Jody - # 14 Heschel

Heschel, Susannah. The Aryan Jesus: Christian Theologians and the Bible in Nazi Germany (Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2008)

Summary of Argument:

Heschel's study looks at not only theologians of the Nazi era, especially the German Christians, but more importantly delves into academics as well since the institute was established as purely academic (91). The German Christian movement thus did not disintegrate during Nazism, in fact it reached its zenith by carrying out calls for dejudaization and engaging professors of theology in its program. "The combination of old voelkish A/S, nationalism, and racism with Christianity, and the Institute's emphasis after 1941 on bringing Teutonic elements into Christianity, broadened its appeal to Germans with a range of Christian commitments and theological understandings" (282). In essence, it had major influence beyond its members. Church and politics used each other but Nazism tried to distance itself. Nazi politics made German Christian theology seem less radical and in essence a strong religious affirmation of nationalism and state.

She focuses on its driving force, Grundmann, who was born in 1906 - thus seeing the 1st generation of the 20th century as crucial [which backs up Wildt's argument]. She also states that they were non-careerists and did not attack other persecuted groups (200). While the institute focused on religious issues the line between theology and race was porous - in fact racial theory gave scientific legitimization to religion. Postwar denazification did not work and there was a lack of concern with A/S in theology and church politics. Most important, "As the denazification investigations pursued them, the Christian antisemites of the Third Reich could represent themselves as the true Jews who had been persecuted by the Nazis but remained loyal to their Christian faith and their church"(289).

Comment:

I feel this is a great work which deals with an aspect of the Nazi era that I had little knowledge of (reflective of my comps :), but at the same time its focus is on the institute and not the church so much. I think that it thus much more important that (as Heschel argues) we look at the academics making up the pedagogical and theological texts. It is also vital that the institute did not attack other persecuted groups (200) - obvious due to the nature of their mission, but then again I wonder if 'others' were ever taken into consideration. Again though, we are talking about de-Judaifying the bible - not genocide. Very interesting and thought provoking work, yet I do find one issue nagging at me: While leaders, such as Grundmann, were virulent A/S-the question thus arises: How far down into society did this go? Heschel states that the public bought into the institute teachings, through publications/church, which saw Hitler as Christ, the Volk as collective of Christ, and Christ as opposed to Judaism (164-5). While these points reflect propaganda of the time (sorry-see Herf), how can one judge and quantify how far these saturated the public?  Especially when Heschel does not look into public opinion polls or surveys/testimonies. It seems to me that this is contradictory to what she is saying - church was pushed far enough away to not affect Nazism (thus how could it has have such a deep impact on society) and it was the ideology was the most important (that had little to say, other than utilizing semiotics, about the Bible). On the other hand, in the eyes of culture psychology, Hitler was the symbolic Messiah - but not through use of the bible. Sidenote: Is there a picture of Hitler with a bible? That would be interesting!

Argument (Chapter Outlines) with Notes:

Introduction: Theology and Race

• 6 May 1939: Institute for the Study and Eradication of Jewish Influence on German Church Life (located in Eisenach) is established (1)
• Jesus is not Jewish but fought Judaism and died trying (1)
• Racial hygiene of the spirit (1)
• Religious opposition to church was seen as influenced by Jews (2)
• Want to unify church (protestant/catholic split) to National Church (3)
• German Christian mvmt takes over (40%) of protestants in Nazi Germany (5)
• "Church Struggle" = German Christian and confessing church for control of Protestants (7)
• Nazis could not reject Christianity but must enforce it for power (8)
• Nuremberg Laws seen as upholding Christian values (11)
• new testament w/o references to Jews (13)
• Theologians as part of G. apparatus giving Nazism rel./moral authority (16)
• Use of race to gain support of Christians to Nazism (19)
• Dejudaizing Christianity renews it to a racial christianity (21)
• Racism emphasizes the bodies danger posed to the spirits (22)
• Thesis - Conclusion - legacy (23-5)

I. Draining Jesus of Jewishness

• Philology -> Racism -> Genocide (32)
• 19th c. Roman writings -> de-judaizing Jews (35) Jesus freed himself
• Frenssen -> Novel claiming Jesus as German (43)
• Not new concept - 1870-1945 Volkish religious mvmts - race and nationalism (44)
• Jew vs. Jesus on cross -> see image change (51)
• Many roads to A/J - A/S as glue holding race and religion together (66)

II. The Institute for the Study and Eradication of Jewish Influence on German Church Life, 1939 to 1942

• Church held at distance by Nazis (67)
• Institute's role: Eradicate Jewishness AND produce A/S propaganda (68)
• Conflicts in church over establishment of institute (87)
• Intended as purely academic (91) But always had A/J motives even when "eradication" was removed from official title (93)
• Financial support from church donation and publication sales (96)
• 3 Sections: 1. Scholarly tasks; 2) Conferences for scholars/clergy; 3. publications (99)
• Institute's goal, like German Christians, was to create all-inclusive Reich church (113)
• Prayer: from atonement and petition -> praise and affirmation (113)
• To Vienna as well in 40s (132)
• Catholicism never removed nor dejudaized religion but some had similar Grundmann arguments (133)

III. Projects of the Institute

• De-Judaify and bring Teutonic myth and ritual to Christianity (138)
• Follow Hitler's rhetoric about Jewish threat (144)
• 3 reasons for "Aryan" Jesus: (all based on race) (152) ANTI-J CRUSADE

- Jesus' ancestry linked to Aryans moving to Galilee

- Jesus' teaching leaned away from old testament

- perceptions of followers seen as Aryan

• Grundmann sent to Eastern Front in 1943 (161)
• Institute -> Shifted public Christians (164-5)

- Hitler as individual Christ

- German Volk as collective Christ

- Christ as Judaism's deadliest opponent

IV. The Making of Nazi Theologians

• No demographic determination to fit those who made up institute staff (175), but Grundmann born 1906, thus Heschel sees 1900-1909 important (See Wildt)
• Grundmann was the backbone and driving force of the institute (199)
• They were non-careerists and did NOT attack other persecuted groups (200)

V. The Faculty of Theology at the University of Jena

• University of Jena as stronghold of Nazism (201)
• Use of university to promote agenda (226) not God but Volk
• Doctorates were politicized and based on racial theory (234)
• Dissertations should have A/S conclusions (239)

VI. The Postwar Years

• Churches carry out their own denazification (244)
• Though his Nazi past was known, Grundmann published extensively (239)
• No longer Aryan Jesus but rhetoric of Jews as violent = cont. A/S (262)
• Institute members protected by church and academics (272)
• Martin Neimoeller felt denazification was demoralizing and seen as revenge toward Germans (276)
• Churches had difficulty separating A/S from A/J (277)
• Theology and politics pushed for church to be hostile toward denazification (277)

Conclusion: Crucified or Resurrected: Institute Theology in Postwar Germany

• Great summary of thesis/work
• German theologians put Germans = Jews and god using Germans to do his work (on the Jews) (281)