NAZIS AND RELIGION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21533, 3 July 1933, Page 9

NAZIS AND RELIGION

CHURCH IN GERMANY

HITLER'S LATEST MOVE CONFLICT WITH PROTESTANTS ATTITUDE TO CATHOLICISM By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received July 2, G. 35 p.m.) LONDON, July 1 A message from Berlin says the German Chancellor, Herr Hitler, has ordered the Nazi swastika flag to bo flown on all Protestant churches in Germany on Sunday. This follows a protest by tho general superintendents of the Evangelical Churcli against the Nazi vice-president, and an announceiVient that Sunday's services would bo devoted to "bringing the dire straits of our Church beforo the countenance of tho living God."

A military chaplain, the Bev. Mueller, Horr Hitler's plenipotentiary, lias been invested with dictatorial jurisdiction within the Church, although Herr Hitler himself is a Human Catholic, thus countering tho efforts of tho superintendents. Lutheran ministers are asked to tell their parishioners to listen to a broadcast on Sunday evening explaining tho revolution to the Lutheran Church.

The Berlin correspondent of tho Times states that President Hindenburg has written to Herr Hitler expressing concern at tho conflict with tho Protestant Church. Herr Hitler has promised that an investigation shall be made by thi Minister of tho Interior, Dr. Frick. Reports to the effect that tho Chancellor, Herr Hitler, intends to abandon Roman Catholicism arc slated to bo untrue.

The strange story was circulated that Herr Hitler had decided to do this and to join tho new German National Evangelical Church when the Bev. Mueller has finished its reorganisation. This story was attributed to Mueller. It was stated also that Herr Hitler had decided to nrgo all German Boman Catholics to follow his example. Evangelical circles expressed tho opinion that Herr Hitler's proselytism would bo a dramatic feature of tho national celebrations on tho 450 th anniversary of Luther's birth—October 10.

Ihe poiice had closed tho offices of all Catholic societies and clubs considered to bo political and have seized numerous documents.

A message from Rome states that the Vice-Chancellor, Herr von Papen, had three conversations with Prefect Cardinal Pacelli. It is understood that ho gave explanations of Herr Hitler's attitude to tho Roman Catholics and broached the Question of a concordat. ROUGH HANDLING BRITON IN BERLIN NAZI'S CAR OVERTAKEN BERLIN, June 30 Mr. John Walter, son of one of tho proprietors of the Times, drove past another car containing a high Nazi official in Berlin, when he was peremptorily ordered to stop. Ho was surrounded and dragged from his seat, and was informed that ho had outraged etiquette by overtaking a car containing a high official. A crowd assembled, and Mr. Walter was roughly handled before being thrust back into his own car.