Hitler became chancellor of Germany last Monday. Yesterday he issued his first edict targeting the press.
Today Hitler attended a funeral for two men killed during riots on Jan. 30. Crowds estimated at half a million lined the streets.
Sigrid Schulz for the Chicago Tribune:
Mourning mingled with political triumph and intrigue in Berlin today on the occasion of funeral services for a Nazi police officer and a leader of Adolf Hitler’s Nationalist Storm Troops, both of whom were slain by communists Monday while the Nazis were celebrating Hitler’s accession to power….
The two slain men were accorded the honor of a state burial in the vast cathedral onced used as place of worship by Kaiser Wilhelm...The front pews, once reserved for the highest imperial dignitaries, were occupied by Hitler, clad in a simple brown uniform, and the former crown prince dressed in imperial gray.
From the pulpit, a member of the Nazi Party, the Rev. Mr. Hossenfelder, greeted Hitler with the following words:
"There is the man sent by God to give us bread and work and to restore our faith….”
The Nazis marched and drove through the Berlin streets until late at night singing their songs of triumph and hate.
Joachim Hossenfelder, born 1899, was a leader of the “German Christian Faith Movement,” which early embraced Nazism. Hossenfelder became Bishop of Brandenberg, but had resigned by December 1933. He lived until 1976.
The subject of Hitler’s relationship to Christianity is highly contentious.
Hitler exiting a church in Wilhelmshaven; 1930s.
As of 1933, the dictator clearly has no scruple about using Christian tropes for political purposes. For example in his recent radio address to the nation, Feb. 1, he said:
The National Government ...regards Christianity as the foundation of our national morality, and the family as the basis of national life.…May God Almighty give our work His blessing, strengthen our purpose, and endow us with wisdom and the trust of our people, for we are fighting not for ourselves but for Germany.
He will also seek to establish a national church. At the same time the Nazis re-purpose pre-Christian ideas and symbols for their own purposes.
Some Christian clergy of various denominations support Hitler, while others will bravely oppose Nazi atrocities, even becoming martyrs.
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Elsewhere today, 100,000 marched peacefully in London’s Hyde Park against reductions in public assistance, the Tribune also reported. The government is proposing to cut unemployment benefits as an economy measure.
The march was led by Member of Parliament George Lansbury. Some 15,000 police officers were deployed due to fear of extremists, but not one single incident of serious violence was reported. One woman on the fringe of the crowd was arrested for creating a disturbance.
London’s Hyde Park as of 1833. A traditional “free speech zone.” (Graphic: Wikipedia)
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This is the sixth in a series of “On this day" diaries that someone suggested.
I claim no expertise. Additions and corrections are welcome.
Main sources for today include the Feb. 6, 1933, Chicago Tribune (worth a look just of the ads! Link opens on p. 2, so scroll up for the front page): archives.chicagotribune.com/…
Also:
www.ushmm.org/…
sites.google.com/…
skepticism.org/…
www.tracesofevil.com/…
And good old Wikipedia.
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Yesterday’s diary, "Hitler Makes First Move Against Free Press"