1936

Summary

1 MEMORANDUM BY BISHOP BATTY, 26 NOVEMBER 1936

Private and Confidential

Report on a visit to Germany, November, 1936

The main groups in the Evangelical Church are as follows:-

1. The Reichskirche managed by the Reich and Regional Committees appointed by Herr Kerrl. Dr. Zoellner is the head of this group.

2. The Lutheran Rat or Council mainly composed of Lutheran Churches in Hanover, Bavaria, Württemberg and Saxony. This Council tries to occupy a middle position between the Confessional Church and the State appointed Church Committee. It appears to be on fairly good terms with Dr. Zoellner but the Confessional Church does not recognise it. This Council is recognised by Bishops Meiser and Wurm and Professor Lilje.

3. The Confessional or Bekenntnis Church led by Drs. Niemöller, Jacobi and others is utterly opposed to the State Committees.

4. The Deutsche Christen movement led by Dr. Rehm. They claim to support the Confession of Augsburg and Dr. Zoellner has announced that the movement is not heretical. They are very bitter opponents of the Confessional Church.

5. The Deutsche Christen movement has split. The most important group has formed the National Church of Thuringia. This appears to be making progress and may become an important factor in the situation. It is led by a forceful personality Dr. Leffler. They repudiate all Confessions of Faith on the ground that they cause strife. Dr. Zoellner regards this body as heretical. It is difficult to ascertain exactly their doctrinal position as they simply state that they will have nothing to do with creeds but intend to build up a Church in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Reichsbishop Müller has now joined this Church.

I had interviews with most of the leaders of the various groups including Dr. Niemöller, Dr. Wienecke, Professor Mashe, Professor Lilje and Bishop Hossenfelder. The last named I do not take very seriously but felt it admissable to include him amongst those I saw.

I gathered that the Confessional Church stands alone. The four groups opposed to it all expressed the same opinion that it could never be the German Church as like the Roman Church it was international and political. I asked why ‘political’ and the answer was that its leaders desire to have a Church as a power beside the state.