WWII_Ch3_webquest

=**Dietrich Bonhoeffer Web Quest**=


 * **Hitler and the Church:** Adolf Hitler was raised in the Catholic church but obviously died without Christian values. In terms of religion, Hitler knew he needed to use religion to gain power. He made Christian references in //Mein Kampf// and also spoke of Jesus when he became chancellor. Hitler wanted to convince the church that all was fine. In reality, he wanted to draw in Christians since he needed them for support a rise to power and also trying to silence the churches in terms of opposition. In his book, Joseph Goebbels writes of Hitler that "he hates Christianity." Churches would end up under state control. The churches still existed with ministers along with pictures of Hitler on the altars. __(1) Why do you think Hitler was able to convince the churches to go along with him?__


 * **Martin Niemoller:** Hitler tried to convince a group of ministers that the church was safe (when Hitler was chancellor). A Lutheran minister, Rev. Martin Niemoller, pushed through the pastors to the front and told Hitler they weren't concerned for the church but for the soul of the nation. However, no one else had the guts to back him up. Hitler told Niemoller that he could leave the soul of the nation up to him. After the Gestapo sat in Niemoller's church each week writing down everything he said, he was eventually imprisoned and put in a concentration camp and was able to escape execution. After the war, he was famous for writing the short "first they came" quote. [|Click here to read his quote]. __(2) What was Niemoller's point in terms of advice for the future?__


 * **Dietrich Bonhoeffer:** Minister who spoke out against Hitler from the start. He went further though than Niemoller in terms of his opposition.
 * In 1933, two days after Hitler became chancellor, Bonhoeffer went on the air criticizing Hitler's ideas (anyone who either read Hitler's book or the 25 points of the Nazi Party would know their beliefs). This was brave of Bonhoeffer, not because of Hitler have oppressive powers at this point but because Hitler had popularity. __(3) How did Hitler have support of many of the people__


 * Bonhoeffer saw that the Nazis looked at things along racial lines in terms of Jews and not just the Jewish religion. Bonhoeffer said Hitler would also go after Christians showing how the Nazis were fundamentally against Christianity. There was not separation of church and state in Germany. Therefore, the government was able to have control over churches. In addition, ther Germans were taught to never question authority. If there was a Nazi state church, their authority may not be questioned. Leaders of non-Nazi churches would be put in concentration camps. __(4) How might Nazi authority over churches in Nazi Germany have helped contribute to Hitler's increase in power?__


 * He had made a trip to America as he had done several times. Once (in 1930, before Hitler was Chancellor, an African-American invited Bonhoeffer to a church in Harlem. Bonhoeffer saw thousands of blacks worshipping Jesus and singing with joy. This is significant because he saw an oppressed people rejoicing in Jesus. In Germany, chuches didn't preach about a personal relationship with God. Bonhoeffer saw individuals loving Jesus, not just people going through the ritual motions like in Germany. He went back to Germany and began to teach about how each person could have a personal relationship with God at Berlin University. In addition, Bonhoeffer began smuggling Jews out of Germany. While in America again, he felt called to go back to Germany and stand up to Hitler. Furthermore, he conspired against the Nazis. __(5) How did Bonhoeffer's faith lead him to act with courage?__


 * Bonhoeffer was arrested for smuggling Jews out of Germany and the Gestapo had him put in prison. When the July 20 Plot went wrong and plotters were found out, Bonhoeffer was associated with the group and executed. While he was in prison, he wrote a letter to a friend trying to answer how the church could allow Hitler to rise to power. He said Germans (in churches) were just going through the motions and practicing "religionless Christianity." __(6) What do you think Bonhoeffer meant by this?__


 * **Learning from History:** There are important lessons that can be learned from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one German who spoke out early against the evils of Hitler.


 * World leaders believed they could negotiate with Hitler (appeasement at Munich is biggest example). There is a similar situation in the Middle East today. Hamas in Syria, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the Taliban fighting for control in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Mullahs in Iran, and of course the Palestinian Muslims have all expressed their desire to eliminate Israel and form an Islamic caliphate (Muslim empire). Palestine claims that they simply want to be an independent nation, but this would require Israel giving up land (and half of Jersusalem). If Israel gave up the land Palestine wants, Israel would not be able to defend itself. In the U.S., some government officials believe peace can be reached by coming to an agreement. __(7) Do you think appeasing the Palestinians and other radical Islamic groups who have announced the goal of eliminating Israel will bring peace, or do you think if Palestine gets it's way they'll eventually want more?__


 * Bonhoeffer realized Hitler that the Nazis were evil and oppressive. Some recognize that radical Islamic groups are evil and oppressive, while others think they can be negotiated with. Some say it's impossible to help Israel gain peace with groups that want to wipe them out, while others say to give peace negotiations a chance. __(8) How can lessons from Bonhoeffer (and Niemoller - first they came quote) teach us that we should support Israel since they are a peaceful nation, unlike the radical Islamic groups?__


 * The Nazis were able to convince the people that they could be trusted and would be able to bring Germany back to prosperity. They were also able to control the churches in terms of any criticism. In the United States, Progressives try to get the churches to preach in favor of their ides of social justice (the belief of redistribution of wealth). Progressives like the idea of more taxes and using that money for more programs for those in need. This sounds good, but is more about government control over individuals and is not charity. Christianity teaches charity or helping (through giving money, volunteer work, or even just lending a helping hand) those in need. __(9) Based on lessons from Nazis controlling the churches, why is it important to recognize when churches urge agenda from groups such as Progressives who care more about power than they do religion?__


 * The Nazis tried the "German Christian" movement with Reich appointed Bishop Ludwig Mueller, which would implement Nazi ideology. In addition, the Nazi government replaced many Christian rituals with Nazi secular ones and replaced religious symbols with ones that glorified the Nazi party or the Fuhrer. In addition, the Hitler Youth were told to listen to Hitler (not their parents). The Nazis attempted to remove God from the Germans' lives. On a less violent scale, the Secular Progressive movement in the U.S. in the 21st century aims to remove God from society (say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas for example). __(10) How can a government gain power of the individual if there is less reliance on religious beliefs in a nation?__

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 * **Video:** Watch the video below on Hitler's manipulation of religion as an aid to power. Bonhoeffer was one who immediately spoke out against Hitler.

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