Did the Catholic Church support the Nazis during WW2? If so, why?

Answer 1

There's an independent semi-documentary film about Pope Pius, other high-ranking Catholic officials, and the war environment during that time period.

It's called "Amen," and I believe Blockbuster and Hollywood both carry it. It is an EXCELLENT production that explores this very issue and draws a conclusion that is between "yes" and "no."

To say the Catholic Church "supported" the Nazis is probably a bit radical, but to say that the Catholic Church avoided interfering where it could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives is probably a very accurate statement.

Answer 2

It depends on what you mean. The Pope at the time, Pius XII, didn't speak out publicly against the Nazis and what they were doing, but the Vatican is credited with hiding and saving upwards of 30, 000 Jews. Some say that the Pope was quietly negotiating with Hitler, who was a friend from the days when the Pope was Archbishop of Berlin. I think he should have come out against the Nazis, but they did do good things to fight them much like any resistance. I'm sure there were priests who actively supported the Nazis, either in their preaching or in pointing out where Jews were, but many actively worked against the Nazis at risk to their own lives and the lives of their families. The last Pope, John Paul II, for instance, was a prisoner and used as slave labor.

Answer 3

The Roman Catholic Church signed a Concordat with Nazi Germany in 1933.

Answer 4

No.

No serious scholar contests the evidence that Pius XII took direct and indirect measures to save Jews from the Nazi death machine.

At the start of World War II, Pope Pius XII’s first encyclical was so anti-Hitler that the Royal Air Force and the French air force dropped 88,000 copies of it over Germany. Here is a link to the Summi Pontificatus: Encyclical of Pope Pius XII on the Unity of Human Society, October 20, 1939: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_20101939_summi-pontificatus_en.html

Unfortunately the Soviet Union and others had been trying to convince the world that the Catholic Church was pro-Nazi since the death of Pope Pius in 1958. Here are some sources:
+ The KGB made corrupting the Church a priority: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YTUzYmJhMGQ5Y2UxOWUzNDUyNWUwODJiOTEzYjY4NzI=
+ The KGB campaign against Pius XII: http://www.the-tidings.com/2007/021607/difference.htm
+ Pius XII and the Jews: http://web.archive.org/web/20010919100700/http://www.weeklystandard.com/magazine/mag_6_23_01/dalin_bkart_6_23_01.asp
+ http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/a/ww2jews.html

See also "The Myth of Hitler’s Pope: How Pope Pius XII Rescued Jews From the Nazis" by David G. Dalin which has compiled further overwhelming proof of Pope Pius Xii"s friendship for the Jews beginning long before he became pope.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

No,although American jewish historians continue to insist it did. Israeli historians do not. The Pope did broadcast a Christmas blessing to the German troops fighting in the East; and also to Anglo-American troops fighting in the west. National Socialism was denounced - excoriated,really - in Pius 11th's 1937 encyclical "In Burning Sorrow". He had earlier condemned antisemitism in a 1928 Papal Bull. How this inspires the hatred of jews is beyond me,but hate they do. Or at least American jews. They are rabidly anti-Catholic.

Answer 6

I don't think the church supported nazis during WWII, but then they did absolutely nothing to combat the holocaust. Complete silence. After WWII, some people in the church did help nazis war criminals escape to Brazil and other parts, at least according to the documentary on the history channel that I watched.

Although the lemmings here do not want to hear that.

Answer 7

No. Nazies were evil and killing millions of innocients. I know many a story about Catholic nuns hiding Jewish children.

Answer 8

You'll find that many Catholics, such as St. Nikolaus Gross, did attempt to speak out publicly against the Nazi regime, and were killed for their troubles, which is probably at least part of the reason that more people didn't speak out. Torture and murder are strong incentives to remain silent.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSmpid=46595310&GRid=8470071&

Answer 9

NO. Read 'The Myth of Hitler's Pope' by Rabbi David Dalin:
http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Hitlers-Pope-Against-Germany/dp/0895260344/

Answer 10

Indirectly. Because the Nazis were scary.