“There is no question of ever accepting Nazi representatives in the Austrian cabinet. An absolute abyss separates Austria from Nazism … We reject uniformity and centralization. … Catholicism is anchored in our very soil, and we know but one God: and that is not the State, or the Nation, or that elusive thing, Race.”
Prior to Anschluss – 1938
Chancellor Schuschnigg was one of those chaps who was pro-German but anti-Nazi. Schuschnigg believed Austria to be a German state and he believed Austrians to be Germans. He was Chancellor atop a the rightist Christian social party.
Schuschnigg’s view above offers an interesting insight into Christian Nationalism. No one would have accused Schuschnigg of not being a Christian Nationalist. However, Schuschnigg (like the Chancellor before him who was assassinated by the Nazis) held a particular kind of Nationalism that was at vast variance with the National Socialists in Germany. That variance was so vast that Schuschnigg labeled it an “abyss.”
Now, part of the abyss was accounted for by the fact that Austria was Roman Catholic and Schuschnigg believed that the Germany he resisted was primarily Prussian Protestant. Schuschnigg rightly understood that a Roman Catholic people and a Protestant people can never mix. (The Nazis solved this by creating a “gottgläubig” category.) Gottgläubig was a Nazi religious term for a form of non-denominationalism and deism practised by those German citizens who had officially left Christian churches but professed faith in some higher power or divine creator. By creating this category the Nazis were able to make the Germans Nazis first and Christians second. In conjunction with this the Nazis created a Reichskirche and appointed Ludwig Müller as the first Reichsbischof (Bishop for the Reich). The role of Müller was to keep the Churches in line with serving the Party.
Now, it must be said here that the Churches at this time in Germany were, generally speaking, not historically orthodox . The Protestant churches had been shot through with Liberalism and a creeping Barthianism. Bonhoeffer, and Niemoller, for example were both trained at Seminaries that were anything but orthodox. Niemoller himself, had been a supporter of the rise of the Nazis for quite some time before re-thinking his position.
So, the Christianity in Germany was slammed together under one Nazi umbrella. This Nazification of the Church and the whole German people was to the end of what Schuschnigg lifted his voice against. In this Nazification was the aim of uniformity, centralization and the turning of the State/Party and Race into a God (idol).
However, it still remains the goal to have a Biblical Christian Nationalism. All because unbiblical expressions of Nationalism might exist, doesn’t mean that a Christian nationalism that is characterized by unity in diversity among one distinct people, and as governmentally decentralized can’t be championed. A Christian Nationalism that understands Biblical jurisdictionalism/subsidiarity should be the goal of every Biblical Christian.
Also, we should add here that it is possible to prioritize one’s ethnicity/race without lifting one’s ethnicity/race above God as an idol. Schuschnigg writes of “that elusive thing, Race.” However, keep in mind that Schuschnigg wasn’t living in the multi-cultural/multi-racial hell that we are being forced to live in. Race, is not quite so elusive when you’re part of a people who are being sought out to be replaced.
This kind of statement needs to be made because I have been privy myself to chaps who want to make some kind of hero out of the Austrian Corporal. I have been privy to men who speak in glowing terms about National Socialism. This reveals a profound misunderstanding of history. The mustachioed Schicklgruber was no hero. Yes, we can cheer them for fighting the Bagels (who declared war on Germany first) but they hardly provide a role model upon which a Biblical Christian should aspire.
The creation of “Positive Christianity” by Germany in order to give a generic (neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant) theology provides one example as to why a Biblical Christian can not be a supporter of a renewed National Socialist Kingdom. In 1937, Hans Kerrl, the Reich Minister for Church Affairs in Germany, explained that “Positive Christianity” was not “dependent upon the Apostle’s Creed”, nor was it dependent on “faith in Christ as the Son of God”, upon which Christianity relied; rather, it was represented by the Nazi Party: “The Führer is the herald of a new revelation”, Kerrl said. No lover of Jesus Christ could ever embrace such a monstrosity.
By all means let us pursue Christian Nationalism. By all means let us vigorously practice the Ordo Amoris. By all means let us ora et labora with the purpose of ending the “White Replacement”project. However, we must not fall into the thinking of C. S. Lewis’ Dwarf character, “Nikabrik,” from Lewis’ novel “Prince Caspian.” Nikabrik, as you will recall, becomes so desperate to win out against the evil Telmarines that he calls on black magic to summon up the evil White Witch in order to deliver old Narnia from the Telmarines. Nikabrik’s pursuit is a warning against embracing past evil in order to fight off present evil.
Excellent
“There are indeed certain movements in Germany today … that are called “free-thinking humanists” or “neo-pagans.” p. 124. They frequently claim, not only to be good National Socialists, but even to be the true representatives of National Socialism … giving the false impression that neo-paganism is widespread in Germany, and may even be the secret religion of the National Socialist Party and the state. … The German Volk, in its overwhelming majority, is and remains a Christian Volk. More than 40 million belong to the Evangelical Church, and more than 20 million to the Roman Catholic Church. The Party, therefore, does not take the position of neo-paganism, but instead assumes that Christianity is the German Volks’ religion.” p. 125. -Cajus Fabricius, ‘German Christians in the Struggle for the Gospel: Neo-Paganism’, 1934.
Cajus Fabricius, ‘Positive Christianity in the Third Reich’, trans. Corey J. Mahler, Sacra Press 2025
“From all this, we are convinced that the strengthening of the German Volk does not present a challenge to the Christian nations and churches. On the contrary, by casting off and fighting the true enemy of Christianity—Bolshevism—the experienced Christian German Volk is performing a Christian service, which other nations must recognize, and through which they must become Germany’s allies if they wish to act in accordance with Christian principles.” p. 126. -Cajus Fabricius, ‘German Christians in the Struggle for the Gospel: The Christian Character of National Socialism’, 1934.
Cajus Fabricius, ‘Positive Christianity in the Third Reich’, trans. Corey J. Mahler, Sacra Press 2025
I’m persuaded Cajus Fabricius was a true Christian … and a National Socialist. The same goes for Gerhard Kittel who wrote the renowned reference work: ‘Theological Dictionary of the New Testament’.
Martin Niemoller borrowed trouble, in spite of many gentle overtures from the Reich. I’m sure you read about this in David Irving’s ‘Hitler’s War’.
I’m no fan of Niemoller.
How can the Austeian Chancellor say Hitler was anti Catholic when he kept the national tax that benefited the Catholic Church only?
The Austrian Chancellor didn’t say that Hitler was anti-Catholic. However, it would not have been difficult to know that Prussia had been historically Protestant while Austria was historically Roman Catholic.
I wish Hitler had been anti-Roman Catholic.
Also, I wouldn’t put too much stock in any extravagant statements made by Hans Kerrl in seeking an understanding of official National Socialist positions or Positive Christianity. Dr. Allen Guelzo referred to Abraham Lincoln as “the Redeemer President” and John Brown was likewise deified by thoughtless individuals who sought to make political merchandise of his hanging.
Again from Cajus Fabricius:
“Never do National Socialists think of confusing the Fuhrer with the Redeemer. Our Fuhrer himself would utterly condemn the mere suggestion of such an idea. The political Fuhrer who sets his people free is not the Savior of the world who calls them to repentance. p. 55. The uprising of the German Folk is not a religious revival, but a national and moral regeneration. All Christian Germans, however, endowed with clear vision and living in this great era, see in the regeneration of the Folk a new creative act of God’s that stirs up their hearts to the very depths. And it may be that the national awakening will lead to a real religious awakening, as has already been the case so many times in history when political revolutions have been accompanied by earnest religious revivals. p. 53. We look upon the fact that the Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, has been given to us as a very special mark of God’s mercy towards us. … But, as National Socialists who take their stand upon the basis of Positive Christianity, we do not intend for a moment to deify the Fuhrer, the Folk, the Race, Blood or Soil. p. 37.
Prof. D. Cajus Fabricius, ‘Positive Christianity in the Third Reich’, Third Reich Originals
Not buying your attempt to whitewash history Ron. It’s all there for discerning people to read. National Socialism was born of a worldview that was and remains hostile to Biblical Christianity. I am opposed to it being championed as a solution for our peril.
Ja, Bagel history would have you believe so.
“We Germans … believe the greatest threat to the Christian way of life today does not come from the state or a new god, but rather from that power that our Lord and Master has already identified and fought as the true adversary in every time and place: MAMMON. … Mammon represents the enslavement to material goods, the elevation of temporal life as the highest value, and, above all, service to money—that is, to power—with the hope of using it to gain and possess the whole world and its glory.” -Cajus Fabricius
LOL … it doesn’t work here Ron to take all history you don’t like and conveniently stamp it as “Bagel.” Just because a good deal of history on this era is Bagel doesn’t mean all the history of this era that you don’t like automatically gets labeled “Bagel.”
It’s a good ploy though on your part.
The creation of “Positive Christianity” by Germany in order to give a generic (neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant) theology provides one example as to why a Biblical Christian can not be a supporter of a renewed National Socialist Kingdom. In 1937, Hans Kerrl, the Reich Minister for Church Affairs in Germany, explained that “Positive Christianity” was not “dependent upon the Apostle’s Creed”, nor was it dependent on “faith in Christ as the Son of God”, upon which Christianity relied; rather, it was represented by the Nazi Party: “The Führer is the herald of a new revelation”, Kerrl said. No lover of Jesus Christ could ever embrace such a monstrosity.
If what you’re saying about National Socialism were true, one would think it would be quite popular today. That the reverse is the case, should give you pause.
No other political system has ever been so vilified by so many people for so long. This should lead us to one of two considerations. Either National Socialism was supremely anti-Christian and evil, or else they were so traditional, pro-Christian, and good, that this anti-Christian and satanically occultic world is still obsessed with vilifying them.
Until next time.
Come on Ron
Cannibalism isn’t yet popular… does that make it true?
Incest isn’t yet popular… does that make it true?
National Socialism is nothing but a variant of Marxism (hence the word “Socialism” in the phrase, “National Socialism.”)
You know it is possible for one anti-Christ political system (Communism) to fight another anti-Christ political system (National Socialism) without either one being “the good guy.” You do realize that once defeated many of the rank and file Communists in Germany came right over into the National Socialist movement right?
Thank you for putting up with my disagreements.
The creation of “Positive Christianity” by Germany in order to give a generic (neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant) theology provides one example as to why a Biblical Christian can not be a supporter of a renewed National Socialist Kingdom. In 1937, Hans Kerrl, the Reich Minister for Church Affairs in Germany, explained that “Positive Christianity” was not “dependent upon the Apostle’s Creed”, nor was it dependent on “faith in Christ as the Son of God”, upon which Christianity relied; rather, it was represented by the Nazi Party: “The Führer is the herald of a new revelation”, Kerrl said. No lover of Jesus Christ could ever embrace such a monstrosity.
No one will ever accuse you of being tactful, but I’m actually grateful to you for your offensive opposition on National Socialism. It spurs me on to dig deeper:
THE [anti-Christian] STRUGGLE WAS LED:
-by private individuals outside the NSDAP; primarily by Frau Mathilde Ludendorff—salvation through Jesus Christ, the Bible not the word of God, among other publications—as well as by Gustav Frenssen: Faith of the North Mark.
-through private associations outside the party, e.g., Kampf und Deutscher Glaube, Bund fur Deutsche Gotterkenntnis – Ludendorff –Nordische Glaubensgemeinschaft, etc.
-In these associations, after 1933, numerous secret Marxists from the then-banned Freethinker groups gathered, such as the Freethinker Association for Cremation. These efforts were consciously promoted by communist freethinkers abroad, to undermine National Socialism. – Conference in Hirschenstand/Czechoslovakia, Spring 1934. There it was declared: “We have been politically destroyed in Germany, but not ideologically.
-the struggle was also carried out by individual party members against the principles of the party and state. Among them were personalities in high party positions, such as Himmler, Ley, and later Bormann. They abused their positions to influence their personal circle and subordinates, generally in an anti-church manner.
-the struggle was neither supported by the state, nor by the party. On the contrary, it was fundamentally rejected. … Unauthorized actions, such as Bormann’s [private memo] about National Socialism and Christianity from June 9, 1941, and the actions against monasteries and crucifixes in individual regions in 1941, were swiftly stopped by the Fuhrer. … The illegal blending of German-faith anti-Christianity and National Socialism by some leading National Socialists provoked opposition within the churches, which in turn mixed anti-Christianity and National Socialism, fighting both simultaneously – for example, a position paper by the so-called Evangelical Confessional Front of 1936 and the papal encyclical “Mit Brennender Sorge” of 1937.
-the church opposition was intensified by the fact that political opponents of National Socialism – from the German Nationalists to the Communists – used the church to fight against the National Socialist regime. … This did not change the fundamentally positive attitude of the state toward the churches … expressed in the securing of both confessions. … This is the strongest counter-evidence against the assumption that National Socialism sought to eradicate Christianity and destroy the churches. pp. 306-310.
(-Affadavit by Cajus Fabricius, subscribed and sworn to before me this 17 day of July 1946 at Nuremberg, Germany, Paul S. Burger, Capt. 0-451219 ASN, trans. Britt Bailey.)
Cajus Fabricius, ‘Positive Christianity in the Third Reich’, trans. Corey J. Mahler, Sacra Press 2025
Not tactful by what standard?
Offensive by what standard?
The creation of “Positive Christianity” by Germany in order to give a generic (neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant) theology provides one example as to why a Biblical Christian can not be a supporter of a renewed National Socialist Kingdom. In 1937, Hans Kerrl, the Reich Minister for Church Affairs in Germany, explained that “Positive Christianity” was not “dependent upon the Apostle’s Creed”, nor was it dependent on “faith in Christ as the Son of God”, upon which Christianity relied; rather, it was represented by the Nazi Party: “The Führer is the herald of a new revelation”, Kerrl said. No lover of Jesus Christ could ever embrace such a monstrosity.
Whatever else may be said of Dietrich Bonhoffer, any man who looked the likes of the Nazis in the eye, after attempting to assassinate Hitler, being told as a christian he cant lie, and tell them they dont deserve the truth, is a real man and christian hero in my book.
Knowing he would face execution.
Nope… you’re definitely wrong here. Bonhoeffer was a heretical abomination who did not believe in the supernatural and therefore did not believe in the literal creation, virgin birth, and resurrection. You might call him a zealot but he was no Christian.
If all you say is true I stand corrected. Where do I read this info?
Zealot and brave man.
This chap has a whole series … several entries on Bonhoeffer’s theology. Here is one on the Virgin Birth.
https://allthingsnewcovenant.com/2024/12/01/bonhoeffer-4-the-virgin-birth-myth/
Zealot and Brave man who is now in hell.
You may want to consult Richard Tedor’s ‘Hitler’s Revolution’. In his book, he compares and contrasts the real Dietrich Bonhoeffer with the 17-year-old ‘Fritz Hahl’ of the SS Wiking Division.
I own that book. I need to sit down and read it.