Imagine the simple act of regularly attending Mass being tantamount to an act of political rebellion.
This is where things were headed at this time, 80 years ago, in Nazi Germany. In some areas it was already a reality.
Wikipedia provides an excellent overview of the Kirchenkampf—or “church struggle”—in Germany during the Third Reich. Fr. Viktor’s experience has always been the focal point of my research, and the heart of his story beats in the devout Catholic town of Schwarzenfeld. This remote farm village found itself deeply entrenched on the front lines of an ideological battle between Church and State.
Like their fellow Bavarians, the Schwarzenfelders chafed at the dissolution of Catholic youth groups and bristled at a reduction—or outright elimination—of religious instruction at school. They shuddered as their sons and daughters were being swept into compulsory membership with the Hitler Youth, which changed these children in terrifying ways. (The indoctrination they absorbed is prominently covered in The Sower of Black Field.)
As the host town of a monastery, they were keenly aware of Nazi persecution against clergy and monastic orders. The closure of Fr. Viktor’s monastery and his subsequent display of peaceful protest in the church sacristy served as a daily reminder.
In June of 1941, when schools stood empty for summer break, Nazi officials issued orders to remove crucifixes from all Bavarian classrooms. Children returned that fall and announced to their parents that the crosses had been replaced with Hitler’s portrait. Protests and demonstrations erupted throughout the region. Women and mothers in Schwarzenfeld reacted as well—though I won’t reveal their method of protest here because it’s a spoiler. Suffice it to say, their response was conspicuously American in nature. In the end, the uproar prompted Hitler himself to rescind the order, though interestingly enough, in Schwarzenfeld the episode ended with a stalemate. The crosses remained down throughout the duration of the war.
What were Schwarzenfelders thinking on this day 80 years ago? Fr. Viktor’s letters make it clear that they perceived the imminent American arrival as an end to the oppression. They were praying for a day when Fr. Viktor and the Passionists would reclaim the Miesbergkloster. They were grieving military-aged priests and novices who once walked the monastery halls—many of whom would be declared KIA, MIA, or stagger home with PTSD. They were eager to tear Hitler’s portrait from the classroom walls and restore the crucifixes. As we will see in tomorrow’s post, high-profile Catholics in town were being threatened by Nazi loyalists, and feared for their very lives.
They would not have long to wait.
Useful reminders
This post is part of a month-long series reflecting upon historical events that contributed to my debut historical fiction novel, The Sower of Black Field. Visit the “Latest News” area on my website for a recap »
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