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The Göttingen University Theological Faculty: A Test Case in Gleichschaltung and Denazification

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2008

Robert P. Ericksen
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Type
Symposium: Students and Universities in Germany and Austria During two World Wars
Information
Central European History , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , December 1984 , pp. 355 - 383
Copyright
Copyright © Conference Group for Central European History of the American Historical Association 1984

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References

1. Paul Althaus, a theologian at Erlangen University, wrote, “Our Protestant churches greet the German turning point of 1933 as a gift and miracle from God.” See Die deutsche Stunde der Kirche, 3d ed. (Göttingen, 1934), 5.Google Scholar

2. See Trillhaas, Wolfgang, Aufgehobene Vergangenheit: Aus meinem Leben (Göttingen, 1976), 88, 97–98.Google Scholar

3. PAH 37–40, 52, 70–78. The Göttinger Tageblatt of 18 Feb. 1931 reported on the student parade under the heading, “Fackelzug der Studentenschaft für Prof. Dr. Hirsch.” Testimony to Hirsch's excellence as a teacher was also given to me by Professor Götz Harbsmeier in an interview of 13 Oct. 1972. Harbsmeier studied under Hirsch from 1930–35 and later served on the faculty at Göttingen.

4. See Schütte, Hans-Watler, ed., Bibliographie Emanuel Hirsch (Berlin, 1972).Google Scholar

5. Hirsch volunteered on 3 Aug. 1914. He was then seminary supervisor at Göttingen and he wrote in the seminary journal of his regret at not being accepted. He also described the sound of troops marching by his open window at night and the emotional impact this had upon him. In an interview of 29 Oct. 1982 Prof. Walther Zimmerli described this journal entry to me.

6. Schjørring, Jens-Holger notes Hirsch's wartime enthusiasm and his bitterness toward Versailles in his study, Theologische Gewissensethik und politische Wirklichkeit: Das Beispiel Eduard Geismars und Emanuel Hirschs (Göttingen, 1979), 56–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

7. For example, see Hirsch, , Christliche Freiheit und politische Bindung: Ein Brief an Dr. Stapel und anderes (Hamburg, 1935).Google Scholar

8. See, for example, Zahrnt, Heinz, Die Sache mit Gott: Die protestantische Theologie im 20. Jahrhundert (Munich, 1966)Google Scholar, or Nicholls, William, Systematic and Philosophical Theology (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, 1969).Google Scholar

9. For a further discussion of this theme, see my forthcoming book, Theologians under Hitler: Gerhard Kittel, Paul Althaus and Emanuel Hirsch, to be published by Yale University Press in spring 1985. For an illustration of Hirsch's political and intellectual stance in the 1920s, see his book, Deutschlands Schicksal: Staat, Volk und Menschheit im Lichte einer ethischen Geschichtsansicht, 3d ed. (Göttingen, 1925)Google Scholar.

10. Göttinger Tageblatt, 9/10 Apr. 1932, “Ich werde Hitler wählen!” This letter from Hirsch, signed 8 Apr. 1932, was obviously intended to encourage votes for Hitler.

11. Hirsch's party membership number was 5,076,856, dated 1 May 1937. See PAH3.

12. This incident has been described frequently. For example, see Conway, John S., The Nazi Persecution of the Churches, 1933–1945 (London, 1968)Google Scholar; Wright, J. R. C., Above Parties: The Political Attitudes of the German Protestant Church Leadership 1918–1933 (Oxford, 1977)Google Scholar; or Scholder, Klaus, Die Kirchen und das Dritte Reich, vol. 1Google Scholar, Vorgeschichte und Zeit der Illusionen 1918–1934 (Stuttgart, 1977).Google Scholar

13. The question of Confessing Church–German Christian conflict has been oversimplified in the postwar view. First, opposition to the German Christians is often judged support of the Confessing Church. Second, support of the Confessing Church is often judged resistance to Nazism. This entire subject requires more discriminating attention than it has thus far received. For one view of the differences between the “intact” Lutheran church of Hanover and the Barthian Confessing Church, see Klügel, Eberhard, Die Lutherische Landeskirche Hannovers und ihr Bischof 1933–1945 (Berlin, 1964).Google Scholar

14. One exception was the appointment of the pro–Confessing Church Joachim Jeremias to a chair in New Testament in 1935.

15. Quoted in Schjørring, 171–72.

16. Hirsch to Marahrens, 15 Apr. 1933, in LKA L2 4a Bd. 1.

17. Hirsch, gave his account of these events in Das Kirchliche Wollen der Deutsche Christen (Berlin, 1933).Google Scholar

18. Marahrens to Paul Althaus, 19 May 1933. I saw this letter in the Althaus papers, kindly shown to me by Althaus's son, Pastor Gerhard Althaus.

19. Interview with Prof. Hermann Dörries, 14 Oct. 1972.

20. This account was given to me by Prof. Walther Zimmerli in an interview on 29 Oct. 1982, and confirmed by Prof. Wolfgang Trillhaas in an interview on 2 Nov. 1982.

21. PAH3 The significance of this position with the NSDDozentenbund was suggested to me by Prof. Trillhaas.

22. Adolf Wischmann to Prof. Wolfgang Trillhaas, 18 Mar. 1982. This letter was kindly shown to me by Prof. Trillhaas.

23. Hirsch to Kirchenrat Mattiat, Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Kunst und Volksbildung, 14 Dec. 1934, in TF 140. In 1933 Bernhard Rust was minister of education in Prussia. In 1934 he became Reich minister and Prussian minister of “Wissenschaft, Kunst und Volksbildung.” In 1935 this ministry was renamed, “Wissenschaft, Erziehung und Volksbildung.” This ministry was sometimes called the cultural ministry and sometimes called the education ministry. I will refer to it either as the ministry of education or as Rust's ministry.

24. Minister of education (Rust) to rectors, 10 Jan. 1935, in TF 140.

25. Rust to curators, 28 Feb. 1935, in TF 140.

26. Stange, Meyer, Bauer, Dörries, von Campenhausen, and Hoffmann to minister of education, 12 Mar. 1935. Hirsch to minister of education, both in TF 140.

27. This report came from a longtime member of the theological faculty. Although I cannot verify its accuracy, I believe it is consistent with the personalities of the two men.

28. Birnbaum, Walter, Zeuge meiner Zeit: Aussagen zu 1912 bis 1972 (Göttingen, 1973), 139.Google Scholar

29. Ibid., 156–59.

30. Ibid., 190–91.

31. Ibid., 194.

32. Wolfgang Schroeder to Pastor Klügel, 25 July 1935, in LKA S1 HII 133a.

33. Ibid.

34. Rust to deans, 6 June 1935, in TF 140.

35. Hirsch to Rust, 17 June 1935, in TF 140. Hirsch wrote also to Mattiat on 13 June 1935. In this letter he reported on Bishop Marahren's support of the Confessing Church, including endorsement of the Augsburg Synod of the Confessing Church, which advocated Ersatz education (see below).

36. Rust to Evangelical theological faculties, 4 July 1935, in TF 140.

37. Hirsch to Stiftsinspektor, 6 Nov. 1935, in TF 140.

38. President Schnelle to Hirsch, 23 Nov. 1935, in TF 140.

39. Hirsch to Schnelle, 3 Dec. 1935, in TF 140.

40. Birnbaum prepared two statements, both dated 22 Nov. 1935, both in TF 140.

41. Hirsch to Mattiat, “personal,” 22 Nov. 1935. In a letter of 26 Nov. 1935 to Mattiat, Hirsch wrote, “For God's sake we must not create martyrs.” Both in TF 140.

42. “Urteil des Dekans der Theologischen Fakultät über das zweckmässig einzuschlagende Verfahrens,” sent to Mattiat on 22 Nov. 1935, in TF 140.

43. Minister of education to curator, 14 Dec. 1935, in TF 140.

44. Hirsch to minister of education, 23 Dec. 1935, in TF 140.

45. Hirsch to Hoffmann, 23 Dec. 1935, in TF 140.

46. “Ersatz für die Birnbaumschen Seminare,” 2 Nov.1935, in LKA S1 HII 133a. Hoffmann was suggested for this role by Dörries.

47. Hoffmann to Hirsch, 1 Jan. 1936, in TF 140.

48. Hirsch to minister of education, “confidential,” 3 Jan. 1936, in TF 140.

49. Minister of education to university curators, 15 Jan. 1936, in TF 140.

50. Hirsch to curator, 21 Feb. 1936, in TF 140.

51. Hirsch to Dozent Dr. Freiherr von Campenhausen, 25 Feb. 1936, in TF 140.

52. von Campenhausen to Hirsch, 29 Feb. 1936, in TF 140.

53. Hirsch to von Campenhausen, 3 Mar. 1936, in TF 140.

54. See Klügel, 326–27.

55. Hirsch to minister of education, 13 Nov. 1936, in TF 140.

56. Minister of education to deans, 17 Nov. 1936, in TF 140.

57. Hirsch to Stadtsuperintendant Dr. Lueder, 24 Nov. 1936, in TF 140.

58. Hirsch to minister of education, 24 Mar. 1937, in TF 140.

59. Minister of education (im Auftrag Mattiat) to Landeskirche Hannover, 16 Apr. 1937, in TF 140.

60. Heinz Rettberg to minister of education, 16 Feb. 1937, in TF 140.

61. Hirsch to minister of education, 19 Feb. 1937, and minister of education to Hirsch, 22 Mar. 1937, both in TF 140.

62. Noted and criticized in “Der Rat der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Kirche Deutschlands, An die Bekenntnisgemeinschaft der evang. Luth. Landeskirche Hannovers,” 8 Sept. 1936, a document signed Stoll, in LKA S1 HII 132.

63. Noted and criticized in “Zu der im Erlass des Herrn Reichsministers für die kirchlichen Angelegenheiten … vom 16. Mai 1938,” p. 3, in LKA S1 HII 133. This is a draft statement in opposition to the decree.

64. Evidence for this is in LKA S1 HII 133a, e.g., Minister für kirchliche Angelegenheiten to Landeskirche Hannover, 15 Aug. 1938.

65. Hirsh to members of the theological faculty, 15 May 1937, in TF 140.

66. Hirsch to curator, 14 Aug. 1937, in TF 140.

67. Hirsch to rector, 26 Oct. 1937, in TF 140.

68. Reference to this decree is in LKA S1 HII 133 and 133a. The ministry of church affairs was created 16 July 1935 as an arm of the state to deal with both the Protestant and Catholic churches. Hans Kerrl was appointed Reich minister of church affairs, and he served in that position until his death Dec. 14 1941.

69. “Ordnung für die Pfarrverwesung in der Hannov. ev. luth. Landeskirche,” a five-page document signed by L. Fündling, Wietzendorf, on 22 May 1938, in LKA S1 HII 133a.

70. These petitions are in LKA S1 HII 133.

71. “Denkschrift: Die Zukunft der theologischen Prüfungen” (June 1938), 2, in LKA S1 HII 133a.

72. Ibid., 3.

73. Ibid., 4.

74. Marahrens, Tagebuch Nr. 2490, 16 June 1938, in LKA S1 HII 133a.

75. Ibid.

76. Minister of church affairs (im Auftrag Stahn) to Kirchenregierung der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Landeskirche Hannover, 15 Aug. 1938, in LKA S1 HII 133a.

77. Ibid.

78. Hirsch to students of theology, 16 Aug. 1938, in LKA S1 HII 133a.

79. Oberlandeskirchenrat Stalmann to Marahrens, 27 Aug. 1938, 2. Stalmann's name does not appear on this letter, but a subsequent letter in this file from Stalmann to Ober-landeskirchenrat Meyer suggests both in typescript and content that Stalmann must have been the emissary and thus the author of the letter to Marahrens. See LKA S1 HII 133a.

80. “Erwägungen zum Schreiben von 27.8,” initialed by Marahrens, in LKA S1 HII 133a. This is a reaction to Stalmann's report of his meeting with Hirsch.

81. I infer this on the basis of a letter from Stalmann to Meyer, 9 Sept. 1938, in which Stalmann explains that he is arranging for the fall examinations. He regrets to inform Meyer that he will be examining with Birnbaum, but adds that no outspoken Confessing Church students will be in his section. See LKA S1 HII 133a.

82. Birnbaum, 232–33.

83. Ibid., 236. Birnbaum complains that despite his various services, especially as the most sought after “air force speaker,” and despite the suggestion of one commander that he should receive the “Ritterkreuz am weissen Bande,” he was not even awarded lesser medals.

84. Trillhaas, 211–12.

85. PAH 179.

86. Hirsch to rector (Smend), 30 May 1945, in TF 17.

87. Professors Dörries (14 Oct. 1972), Jeremias (14 Oct. 1972). Harbsmeier (13 Oct. 1972), and Trillhaas (2 Nov. 1982) each expressed this view. It also appears in a letter, curator to Zierold, 11 Oct. 1949, in PAH 184.

88. Rector to curator, 25 June 1945, in TF 17.

89. Rector to curator, 13 June 1945, in PAH 172.

90. Trillhaas, for example, reports this activity, 218.

91. Dr. Zierold, Geschäftsführende Vizepräsident der Notgemeinschaft der deutschen Wissenschaft, to curator (Bojunga), 7 Oct. 1949, in PAH 183.

92. Curator to Zierold, 11 Oct. 1949, in PAH 186.

93. Ibid.

94. Hirsch to rector, 12 Feb. 1952, in PAH 186.

95. Rector (Trillhaas) to Hirsch, 14 Feb. 1952, in PAH 185.

96. Birnbaum, Vorsitzende, Verband der amtsverdrängter Hochschullehrer E.V., Hoch-schulgruppe Göttingen, to Oberbürgermeister Abg. Föge, 26 Sept. 1954, in PAH 188–89.

97. Theological dean to rector, 29 Feb. 1956, in TF 17.

98. Ibid.

99. Prof. Hempel to dean, 13 Feb. 1959, and to curator, 3May 1959, in PAH 219, 222.

100. Hempel to dean, 13 Feb. 1959, in PAH 219.

101. Rector to dean, 9 Oct. 1956, in TF 17. Also Niedersächsische Kirchenminister to curator, 6 Feb. 1957, in PAH 202.

102. Interviews with Harbsmeier, Dörries, and Jeremias.

103. Birnbaum to rector, 12 Nov. 1956, in PAH 196.

104. Rector to dean, 19 Nov. 1956, in PAH 197.

105. Rector to Hirsch, 8 Dec. 1956, in PAH 199.

106. Hirsch to rector, 12 Dec. 1956, in PAH 200.

107. For Birnbaum's account of his denazification and his struggle to overcome it, see 242–78. Archival records are in LKA S1 HII 133 and 133a.

108. Birnbaum, 242–51.

109. Ibid., 253.

110. Ibid., 255–57.

111. Ibid., 262–68.

112. Quoted in Birnbaum, 269.

113. According to Birnbaum, the law faculty even protested the illegal nature of the theological faculty's stand. See 272.

114. Birnbaum, 289.

115. See, for example, 246.

116. Birnbaum to Oberbürgermeister Abg. Föge, 26 Sept. 1954, in PAH 189.

117. Prof. R. Smend to curator, 23 Apr. 1958, in PAH 207. This positive view of Weber is corroborated by Zimmerli in an interview, 29 Oct.1982.