire

was sent to the Governments of the United States and Great Britain, and to

the High Commissioner for Refugees of the League of Nations:

Aide-memoire <275>

The Secretariats of the World Council of Churches and of the World Jewish

Congress have taken note with great satisfaction of the aide-memoires

exchanged between the Governments of the United States of America and Great

Britain on the present situation of refugees in Europe, and of their

decision to meet at Ottawa with a view to a preliminary exploration of

ways and means for combined action by the representatives of their

Governments. [592]

Having studied the suggestions and proposals contained in the aide-memoires

of the two Governments, the Secretariats of the World Council of Churches

and of the World Jewish Congress beg to express their views on the

above-mentioned topic.

While welcoming most warmly the determination of the Allied Governments

to bring help to the persecuted people of all races, nationalities and

religions, fleeing from Axis terror, they wish to emphasise that the most

urgent and acute problem which requires immediate action, is the situation

of the Jewish communities under direct or indirect Nazi control.

The Secretariats of the World Council of Churches and of the World Jewish

Congress have in their possession most reliable reports indicating that

the campaign of deliberate extermination of the Jews organised by the

Nazi officials in nearly all countries of Europe under their control, is

now at its climax. They therefore beg to call the attention of the Allied

Governments to the absolute necessity of organising without delay a rescue

action for the persecuted Jewish communities on the following lines:

1. Measures of immediate rescue should have priority over the study of

post-war arrangements.

2. The rescue action should enable the neutral States to grant temporary

asylum to the Jews who would reach their frontiers.

For this purpose a definite guarantee by the Governments of the United

States of America and Great Britain, and possibly by other Allied

Governments including the British Dominions, should be given to the

neutral States, that all refugees entering their territories would be

enabled to be repatriated or to re-emigrate as soon as possible after

the end of the war.

In view of the special characteristics of the Jewish problem, in view of

the attitude adopted in the past by many European governments, and

furthermore, in view of the present attitude of absolute political neutrality

adopted during the hostilities by the neutral countries, it may be stated

that the giving of assurance for the prompt repatriation of refugees upon

the termination of hostilities, would in the present circumstances not

be considered as a sufficient guarantee by the neutral States.

Only explicit and comprehensive guarantees of remigration of the refugees,

given by the Anglo-Saxon Powers as a reinforcement of any assurances of

repatriation which may be given by the Allied Governments in exile, can

lead the neutral countries to adopt a more liberal and understanding

attitude towards the Jewish refugees. <276>

These guarantees should provide for the granting of facilities concerning

the supply of food and funds for the maintenance of refugees during their

stay in the neutral countries.

3. A scheme for exchange of Jews in Germany and the territories under German

control for German civilians in North and South America, Palestine, and other

countries, should be pressed forward by all possible means.

We should like to stress the fact that the number of nationals of Axis

countries living in Allied countries - particularly in North and South

America - exceeds by far the number of nationals of Allied countries living

in Axis countries.

We feel that in spite of the great difficulties which we do not underestimate,

a workable scheme of exchanging Jews for Germans would constitute an important

method of rescuing a considerable number of persecuted people from the

countries under Nazi control.

In view of the immediate urgency of the situation, the admission of Jews

to the scheme of exchange should be granted en bloc to the greatest possible

number, as conditions no longer allow time-wasting and in many cases

fruitless individual investigations. This scheme might include war-time

security measures.

Concrete proposals should be submitted without delay to the Governments

representing Allied interests in Germany by the Governments of the United

States and Great Britain.

The International Red Cross Committee may also be approached by the Allied

Governments and asked for support in this matter. [593]

Dr. Riegner sent this aide-memoire to the British Ambassador in Switzerland

"on behalf of the Secretariats of the World Council of Churches and of the

World Jewish Congress". Dr. Visser 't Hooft forwarded it to the Ambassador

of the United States, requesting in his covering letter, dated March 19,

1943, that the aide-memoire should be forwarded to the American Government,

to the Federation of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and to the American

branch of the World Jewish Congress.

He also stated that he had sent a copy to Mr. Allan Welsh Dulles with whom

he had "quite recently had the pleasure of discussing the matter". Mr.Dulles

was the representative of the "Office of Strategic Services" of the American

Government, at Bern.

The sending of this aide-memoire was, I think, the first time in history that

an important organization of Churches officially approached Governments,

jointly with an important Jewish organization. <277>

c. Aid to Refugees

In 1938, the Provisional Committee of the World Council of Churches was

formed. Its first ordinary session took place at Saint-Germain (near Paris),

in January, 1939. It was at this meeting that the Bishop of Chichester,

George Bell, unequivocally proposed that the Council create a special

department to deal with refugee problems. He himself had been a pioneer

in this work.

He felt that "the time had come to aid the entire mass of non-Aryans".

He meant not only the non-Aryan members of the Church but also the others,

albeit there being a special responsibility towards members of the Christian

Church. [594]

Soon afterwards Dr. Adolf Freudenberg was appointed the first secretary of

this new department for aid to refugees.

The Ecumenical Commission for Refugees rendered aid to refugees in the

camps of France at the end of 1940. It was also engaged in first aid to

the people in the camp of Gurs. Later on, France remained the main field

of activities.

"The Christian aid included Christians as well as Jews. There was co-operation

with Jewish organizations in many respects. Thus, for instance, the Commission

for Refugees could act as the intermediary for financial aid to Jewish

families and children who were in hiding in Belgium, Holland, Hungary and

other countries." [595]

The Churches in three countries rendered financial aid: first and foremost

Switzerland, but also Sweden and the United States.

"Switzerland donated Sw. Fr. 77,000 in 1941; the United States donated only

Sw. Fr. 10,000 and Sweden Sw. Fr. 6,000. The United States soon realized

the importance of the aid to refugees and in the following year the Churches

in the United States donated Sw. Fr. 241,000 and later Sw. Fr. 368,000.

Obviously they really did understand the significance of this work.

I think that this was also due to the fact that Dr. Cavert (the then General

Secretary of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.)

visited us. Later on I myself went to the United States and was able to

explain to them the importance of the matter." [596] <278>

When, in the summer of 1942, Lava1 began to hand over the Jews of the

unoccupied area of France to the Germans, members of the French Protestant

Youth Organization Cimade brought many refugees to the Swiss frontier.

Switzerland, however, was not willing to grant asylum to them. The

Ecumenical Commission for Refugees, "closely co-operating with other

organizations", succeeded in assuring the admission of "many hundreds" of

these refugees. [597]

Another endeavour to save lives failed. The Committee had, with the help of

American Christians, succeeded in obtaining entrance visas into the United

States for 1,000 Jewish children from France, but the occupation of

Southern France by the Germans foiled this plan. [598]

Dr. Visser 't Hooft was personally active in an "illegal" organization

which helped Dutch Jews to pass through France to Switzerland. He helped

its leader, Jean Weidner, with money from a collection for this purpose

amongst Dutchmen living in Switzerland. [599]

The former secretary of the Jewish Committee of Coordination in Switzerland,

Mr. H. H. Gans, relates the following incident as regarding to the granting

of passports and certificates of citizenship granted by South-American

Governments to Jews in French concentration camps:

"...We had declared... that the beneficiaries would not try to use their

new 'citizenship' after the war. But probably owing to their fear of an

invasion of new citizens after the war, some countries dared not postpone

the nullification until after the war...

The Spanish Ambassador immediately passed on this fatal message (to the

Germans) and 300 'South-Americans' were deported from Vitel. The World

Congress informed me at night. Consternation was great. <279>

I contacted Dr. T. Lewenstein [the then Chief-Rabbi of Zurich and Dr. Visser

't Hooft. Together we sent a telegram to the Queen. There was an immediate

reaction: Her Majesty's Ambassador at Buenos Aires was ordered to intervene.

Very shortly after this, an entirely favourable result was obtained." [600]

Mr. Gans also stated that once he paid a large amount of money on behalf of

persons hidden in Holland, through the kind offices of Dr. Visser 't Hooft.

From Holland came the confirmation: "The organization thanks you very

much for the money transferred from Switzerland." [601]

The testimony of Mr. Gans also speaks of the matter of sending gift parcels

to the Jews in concentration camps:

"No parcels could have been sent and no other help could have been rendered,

if we had not been supported continuously by Dr. Visser 't Hooft, General

Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Geneva...

His contribution to the Dutch resistance movement will certainly be described

by others. Suffice it here to point out the general importance of the

presence of such a man in Switzerland, and the fact that busy though he was,

he never refused to see me whenever I asked for an interview, and that

happened almost every day. No detail of our relief work was unimportant

to him." [602]

It appears that neither Dr. Visser 't Hooft nor Dr. Freudenberg were

formalistic in their activities. They understood, in contrast to so many

in and outside occupied Europe, that "illegal" acts were, in those special

circumstances, morally justified. Thus money was "illegally" transmitted to

Jews in hiding; and refugees were supported who had entered into Switzerland

"illegally."

What has been said about Church leaders in Bulgaria, can be applied to Dr.

Visser 't Hooft and Dr. Freudenberg: they were gravely concerned, and thus

they were available whenever their help was requested.

In June, 1944, the Ecumenical Commission for Aid to Refugees published the

following statement:

<280>

The Fate of the Jews in Hungary

"The Ecumenical Commission for Refugees exists in order to give material

and spiritual aid to refugees of all faiths. Its main task is therefore to

relieve the suffering of the refugees rather than to protest against the

treatment meted out to them. But there are situations in which the only aid

we can give is in the form of a solemn and public protest. To-day this is

the case.

Trustworthy reports state that so far some four hundred thousand Hungarian

Jews are deported in inhuman conditions and, in so far as they have not

died on the way, brought to the camp of Auschwitz in Upper Silesia where,

during the past two years, many hundreds of thousands of Jews have been

systematically put to death.

Christians cannot remain silent before this crime. We appeal to our

Hungarian Christian brethren to raise their voice with us to do all they

can to stop this horrible sin. We appeal to Christians of all countries

to unite in prayer that God may have mercy on the people of Israel." [603]

36 TERRITORIES IN WHICH THE CHURCHES REMAINED SILENT

The heading of this Chapter must be regarded with some reservation, firstly

because I may have failed to find statements which were issued, and secondly

because even the admission by a Church that it did not speak out, cannot

always be trusted. In fact, I have in my possession a letter from the

official representative of an important Church in Europe, stating that his

Church had not publicly protested against the persecution of Jews; yet

later on much material was found proving that it had done so.

It is notable that the Churches which, as far as we know, kept silent,

were minority Churches, with the exception of the Lutheran Church of

Finland which was, however, not directly confronted with the challenge

of the persecution of the Jews.

a. Austria <281>

On March 12, 1938, German troops entered Austria; it was then absorbed by

the German Reich. The Jews in Austria were subjected to all the horrors

which the Jews in Germany suffered.

The legend that Austria was the first victim of Hitlerian aggression,

to which official endorsement was given by the victorious Allies, is slow

to die. In fact, the people in Austria were more national-socialist than

in Germany proper:

the frenzy with which the "aggressor" Hitler was received by the Viennese

is proof enough of this. Many of the leaders of the Third Reich were

Austrians, as for instance Seyss-Inquart, Kaltenbrunner, Globocnik and

Rauter. Hitler himself originally came from Austria.

Little is known about the attitude of the Protestants in Austria with

respect to anti-Semitism during the war. [604] In 1966, the General Synod

of the Lutheran Church adopted a "Message to the Congregations on Jews and

Christians". The message stated that:

"...Unfortunately, however, the Christian conscience of our people has not

been strong enough to withstand a hatred based on racial differences.

This is an alarming sign of the demonic powers of darkness to which we have

been exposed and which have not been sufficiently resisted by our Church.

Because the Church was entrusted with the Word of reconciliation and the

message of peace, its guilt is much greater than that of all other groups.

We must acknowledge and confess this guilt. The miracle of God's forgiveness

makes our repentance possible..." [605]

b. Belgium

Professor W. Lutjeharms, who teaches Church history at Brussels, communicated

to me why, in his view, the Protestant Churches did not publicly protest

against the persecution of the Jews during the war. Part of the reasons he

advances are, in my opinion, also applicable to minority Churches in other

lands. <282>

1. The Protestants comprise less than half percent of the total population.

2. The Protestants nowhere formed a sufficiently concentrated group among

the population.

3. The Protestants in those days had very few representatives in cultural

and political circles.

4. The Protestant voice was not heard outside its own group before 1940;

hardly at all over the radio and certainly not through daily newspapers.

5. The Protestant Churches represented a distinctly foreign flavour: many

pastors and members were foreigners.

6. An official public protest would neither have impressed the authorities

nor the population. The Protestants could only act effectively on the

personal level. In this respect pastors as well as lay members time and

again risked their lives, to help Jews as much as they could.

There remains the question, why the small Protestant Churches in Belgium

undertook official and public steps in 1933, and not, for instance, in

the years 1935 and 1938. It is possible that such steps were undertaken,

but that they were not sufficiently published, and thus forgotten (Cf.

above, point 4).

At least 25,000 Jews were deported from Belgium.

Individual Protestants have rescued Jews [606] but these activities are

outside the scope of our subject.

c. The Protectorate

Czechoslovakia was deprived of Sudetenland in the Munich pact of September

29, 1938. On March 14, 1939, Slovakia declared its independence. On March

15, 1939, German forces occupied Prague; Czechia as the Protectorate of

Bohemia and Moravia became part of the German Reich. <283>

An estimated number of 71,000 Jews were deported, and perished.

Apparently no Church in Bohemia-Moravia publicly protested. It is true,

of course, that there hardly was any address to which they could send

a protest, except the Government in Berlin which would probably have

paid even less attention than it paid to the protests of the "Confessing

Church", the members of which were Germans and not Czechs. However, a

public protest, read out from the pulpits, could have stirred up the

members of the Czech Churches and would have encouraged them to help the

Jews.

In a letter to me, dated November 12, 1965, it was stated by Dr. Viktor

Hhjek, Chairman of the Synod of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren:

"Individual members of our Church have tried to help Jewish families in

different ways and have indeed helped them. This has always been dangerous,

and the persons involved suffered often from the German occupying force.

But the pressure of this force was so heavy that it was out of the question

to undertake anything publicly and officially." [607]

The Synod of the Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren recognized,

in 1945, that "our Church did not have enough courage or power to withstand

the fury of the enemies of Christ directed against the Jews." [608]

d. Poland

<284>

The atrocities committed against the Jews in Poland are beyond description.

At the end of 1939, 3,300,000 Jews lived in Poland; of these 2,900,000 were

murdered. [609] Moreover, most of the Jews arrested by the Germans, in other

occupied countries and in the German Reich itself, were deported to Poland

and perished there. Thus it was in Poland that the vast majority of the six

million was murdered.

There is little to relate about the reactions of the non-Catholic Churches

in Poland; there hardly exist such Churches at all.

I received two replies to my circular letter; the first is from Dr. Andrzej

Wantula, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

I quote the following from his letter:

"During the war, our Church was liquidated by the Germans and the majority

of the pastors imprisoned, the remainder working in a newly founded German

Church. Our Church, therefore, could not carry out any activities.

Individual pastors privately have helped the Jews. I myself, in my former

parish, have tried to relieve the position of the Jews and partly succeeded

in this. These, however, are individual cases, which are outside the scope

of your interest."

The second reply came from the Executive of the small "Polish-Catholic

Church". [610] I quote the following:

"Our Polish-Catholic Church was exposed to many persecutions, under the

National-Socialist domination during the second World War. However, we

protested many times, against the persecution of the Jews, also publicly

whenever this was possible.

In addition to material help, we provided the persecuted Jews with

baptismal certificates, enabling them to obtain ration cards and identity

cards. In this way they were protected from further persecution.

We cannot, unfortunately, send you any proofs, e.g. documents, letters or

photostats concerning our activities, as all the material was destroyed

during the war."

It is difficult for me to believe that the Polish-Catholic Church has

"protested many times and publicly", if one is to understand that these

protests were made in writing, and officially sent to the German authorities.

But perhaps pastors of this Church expressed their protest in their sermons,

and if this is so, it was at least something, especially in Poland.

<285>

The activities and attitude of the head of the Greek-Catholic Church in

Galicia, the Metropolitan Andrew Sheptitsky, whose Church is united with

Rome, is outside the scope of our subject and is thus not related here. [611]

e. Finland

Finland refused to give up her 2,000 Jews. "We are an honest people,"

declared Witting, the Finnish Foreign Minister. "We would much rather die

with the Jews than give them up." [612]

I received the following reply to my circular letter:

"...Finland was never actually occupied by the German army, with the

exception of the Northern region...

Finland remained a sovereign country and it was, as far as I know, the only

country within the German sphere of influence where Jews were protected

against German claims. It seems to be very difficult to ascertain whether

the Church had any direct involvement in this.

It must remain, therefore, more or less an academic question, since

nothing actually happened, in spite of the hesitation of the Government

during some critical days." [613]

f. Italy

There are hardly any non-Roman Catholic Churches in Italy. Best-known is the

Waldensian Church. The Waldenses themselves have been severely persecuted

throughout the centuries. The right of free worship was granted to them by

the Constitution of 1848. This "pre-Reformation Protestant Community" has

25,000 members.

Official declarations against anti-Semitism of such a small minority Church

could hardly expected, though the majority of the Waldenses had been strongly

anti-fascist. [614]

<286>

g. Russia

The Orthodox Church was the established Church in Russia, until 1917. Under

the Communist regime many Church leaders were imprisoned or murdered; many

church buildings were closed, some turned into museums. The Constitution of

1936 allows the Church freedom of worship, but not of propaganda. Printing

of Bibles was not permitted. Anti-religious propaganda, however, was

systematically carried out. In the wake of the German invasion (June, 1941),

the Patriarch of Moscow declared himself loyal to the Russian cause and to

the Soviet government. Anti-religious measures were relaxed to some degree.

As far as we know, no public declaration against anti-Semitism was issued

by the Orthodox Church, nor by any of the smaller Christian communities

in Russia. [615] It is estimated that 1,500,000 Jews perished in the Nazi-

occupied part of Russia.

37 IN CONCLUSION

I have tried to give the answers to some questions related to our subject,

but there remain many unanswered questions. It is beyond the scope of this

investigation, to analyse the influence of Luther's attitude towards the

Jews upon the German Protestants. Suffice it to say, that many anti-Semites

quoted from Luther's brochure "Concerning the Jews and their Lies" (1542),

and not from his earlier: "Jesus was born a Jew". (1523) The anti-Jewish

sermons of St. Chrysostom, preached at Constantinople at about the turn of

the 4th century, are well-known. We have not investigated as to how far

these sermons had an influence upon the Eastern Churches in our time.

<287>

Another question: What exactly was the influence of the Lutheran conception

of the "two dominions" through which God rules this world (the spiritual one,

or the Church, and the secular one, or the "worldly authorities") on the

attitude of the Lutheran Churches towards the persecuted Jews? Why did the

Lutheran Churches in Denmark, Norway, Slovakia and Sweden denounce anti-

Semitism whilst the record of the Lutheran Churches in America is poor in

this respect?

The people, according to Luther, have not the right to resist the

authorities; only princes have. Was there a notable difference between the

Lutheran Churches and the Churches of Calvinist origin regarding their

attitude towards the "ungodly government" of Hitler in the 20th century,

just as such a difference is said to have existed in the 16th century?

What about possible differences between continental and Anglo-Saxon

Protestants regarding their theological conception of the Jews, between

Protestant Churches in the West and Orthodox Churches in Eastern Europe,

between non-Roman Catholic Churches and the Church of Rome?

How far did the conception of St. Paul about the people of Israel, as

expounded in Romans 9-11, encourage the Churches to stand up for the Jews,

or how far did the opinion that the Church has "replaced" Israel as the

people of the Covenant, prevent Churches from taking action?

We have hardly touched on practical questions such as the dilemma of

whether "to speak or to save" ("reden oder retten").

It would be easy to make up a much longer list of unanswered questions, but

it is difficult to establish facts even though they happened in our lifetime,

and it is even more difficult to interpret them correctly. I can only hope

that the documentation provided by this book will stimulate others to further

study and investigation.

I hope that I have succeeded to some extent in showing how complicated the

situation was, and how careful we ought to be if we try to answer the

question, how far Christian leaders and Churches fulfilled or failed

to fulfil, the commandment which they profess to consider divine: "Thou

shalt love thy neighbour as thyself". <288>

However, I do not suggest that to understand all is to pardon all. To me,

Dr. Visser 't Hooft's conclusion seems to be well-balanced:

"We may conclude this section by pointing out that while many Christians

failed in their duty to resist in word and deed the inhuman racialism of

National Socialism, there were a not inconsiderable number of Church

leaders and simple Church members who rendered a clear witness to the

reality of the Christian faith.

The Christians who were involved in the struggle know better than anyone

how often the Churches and they themselves failed to do what ought have

to be done.

Thus the Churches in Germany spoke not only for themselves, but for others

who had been in a similar situation when after the war they confessed

publicly their sense of guilt in this respect." [616]

It is difficult to draw conclusions. Mostly generalizations are dangerous.

I myself have the impression that public opinion tends to overrate the

practical help rendered by individual Christians. Only a minority of

professing Christians willingly risked their lives in order to help and

save their Jewish neighbours.

The Bible condemns such a lack of self-sacrificing love. When, however,

human beings judge, particularly if they are people who themselves did not

have to undergo the test, they should remember the Jewish saying: "Judge not

thy neighbour until thou art come in his situation." [617]

On the other hand, public opinion possibly tends to underestimate the

official activities of Churches against anti-Semitism, because they are

not generally known. The attitude of the Churches with regard to the

persecution of Jews under Hitler's reign of terror was far from uniform.

The picture is neither completely black, nor purely white. White and black

are mingled. Thus the name chosen for this publication is "The Grey Book".

The darkness of the holocaust was so great that one can hardly comprehend

it. It is understandable that there are people who tend to ignore the lights

that were so small, far too small. But "the greater the darkness, the

brighter the light, be it no more than that of a small candle." [618]

<289>

In cases where Church leaders or individual Christians did risk their lives,

they should remember the words of their Lord: "Is the master grateful to

the servant for carrying out his orders? So with you: when you have carried

out your orders, you should say, 'We are servants and deserve no credit;

we have only done our duty'."(Luke 17, 9-10).

On March 23, 1943, the Archbishop of Canterbury declared in the House of

Lords: "We stand at the bar of history, of humanity and of God".

It is appropriate to conclude this book with the words of Ecclesiastes

(12, 13-14): "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God,

and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God

shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether

it be good, or whether it be evil."

<290>

APPENDIX I

DECLARATIONS AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM ISSUED

AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Much has been spoken against anti-Semitism by non-Roman Catholic Churches

and Church leaders, after the Second World War. We only mention the most

important declarations and statements.

On April 8, 1948, the NATIONAL BRETHREN COUNCIL (Reichsbruderrat) of

the Evangelical Church in Germany, meeting at Darmstadt, issued the

following "Message Concerning the Jewish Question".

"...It may rightly be said that after what has happened, after all that we

allowed to happen in silence, we have no authority to speak now. We are

distressed about what happened in the past, and about the fact that we did

not make any joint statement about it. We have not forgotten that a number

of pastors and churches did speak out, and suffered for doing so; we thank

God for it, and we thank them. We thank all who, in our own country and

abroad, have helped us with old and new insights into the Word of God, and

who have taken action by setting up warning signs.

Today when retribution is meted out to us for what we did to the Jews, there

is increasing danger that we may take refuge from God's Judgment in a new

way of anti-Semitism, thus conjuring up all the old evils once again. In

this perilous situation and amid this temptation God's Word speaks to us and

helps us to find the right attitude to the Jews. It is under pressure of

this Word that we speak, because we are filled with anxiety about the future

and burdened by the past, and because we feel obliged to express our

gratitude to all those individual people who spoke out, took action and

suffered doing so...

It was a disastrous mistake when the Churches of our time adopted the

secular attitude of mere humanity, emancipation and anti-Semitism towards

the Jewish question. There was bound to be a bitter retribution for the

fact that anti-Semitism rose and flourished not only among the people

(who still seemed to be a Christian nation), not only among the

intelligentsia, and in governmental and military circles, but also among

Christian leaders. <291>

And when finally this radical anti-Semitism, based on racial hatred,

destroyed our nation and our Churches from within, and released all its

brutal force from without, there existed no power to resist it - because

the Churches had forgotten what Israel really is, and no longer loved the

Jews. Christian circles washed their hands of all responsibility, justifying

themselves by saying that there was a curse on the Jewish people. Christians

no longer believed that the promise concerning the Jews still held good;

they no longer preached it, nor showed it in their attitude to the Jews.

In this way we Christians helped to bring about all the injustice and

suffering inflicted upon the Jews in our country.

This is what the Word of God teaches us, so that we recognize with shame

and grief what a great wrong we have done to Israel, and how deep our

guilt is. As a Church we have failed to be the witness of salvation for

Israel. Now we have to face the judgments of God which are coming upon us

one after the other, so that we may bow beneath the mighty hand of God in

sincere repentance, both as a Church and as a nation..." [619]

On April 27, 1950, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany, meeting

at Berlin-Weissensee, issued a "Message of Guilt towards Israel", from which

we quote the following:

"...We declare that by dereliction of duty and in keeping silent we also

are guilty of the crimes committed by people of our nation towards the Jews...

We pray all Christians to rid themselves of all anti-Semitism whatsoever,

to resist it earnestly where it raises its head again, and to meet Jews and

Jewish Christians in a brotherly spirit. We pray the Christian congregations,

to care for Jewish cemeteries in their territory if nobody is in charge of

them." [620]

On January 12, 1960, the Executive of the United Evangelical Church of

Germany issued the following Declaration:

"The Executive of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany most

sharply condemns the expressions of anti-Semitism which have stirred the

public in the last weeks.

Moral condemnation of the crimes committed by Germans against the Jews

cannot be evaded, though it is difficult to explain the motives of this

wave (of anti-Semitism) which encompasses many lands.

The reaction of the public must not be limited to declarations of sympathy

towards Jewish fellow citizens but must aim at uncovering their own failures.

It is especially important, to break the silence which frequently is

maintained here between the older and younger generation, and to help our

young people to come to their own clear judgment of the history of the Third

Reich and what led up to it." [621] <292>

On February 26, 1960, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany, meeting

at Berlin-Spandau, published the following Resolution, after the synagogue of

Cologne was daubed with swastikas:

"The fact that the honour of our Jewish neighbours has been offended,

fills us with horror and shame. We express our solidarity with those who

have been offended and insulted...

We are guilty towards youth, to whom we have failed to teach and to bear

the witness we owe them. It is not surprising, therefore, that the evil

spirit increases its influence, again and again, among our youth. However,

anew we must realize and attest: the hatred of the Jews which breaks out,

again and again, is public godlessness...

Therefore, let parents and educators break the widely-spread, painful

silence, in our country about co-responsibility for the fate of the Jews.

Let them resist everything that seduces the young generation into hatred

of the Jews...

Therefore, stand up for the payment of reparations. Keep in mind, however,

that true repentance is more essential than financial compensation, which

only can mean little to people who lost most of their relatives by acts

of violence...

Therefore, pray for God's peace upon Israel. Pray for the peace of Israel

amongst the nations, on the borders of its State and amongst us." [622]

During the trial of Eichmann, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany

stated (Berlin-Spandau, Febr. 17, 1961):

"...All surviving Germans who at the age of discrimination witnessed the

atrocities of the annihilation of the Jews, and even those who helped their

Jewish compatriots under oppression, must confess before God, to have become

accessories to the deeds by lack of alert and self-denying love..." [623]

After several years of discussion on the subject of the relationship of the

Church to the Jewish people, the 10th German Evangelical Kirchentag, 1961,

set aside one work-group to deal specifically with this subject. Work-group

VI of the Kirchentag produced the statement which follows, and it was adopted

as the official Report of the Assembly: <293>

"Jews and Christians are insolubly linked with each other. The denial of

this link brought forth the hostility to Jews within Christendom. It became

one of the main causes of the persecution of Jewry. Jesus of Nazareth is

betrayed wherever members of the Jewish people among whom he was born are

despised as Jews. Every hostility towards Jews is godlessness and leads to

self-destruction.

The present trial in Jerusalem concerns us all. We Evangelical Christians

in Germany recognise that we are involved in it by reason of our guilt.

Because of the need for fresh thought and conversion, we call upon the German

public to make the following points their own:

1. Parents and educators should break their silence when meeting the young

generation. They should confess their own failure and bring to light the

origins of the crimes so that we all may learn how to face the present

together. In the present world political situation, throwing off our own

failure onto others must threaten not only one section of mankind but all

life.

2. The inhumanity of compulsory systems of command where men can argue that

criminal orders must be obeyed, is calculated to warn us against the

inhuman potentialities of the modern organisation of State and society.

We must be ready to take upon us political responsibility even in spite of

risks. Those who were concerned in the preparation and implementation of

persecution should resign from high office.

3. Where Jews live amongst us, it is our duty to promote their well-being as

best as we can. Likewise everything must be done by us Germans which serves

the reconstruction and peace of the State of Israel and its Arab neighbours.

Compensation claims by victims of racial persecution should be settled with

special urgency and generosity. The material compensation must be matched by

a rebirth of the spirit. In Germany, the so-called Jewish question is today

above all a question concerning the future of the Germans.

4. As against the wrong doctrine preached for centuries that God has cast away

the Jewish people, we once again affirm the word of the Apostle: 'God hath

not cast away His people, which He foreknew' (Romans 11, 2)..." [624]

On March 13, 1964, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany issued the

following Declaration on the trials of Nazi criminals:

"...Only ignorance can speak of 'soiling one's own nest' when in fact the

cleaning of a badly soiled nest is at stake. Nor is it in any way profitable

to try to hide behind the wrongs committed by other nations against members

of our people during the war. The mass murder of Jews and other ethnic groups,

with which the German name is connected, is not thereby erased... <294>

Even the citizen who had no direct share in the crimes, nay, even he who did

not know of them, has a share in the guilt because he was indifferent towards

the perversion of all moral standards and all notions of right and wrong among

our people. Nor can we exempt ourselves and our congregations from this guilt.

For where all Christians were called upon to uphold the Gospel entrusted to us,

to make public affirmation of the everlasting dominion of God in all spheres of

our lives, and, thus armed, to protect the victims of the regime, especially

the Jews living amongst us, only few had the insight and the courage to resist.

Forced into this humiliating position, we cannot pretend to be unconcerned with

the trials now pending, nor can we turn our gaze away from the crimes now being

revealed. It was the folly of our entire nation, and the omissions of us

Christians, that enabled those crimes to be perpetrated. There is nothing here

that can be condoned, and we must resist all temptations to indulge in

self-justification. Rather is it our duty to follow the defendants now as

they stand before God and His judgment." [626]

In 1963, the Evangelical Kirchentag of German speaking Switzerland adopted the

following Resolution:

"Israel and the Church belong together. God has chosen them both and formed

a Covenant with them - first with Israel, then with the Church. The Church

has been grafted onto the stem of God's People. Hence: if one member suffers,

all the other members suffer with it. We confess our guilt with regard

to Israel, that we Swiss people did not suffer with the Jews either, thus

betraying our fellowship with God's ancient people.

Our hope rests in the fact that we know our sins are forgiven. But for us

forgiveness must mean active repentance. Let us make atonement through action.

As Swiss people and Christians let us recognize the following tasks as our next

step, and transform them into action:

1. We urge all Christians, both individually and collectively, to take part in

assisting the Jews and promoting mutual contact and mutual respect.

2. We regard it as our Christian duty to oppose all forms of discrimination

against Jewish people, and we expect the same attitude from all our

fellow-Christians.

3. Short, inexpensive instructive booklets are needed as soon as possible,

so that Christians can remedy their ignorance of Jewish history.

4. We recognize a sub-conscious anti-Semitism here in Switzerland too, with

devastating and far-reaching effects.

We urge the Church to devote more attention to this question. (Parish

evenings, evenings for parents, evenings for mothers, instruction to

religious teachers, training of religious teachers).

5. The intercession for Israel, which exists in most liturgies, should be

made an integral part of the worship-service." [627] <295>

On February 6, 1967, the Archbishop of Sweden sent a circular letter to the

ministers of the diocese, from which we quote the following:

'On various occasions accusations have been made against the Church of Sweden

for anti-Semitism. This is especially directed towards the way in which the

passion-history is created. From abroad many appalling examples are known

in which 'the Jews' are described as a deicide people, as referring not only

to the mob in front of the palace of Pilate which wanted Jesus to be crucified

but to the whole people and the generations after them.

In the Swedish tradition of preaching and teaching this is completely

unaccepted. Any feeling of revenge and hatred against Romans and Jews is

repudiated and it is emphasized that it is our own sin which has brought

Jesus to the cross...

The Gospel is against all racial and group discrimination. Each person

shall be judged on his own merits according to what he himself is and does.

There is no graduation of the value of man; all are called to be children

of God and are therefore our brothers and sisters, and Christ died for all.

After all, God alone is the Judge, but never we ourselves." [628]

On March 18, 1964, the following Statement was issued by the Archbishop

of Canterbury:

"It is always wrong when people try to lay blame upon the Jews for the

crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In the event the Roman Governor was no less

responsible for what happened.

The important fact, however, is that the crucifixion was the clash between

the Love of God and the sinfulness and selfishness of the whole human race.

Those who crucified Christ are in the true mind of the Christian Church

representatives of the whole human race, and it is for no one to point a

finger of resentment at those who brought Jesus to his death, but rather

to see the crucifixion as the divine judgment upon all humanity for choosing

the ways of sin rather than the love of God.

We all must see ourselves judged by the crucifixion of Christ." [629]

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland adopted a statement against

anti-Semitism nearly every year. Here follow some examples.

<296>

1945

"The General Assembly express their renewed sympathy with the Jews in their

present circumstances and assure them of the Church's friendly interest in

all that pertains to their future welfare and in particular commend the active

steps, which are being taken to restrain Anti-Semitism and promote better

understanding between Christian and Jew." [630]

1947

"The General Assembly, aware of the growth of anti-Semitic feeling, condemn

anew this attitude as un-Christian and contrary to the mind of our Lord; call

upon their faithful people to guard against this grave danger; assure the

Jewish people of their deep sympathy in the present uncertainties and

remember especially the many Jews in the Displaced Persons Camps in Europe

still awaiting some scheme for their settlement in other lands." [631]

1953

"The General Assembly view with concern the renewed outbreaks of anti-Semitism

in various countries, renew their condemnation of this evil thing and call

upon their faithful people to be on the alert to oppose any signs of it in

this country." [632]

1957

"The General Assembly express their concern that the threats of annihilation

directed against the State of Israel still continue. They express profound

sympathy with the State of Israel in the crisis with which she is confronted

and earnestly hope that the United Nations will now direct all possible

efforts towards a just and lasting settlement between Israel and the Arab

States, so that Israel's future will no longer be in jeopardy." [633]

1962

"The General Assembly, in view of the horrors recalled by the Eichmann trial,

remind the Church - especially the youth of the Church - of the deadly danger

of Anti-Semitism, which has in the past so cruelly wounded the brotherhood

of the human family." [634]

Many Protestant Churches in the United States publicly registered their

opposition to anti-Semitism. We only quote the following Resolution, adopted

by the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America,

on June 5, 1964:

"The General Board of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the

U.S.A., recognizing the ever-present danger of anti-Semitism, renews the

call to the Churches and the community to recognize (in the words of the

First Assembly of the World Council of Churches) 'anti-Semitism, no matter

what its origin, as absolutely irreconcilable with the profession and practice

of the Christian faith'. <297>

The spiritual heritage of Jews and Christians should draw us to each other in

obedience to the one Father and in continuing dialogue; the historic schism in

our relations carries with it the need for constant vigilance lest dialogue

deteriorate into conflict.

We confess that sometimes as Christians we have given away to anti-Semitism.

We have even used the events of the Crucifixion to condemn the Jewish people,

whereas (in the words of the Third Assembly of the World Council of Churches)

'the historic events which led to the Crucifixion should not be presented as

to fasten upon the Jewish people of today responsibilities which belong to

our corporate humanity and not to one race or community'.

The General Board urges that the members of its constituent communions seek

that true dialogue with the religious bodies of the Jewish community through

which differences in faith can be explored within the mutual life of the one

family of God - separated, but seeking from God the gift of renewed unity -

knowing that in the meantime God can help us to find our God-given unity in

the common service of human need." [634]

In 1948, the World Council of Churches held its first Assembly, at Amsterdam.

147 Churches in forty-four countries were represented by 351 official delegates.

A report on "The Christian Approach to the Jews" was heard by Assembly, and

its deliberations were commended to all member Churches "for their serious

consideration and appropriate action". We quote the following:

Introduction

... We cannot forget that we meet in a land from which 110,000 Jews were taken

to be murdered. Nor can we forget that we meet only five years after the

extermination of 6 million Jews. To the Jews our God has bound us in a special

solidarity linking our destinies together in His design. We call upon all our

Churches to make this concern their own as we share with them the results of

our too brief wrestling with it."...

3. Barriers to be Overcome

"...We must acknowledge in all humility that too often we have failed to

manifest Christian love towards our Jewish neighbours, or even a resolute will

for common social justice. We have failed to fight with all our strength the

age-old disorder of man which anti-Semitism represents. <298>

The Churches in the past have helped to foster an image of the Jews as the sole

enemies of Christ, which has contributed to anti-Semitism in the secular world.

In many lands virulent anti-Semitism still threatens and in other lands the

Jews are subjected to many indignities.

We call upon all the Churches we represent to denounce anti-Semitism, no matter

what its origin, as absolutely irreconcilable with the profession and practice

of the Christian faith. Anti-Semitism is sin against God and man...". [635]

In 1961, the World Council of Churches held its third Assembly, at New Delhi.

200 Churches were represented by more than a thousand official participants.

The following Resolution on Anti-Semitism was adopted:

"The Third Assembly recalls the following words which were addressed to the

Churches by the First Assembly of the World Council of Churches in 1948:

'We call upon all the Churches we represent to denounce anti-Semitism, no

matter what its origin, as absolutely irreconcilable with the profession and

practice of the Christian faith. Anti-Semitism is sin against God and man.

Only as we give convincing evidence to our Jewish neighbours that we seek for

them the common rights and dignities which God wills for his children, can we

come to such a meeting with them as would make it possible to share with

them the best which God has given us in Christ.'

The Assembly renews this plea in view of the fact that situations continue to

exist in which the Jews are subject to discrimination and even persecution.

The Assembly urges its member Churches to do all in their power to resist

every form of anti-Semitism.

In Christian teaching the historic events which led to the Crucifixion should

not be so represented as to fasten upon the Jewish people of today responsibi-

lities which belong to our corporate humanity and not to one race or community.

Jews were the first to accept Jesus and Jews are not the only ones who do not

yet recognize him." [636]

In 1964, a Consultation on "The Church and the Jewish People" under the

auspices of the Lutheran World Federation was held at Legumkloster, Denmark.

The following statement was adopted:

III. The Church and Anti-Semitism <299>

"Anti-Semitism is an estrangement of man from his fellowmen. As such it stems

from human prejudice and is a denial of the dignity and equality of men. But

Anti-Semitism is primarily a denial of the image of God in the Jew; it

represents a demonic form of rebellion against the God of Abraham, Isaac,

and Jacob; and a rejection of Jesus the Jew, directed upon His people.

'Christian' anti-Semitism is spiritual suicide.

This phenomenon presents a unique question to the Christian Church, especially

in light of the long terrible history of Christian culpability for anti-

Semitism. No Christian can exempt himself from involvement in this guilt. As

Lutherans, we confess our own peculiar guilt, and we lament with shame the

responsibility which our Church and her people bear for this sin. We can only

ask God's pardon and that of the Jewish people.

There is no ultimate defeat of anti-Semitism short of a return to the living God

in the power of His grace and through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ our Lord.

At the same time, we must pledge ourselves to work in concert with others at

practical measures for overcoming manifestations of this evil within and without

the Church and for reconciling Christians with Jews.

Towards this end, we urge the Lutheran World Federation and its member Churches:

1. To examine their publications for possible anti-Semitic references, and to

remove and oppose false generalisations about Jews. Especially reprehensible

are the notions that Jews, rather than all mankind, are responsible for the

death of Jesus Christ, and that God has for this reason rejected His covenant

people.

Such examination and reformation must also be directed to pastoral practice

and preaching references. This is our simple duty under the commandment

common to Jews and Christians: 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy

neighbour'.

2. To oppose and work to prevent all national and international manifestations

of anti-Semitism, and in all our work acknowledge our great debt of gratitude

to those Jewish people who have been instruments of the Holy Spirit in giving

us the Old and New Testaments and in bringing into the world Jesus Christ our

Lord.

3. To call upon our congregations and people to know and to love their Jewish

neighbours as themselves; to fight against discrimination or persecution of

Jews in their communities; to develop mutual understanding; and to make

common cause with the Jewish people in matters of spiritual and social

concern, especially in fostering human rights..." [637]

An International Conference of Christians and Jews was held at Seelisberg,

in 1947, and attended by sixty-five persons from nineteen different countries.

They adopted the following "Address to the Churches", which became widely

known as "The Ten Points of Seelisberg": <300>

1. Remember that One God speaks to us all through the Old and the New

Testaments.

2. Remember that Jesus was born of a Jewish mother of the seed of David and

the people of Israel, and that His everlasting love and forgiveness embrace

His own people and the whole world.

3. Remember that the first disciples, the apostles, and the first martyrs were

Jews.

4. Remember that the fundamental commandment of Christianity, to love God and

one's neighbour, proclaimed already in the Old Testament and confirmed by

Jesus, is binding upon both Christians and Jews in all human relationships,

without any exception.

5. Avoid disparaging biblical or post-biblical Judaism with the object of

extolling Christianity.

6. Avoid using the word Jews in the exclusive sense of the enemies of Jesus,

and the words the enemies of Jesus to designate the whole Jewish people.

7. Avoid presenting the Passion in such a way as to bring the odium of the

killing of Jesus upon Jews alone.

In fact, it was not all the Jews who demanded the death of Jesus. It not the

Jews alone who were responsible, for the Cross which saves us all reveals

that it is for the sins of us all that Christ died.

Remind all Christian parents and teachers of the grave responsibility which

they assume, particularly when they present the Passion story in a crude

manner. By so doing they run the risk of implanting an aversion in the

conscious or subconscious minds of their children or hearers, intentionally

or unintentionally. Psychologically speaking, in the case of simple minds,

moved by a passionate love and compassion for the crucified Saviour, the

horror which they feel quite naturally towards the persecutors of Jesus

will easily be turned into an undiscriminating hatred of the Jews of all

times, including those of our days.

8. Avoid referring to the scriptural curses, or the cry of a raging mob: His

blood be upon us and upon our children, without remembering that this cry

should not count against the infinitely more weighty words of our Lord:

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.

9. Avoid promoting the superstitious notion that the Jewish people is

reprobate, accursed, reserved for a destiny of suffering.

10. Avoid speaking of the Jews as if the first members of the Church had not

been Jews. [638]

<301>

APPENDIX II

SOME PARTICULARS ABOUT THE CHURCHES MENTIONED [639]

Austria

The Protestant Churches in Austria are minority Churches. The (Lutheran)

Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession has 406,966 members; the

Reformed Church of Austria has 16,078 baptized members.

Belgium

The Protestant Churches in Belgium are minority Churches, together comprising

less than half percent of the population. The total number is less than 50,000.

Bulgaria

The Orthodox Church in Bulgaria claims a number of six million members, being

the vast majority of the population.

There is no other Christian community of any numerical importance in Bulgaria.

<302>

Czechoslovakia

The largest non-Roman Catholic Churches in Bohemia and Moravia are: the

Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (295,354 baptized members), the

Czechoslovak Church, and the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession

in Silesia (48,000 members).

There are two Protestant Churches in Slovakia: the Reformed Church of Slovakia

(165,000 baptized members) and the Evangelical (Lutheran) Church in Slovakia

(520,000 members).

Denmark

The vast majority of the people of Denmark belong to the Lutheran Church,

which has 4,104,000 members.

Finland

The vast majority of the population of Finland belongs to the Finnish

Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has 4,429,137 members.

France

The Protestants in France are a small minority, numbering altogether not

more than 800,000 souls. Members of the Protestant Federation of France are:

The Reformed Church of France (375,000), the Reformed Church of Alsace and

Lorraine (50,000), the Lutheran Church of Alsace and Lorraine (240,000) and

the Evangelical Lutheran Church of France (50,000).

Germany

The vast majority of the Protestants of Germany belonged to one of the 28

Landeskirchen (Lutheran, Reformed or Uniate), of which the largest was the

Church of the Old Prussian Union, with 18 million members. In all, there were

forty-five million Germans who were, nominally at least, members of the

Protestant Church.

Great Britain and Ireland

The main non-Roman Catholic Churches in England are: the Church of England,

claiming 2,989,704 members and 15 million adherents (1950); the Methodist

Church (775,294 members and 2,2250,000 adherents in 1955); the Congregational

Union of England and Wales (451,523 members in 1955); the Baptist Union of

Great Britain and Ireland (246,400 members in 1955) and the Presbyterian

Church of England, having 70,298 communicants. <303>

There are four Free Presbyterian Churches in Scotland, as well as Baptist,

Episcopal, Congregational and Methodist Churches. The Church of Scotland is by

far the largest Church, having 1,281,559 communicants.

The political partition of Ireland did not divide any of the Churches. Most of

the non-Roman Catholic Churches were represented in the United Council of

Christian Churches in Ireland. The (Episcopalian) Church of Ireland has

400,000 members. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has 140,395 communicants

and 397,500 baptized members. The Methodist Church has approximately 30,000

communicants and 100,000 baptized members.

Greece

The vast majority of the population of Greece belongs to the (Orthodox) Church

of Greece, which has an estimated 8,000,000 members.

Hungary

According to the 1941 census, there were in Hungary 9,775,310 Catholics,

2,785,782 Calvinists (Reformed Church of Hungary), and 729,289 Lutherans

(Hungarian Evangelical Church).

Italy

The Waldensian Church has 25,000 members. Other non-Roman Catholic communities

are the Methodist and Baptist Churches. Their total membership amounts to

about 0,19 per cent of the population.

The Netherlands

The DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH has 3,500,000 baptized members. The Reformed Churches

in the Netherlands had 640,984 members in 1940. The Evangelical Lutheran Church

has 52,587 members. The other Churches mentioned are of about the same size,

or smaller.

<304>

Norway

The (Lutheran) Church of Norway has 3,456,687 members, being 96,2 per cent of

the population.

Poland

Out of a population of 32,000,000 there are a 130,000 Protestants. 100,000 of

them belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Poland. Smaller communities

are the Evangelical-Reformed Church (5,000 members); the Baptist Church

(2,500 members) and the United Gospel Church (7,500 members).

Rumania

The vast majority of the population of Rumania belongs to the Rumanian

Orthodox Church, which has an estimated 11,500,000 members. The Reformed

Church of Rumania is the Church of the Hungarian national minority; it has

693,511 baptized members. The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession

is mainly the Church of German immigrants; it has 183,399 members.

Russia

Before 1917, the Orthodox Church of Russia claimed a membership of

100,000,000. Estimates about the present situation - "perhaps 25-50,000,000"

- are unreliable.

Smaller communities are the Union of Evangelical Christian Baptists of U.S.S.R.

and the Lutheran Churches in former Estonia (350,000), Latvia (350,000), and

Lithuania (30,000).

Sweden

The vast majority of the population of Sweden belongs to the (Lutheran) Church

of Sweden, which claims 7,000,000 members.

Switzerland

The Protestant Churches of Switzerland are cantonal Churches, distinct and

independent from one another. In most of the cantonal Churches, the

legislative body is the Synod and the executive organ the Synodal Council.

<305>

The Federation of the Protestant Churches of Switzerland at first consisted

only of National Churches, but it soon admitted the Free Evangelical Churches,

the Methodist Church and the "Evangelische Gemeinschaft". The Federation has

2,888,122 baptized members.

The United States

The following are some of the greatest Churches affiliated to the Federal

Council of Churches of Christ in America in the year 1942 with their

membership for the years ending in 1941-1942.

Northern Baptist Convention 1,538,871

National Baptist Convention 3,911,611

Congregational Christian Churches 1,052,701

Disciples of Christ 1,655,580

Protestant Episcopal Church 1,074,178

United Lutheran Church (consultative) 1,709,290

The Methodist Church 6,640,424

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. 1,986,257

The total membership was 25,551,560

The Federal Council of Churches united with 11 other national inter-

denominational organizations, to form the National Council of Churches,

in 1950. Its 34 member Churches have a total membership of about 42 million

persons. The most important Protestant denominations which are not members

of the National Council of Churches are: Southern Baptist Convention

(present membership 10,770,573); the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

(present membership 2,692,889); the American Lutheran Church (present

membership 2,541,546).

Yugoslavia

The greatest non-Roman Catholic Church is the Serbian Orthodox Church which

has about 8,000,000 members. Other Churches are: the Reformed Christian

Church of Yugoslavia (30,000 members) and the Slovak Evangelical Church of

the Augsburg Confession in Yugoslavia.

The World Council of Churches

<306>

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of more than 200 Churches

of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox and Old Catholic confessions. It includes

in its membership Churches in more than 80 countries. In 1961, the

Orthodox Church of Russia also joined the World Council of Churches.

A number of large Churches, however, are not World Council members. These

include the Roman Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention (U.S.A.),

the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, and the majority of Pentecostal Churches.

Many of these Churches regularly send observers to the World Council meetings

and there were five Roman Catholic observers at the World Council's Third

Assembly at New Delhi in 1961.

<307>

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PERIODICALS AND REPORTS

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Le Christianisme Social (French Protestant Bimonthly).

The Christian World (Protestant weekly), London.

"Church of England Newspaper LONDON."

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Dagens Nyheter (Swedish daily).

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Churches, Geneva.

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Christ in the U.S.A.

Glasgow Herald.

Hervormd Nederland (Dutch Protestant Weekly).

International Christian Press & Information Service (I.C.P.I.S.), Bulletin

published by the World Council of Churches, Geneva.

The Interpreter (Quarterly published by the London Diocesan Council for

Christian-Jewish understanding).

The Jewish Chronicle (weekly), London.

The Jewish Review, New York.

Kristen Gemenskap (Swedish Protestant Magazine).

The Life of Faith (Protestant weekly), London.

Liverpool Post.

Manchester Guardian.

Narodno Delo (newspaper), Sofia.

The New York Herald Tribune. <314>

The New York Times.

Quarterly Newsletter from the World Council of Churches' Committee

on the Church and the Jewish People; Geneva.

"Rapport van de Commissie van Onderzoek inzake het verstrekken van

pakketten door het Rode Kruis en andere instanties aan Nederlandse

politieke gevangenen in het buitenland gedurende de bezettingstijd

alsmede inzake het evacueren van Nederlandse gevangenen kort voor en

na het einde van de oorlog" ('s-Gravenhage, 1947; in Dutch).

Reformiertes Kirchenblatt fur Osterreich (Protestant monthly), Vienna.

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and Jews, Seelisberg, 1947. (London, 1947).

Schweiz. Evang. Pressedienst (E.P.D.), Protestant Bulletin, Zurich. "Schweiz.

Sammlung fur die Fluechtlingshilfe, Oct. Nov. 1942"; Report published

by the "Schweiz. Zentralstelle fur Fluchtlingshilfe".

The Spiritual Issues of the War, Bulletin published by the Religious Division

of the Ministry of Information, London.

De Standaard (Dutch Protestant daily), Amsterdam.

The Times, London.

De Waarheid (Dutch Communist daily), Amsterdam.

The Wiener Library Bulletin, London.

Yad Vashem Bulletin, Jerusalem.

Yad Vashem Studies, Jerusalem.

De Zwarte Soldaat (Dutch Nazi paper). <315>

FOOTNOTES for The Grey Book by Johan M. Snoek

=============================================

page I

1 The struggle of the Dutch Church for the Maintenance of the Commandments

of God in the Life of the State, Documents collected and edited by

W.A. Visser 't Hooft, London, 1944, p.16 (henceforth: Visser 't Hooft).

page II

2 Kirche im Kampf, Dokumente des Widerstandes und des Aufbaus der Evangelischen

Kirche in Deutschland von 1933 bis 1945, herausgegeben von H. Hermelink,

Tubingen-Stuttgart, 1950, p. 344 ff. On the historiographical use of the term

"political messianism" in this context, cf. J.L. Talmon, The Unique and

the Universal - Some Historical Reflections, London 1965, Chap. IV: Mission

and Testimony - The Universal Significance of Modem Anti-semitism, p. 119 ff.

page III

3 Kirchliches Jahrbuch fur die Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland 1933- 1944,

hrsg. von Joachim Beckmann, Gutersloh 1948, p. 76 f., quoted according to:

Der Nationalsozialismus, Dokumente 1933-1945, herausgegeben, eingeleitet und

dargestellt von Walther Hofer, Frankfurt a/M, 1957 (henceforth: Hofer),

p. 140.

4 Visser 't Hooft, pp. 61, 64-65.

This reference to the first of the Ten Commandments by the Church in its

struggle against the totalitarian and pseudo-messianic character of the

Nazi regime already appeared in:

Wort der Bekenntnissynode der evangelischen Kirche der altpreussischen

Union an die Gemeinden, 4/5 March 1935 in Berlin-Dahlem; par. 1: The first

commandment reads: 'I am the Lord God. Thou shalt have no other gods besides

me. 'We obey this commandment alone having faith in Jesus Christ who was

crucified and resurrected for us. The new religion is a revolt against

the first commandment." Cf. Hofer, p. 144.

page V

5 Visser 't Hooft, p. 64.

Page VI

6 Heinrich Schmidt, Apokalyptisches Wetterleuchten, Ein Beitrag der

Evangelischen Kirche zum Kampf im 'Dritten Reich', Munchen, 1947, p. 305.

This source also appears in: Friedrich Zipfel, Kirchenkampf in Deutschland

1933-1945 - Religionsverfolgung und Selbstbehauptung der Kirchen in der

national-sozialistischen Zeit, Berlin I 965, p. 31.

7 Hofer, p. 128.

8 On the origin of the term: "metapolitics" cf. Constantin Frantz: "Offener

Brief an Richard Wagner", Bayreuther Blaetter, Jahrgang 1, No. 6 (June 1878),

op. 169. Cf.: Peter Viereck, Metapolitics - The Roots of the Nazi Mind,

N.Y. 1961 (1941), p. 4.

9 Visser 't Hooft, p. 71.

page VII

10 See in this volume pp. 131 - 132 . Cf. Visser 't Hooft, p. 57.

page VIII

11 These sources of modem anti-semitism have recently been treated in:

Shmuel Ettinger, "The Critique of Judaism in the Teachings of the 'Young

Hegelians' as one of the Roots of Modem Anti-semitism", Lecture given at

the Academia scientiarum Israelitica, Jerusalem, 1969 (in press, Hebrew).

Ibid: "The Roots of Modern Anti-semitism", (Hebrew) Molad, Jerusalem,

New Series Vol. 11 (xxv), No. (219) Jan.-March, 1969, p. 323 ff.

On the theoretical relationship between theological criticism and racial

theory, cf. Nathan Rotenstreich, Judaism and Jewish Rights, (Hebrew),

Tel-Aviv, 1959, Chaps, 1, 3, 5, 6. Ibid. "For and against Emancipation:

The Bruno Bauer Controversy", in Leo Beck Institute, Year Book IV,

London, 1959, p. 3 ff. Cf. also: Eleonore Sterling, Er ist wie Du - aus

der Fruehgeschichte des Anti-semitismus in Deutschland (1815-1850),

Munchen 1956, 235 pp. For sources on modern anti-semitism in the Critique

of positivistic religion by the deists and rationalists in France,

cf. Arthur Hertzberg, The French Enlightenment and the Jews, N.Y.-Phil.

1968, 420 pp.

12 Ludwig Feuerbach, Das Wesen der Religion, Dreissig Vorlesungen, 1845

(1848), Dritte Vorlesung, Leipzig, 1908, p. 12.

page IX

13 Friedrich Nietzsche, Gesammelte Werke, Gesamtausgabe, Kroner, Leipzig,

Vol. VII, p. 273: ... Das Christenthum ist ein Aufstand alles

Am-Boden-Kriechenden gegen das, was Hoehe hat; das Evangelium der

Niedrigen macht niedrig...".

14 Alexander Bein, Der moderne Anti-semitismus und seine Bedeutung fur

die Judenfrage, Vierteljahreshefte fur Zeitgeschichte, Stuttgart,

1958, pp. 345/6.

15 Moritz Freystadt, Der Christenspiegel von Anti-Marr, ein offenes

Sendeschreiben an die modernen Judenfeinde, 5e Anlage, Koenigsberg 1863,

pp. 3, 8, 20, 21, 39.

page X

16 Wilhelm Marr, Streifzuege durch das Koncilium von Trient - Voltaire

frei nach erzaehlt, Hamburg, Otto Meissner Verlag, 1868, pp. 95/6.

In this work Marr emphasizes the fact that the criticism of Christianity

was for the most part directed against the Catholics who were called by

the spokesmen of German nationalism in the period of Bismarck

'ultramontanists.' At the same time he claims: "We... reject

Christianity as well as Judaism... We reject... all religions...".

Cf. p. 102.

17 Marr, like most of the fathers of antisemitic ideology, is not consistent

in his antisemitic arguments or in his anti-Christian motives. Different

views are held at different times, and contradictory views are expressed

at the same time. Thus, Marr sometimes does not oppose Christianity but

seems to be a proponent of "practical Christianity" with an eye to the

social policy of Bismarck in the 80's of the last century, or as a

proponent of "Christian-German realism. Thus, we also note an anti-Christian

sentiment directed not so much against Protestantism as against Catholicism.

The Anti-Catholic attitude of the fathers of racial anti-semitism was

part of the national awakening in the days of the Second Reich, an

awakening that was based to a considerable extent on the tradition of

Protestant sovereignty.

Of the many sources of antiCatholic anti-semitism from the first days of

this movement the propaganda of Ottomar Beta is typical, as we find in his

book which he dedicated to Bismarck, "Juda-Jesuitismus, where, among other

things, he says: "The arrogant assumption of infallibility of the Jewish

descendents in Rome is nothing more than an ultramontanist firework to

divert the eyes of the Germanic peoples from the more ominous capitalistic

infallibility of their racial brethren in wordly garb... The source appears

in the anti-semitic collection: Antisemiten-Spiegel - die Antisemiten im

Lichte des Christenthums, des Rechtes und der Moral, Danzig, 1892, (A.S.

further), p. 136.

page XI

18 Walter Holsten, Adolf Stoecker als Symptom seiner Zeit - Anti-semitismus

in der evangelischen Kirche des 19e Jahrhunderts?

The article appears in: Christen und Juden - Ihr Gegenueber vom Apostel-

konzil bis heute, herausgegeben von Wolf-Dieter Marsch und Karl Thieme,

Mainz/Goettingen 1961, p. 182 ff.

On this ambivalent character of anti-semitism, cf. the words of A. Stoecker

to the German Kaiser, 25. 9. 1880: "...Im Ubrigen habe ich in allen meiner

Reden gegen das Judentum offen erklaert, dass ich nicht die Juden angreife,

sondern nur dies frivole, gottlose, wucherische, betruegerische Judenthum,

das in der Tat das Unglueck unseres Volkes ist...".

This source is found in: Dietrich von Oertzen, Adolf Stoecker - Lebensbild

und Zeitgeschichte, Berlin 1910, Vo1.1, p. 213. Cf. also: Paul W. Massing,

Vorgeschichte des politischen Anti-semitismus, Frankfurt a/M, 1959,

(P. Massing: further) p. 31.

page XII

19 Adolf Stoecker, Christlich-Sozial; Reden und Aufsaetze, 1885, p. 153 f.

Cf. also P. Massing, p. 238/9, note 64. According to the second edition

of the addresses and works of A. Stoecker of the year 1890, P. Massing

quotes the entire document which concludes with the words: "... A return

to more of Germanic law and economic life, a return to Christian faith -

this will be our slogan."

page XIII

20 R. Seeberg, Reden und Aufsaetze von Adolf Stoecker, Leipzig 1913, p. 141/2.

Cf. also the above essay of Walther Holsten, p. 119.

21 Above, note 19, p. 211.

page XIV

22 Eugen Duhring, Wert des Lebens, 3. Auflage, 1881, p. 5: "... paradoxe

Lehre von der Umkehrung oder Kreuzigung aller Fleischregungen...".

23 Eugen Doehring, Die Parteien in der Judenfrage, Separat-Ausgabe von Hefte

7, 8 des ersten Bandes der Schweitznerischen internationalen Monatschrift,

Leipzig 1882, Verlag Theodor Fritsch, p. 403 ff.

page XV

24 A.S. Danzig, 1892, p. 137 fl. Cf. also: these sources in a pamphlet

issued by the "Verein zur Abwehr des Anti-semitismus", which also issued

the "AntisemitenSpiegel. The name of this pamphlet is: "Antisemitisches

Christenthum und christlicher Anti-semitismus", Flugblatt No 7, p. 1/2

(Year not given).

25 The anti-intellectual meaning of this doctrine that seeks to relegate the

image of Jesus to the mythology of racial anti-semitism was pointed out by

several writers already during the Second Reich.

Cf. the many publications of the "Verein zur Abwehr des Anti-semitismus,"

beginning in 1892, and in condensed form: Antisemiten-Spiegel, Berlin-

Frankfurt a/M, 1911 , p. 161 ff.

On the historical background of the anti-intellectual character of racial

doctrines and on the influence of anti-intellectualism on this interpreta-

tion that would transplant Jesus from his Jewish origin and make him a

member of the Aryan race, cf.: Fritz Stern, The Politics of Cultural

Despair - A study in the Rise of the German Ideology, Berkeley and Los

Angelos, 1961, pp. 41/2: to divorce Christianity and Judaism even at this

late stage would be a recognition of an unambiguous historical truth and

of Jesus' own intent...". cf. pp. 139, 143, 144, 145, 163, 199.

page XVI + XVII

26 From the journal "Hammer", published in: A.S. Berlin-Frankfurt a/M, 1911,

p.201.