Pagan National Socialists (an oxymoron) claim that the NSDAP w | Fides et Gens
Pagan National Socialists (an oxymoron) claim that the NSDAP was a thoroughly Pagan organization.
To verify this we need to examine the historical information of crucial members at hand, both pagan and Christian and how their rhetoric was received.
The NSDAP was founded in 1920, and issued a 25 point manifesto. Point 24 of this states that: "The NSDAP is Christian, but does not belong to any denomination, and advocates the standpoint of a positive Christianity."
The purpose of the 25 points was explained in Mein Kampf, "Volume 2: The National Socialist Movement, Chapter 5: Weltanschauung and Organisation", that it was a foundation that could not be broken, it was an eternal "Covenant" of the party, leaving no room for revision*, ever.
* Mein Kampf 18:54-56, 72-75
In contrast, Hitler also dedicated a significant portion of "Volume 1: A Reckoning, Chapter 12: The First Stage in the Development of the National Socialist German Labour Party" to a rebuking paganism as well, stating "The impression which I often get, especially of those so-called religious reformers whose creed is grounded on ancient Germanic customs, is that they are the missionaries and protégés of those forces which do not wish to see a national revival taking place in Germany."
The NSDAP wrestled for power for many years and finally came to power in March 1933, and the Reichstag adopted the Enabling Act of 1933 in that month, giving expanded authority.
With this authority, within 4 months (July 23, 1933) the NSDAP founded the Reichskirche (Reich Church) and this Church fought for supremacy among all German Churches for the next 4 years to become the dominant German Church, which it succeeded to do in 1937. This struggle for supremacy was known as the Kirchenkampf (struggle of the churches).
Over the next 12 years, the Reich managed to aide in the restoration and construction of thousands of Churches. In striking contrast, using the Reichs Anti-Masonic legislation of 1935, thousands of pagan lodges, temples and gathering venues were permanently shutdown. The purpose of this legislation was to shutdown anyone the Reich believed to be their enemies. We see even Adolf Hitler shared the view that pagans were against the Reich, "they are the missionaries and protégés of those forces which do not wish to see a national revival taking place in Germany."
It is no lie that two prominent anti-Christians existed within the NSDAP, Himmler and Rosenberg, who were advocates for a "Germanic Neo-Paganism".
The pair in 1935 organised speeches and rallies to denounce prominent Christian heroes such as Charlemagne as "the butcher of the Saxons".
In response, Hitler himself stated that "this was not a 'historical crime' but in fact a good thing, for the subjugation of Widukind had brought Western culture into what eventually became Germany."
Hitler did not stop there and privately reprimanded both of them and Joseph Goebbels began issuing positive NSDAP statements of Charlemagne to the public, which is why no further demonstrations occured.
In 1942, the NSDAP celebrated the 1200th anniversary of Charlemagne's birth.
This is just a short write up, but we can see a consistent theme, that Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP were Christian, stating so on the parties very foundation, and were a honest and transparent organisation, not liars and deceivers as the Allies wanted them to be viewed as. Churches were built under the Reich, while pagan lodges were torn down. The two main proponents of Germanic Neo-Paganism in the NSDAP were reprimanded for their views and their ideas were confined to books. So the question is:
Was the NSDAP really Pagan?
