Christian Roots of Nazism

Introduction
The content in this encyclopedia documents the Christian roots of Nazism. Some examples of Christian influence are in the personal history of the Nazis, and antisemitism during Christian Europe in medieval times, including the hatred of the Jewish people by the Church Fathers, the massacre in Rhineland during 1096, killings and mass forced conversions of the Jews to Christianity, and Martin Luther and his quotes from On the Jews and Their Lies in 1543.

Jewish deicide
Multiple biblical verses have influenced antisemitism, including the Jewish deicide charge that Jews as a people hold the responsibility for killing Jesus Christ. This claim led to the slur “Christ-killer” and to the persecution of Jewish people, which includes massacres and forced expulsions of Jews from many countries. The deicide charge was a commonly held position among the Church Fathers and was the official position of the Catholic Church.

Church Fathers
The Church Fathers including Ambrose of Milan, Aristides of Athens, Augustine of Hippo, Eusebius of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, Justin Martyr, Marcion of Sinope, Origen, Saint Ephraim, Saint Jerome, and Tertullian have made hateful remarks toward Jewish people, including blaming them for the death of Jesus Christ.

The papacy and church councils
The popes of the papacy and Christian church councils have made laws restricting Jewish people, which includes Jews being prohibited from holding public office, prohibited from the construction of synagogues, prohibited from testifying against Christians, being forced to live in ghettos, and forced to wear a Jewish badge and hat.

Crusades and Inquisition
During the Crusades and Inquisition, Christians massacred and forced Jews to convert to Christianity.

Martin Luther
Martin Luther, a leading Christian of German Christian history, has made antisemitic statements, including advocating for the death of the Jewish people in On the Jews and Their Lies and Martin Luther's Table Talk.


 * “... There is no other explanation for this than the one cited earlier from Moses - namely, that God has struck them [the Jews] with 'madness and blindness and confusion of mind' [Deuteronomy 28:28]. So we are even at fault in not avenging all this innocent blood of our Lord and of the Christians which they shed for three hundred years after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the blood of the children they have shed since then (which still shines forth from their eyes and their skin). We are at fault in not slaying them. ...”, Martin Luther, On the Jews and Their Lies, Part X, 1543.


 * “... What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews? Since they live among us, we dare not tolerate their conduct, now that we are aware of their lying and reviling and blaspheming. ... First to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them. This is to be done in honor of our Lord and of Christendom, so that God might see that we are Christians, and do not condone or knowingly tolerate such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of his Son and of his Christians. ... Third, I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them. ... Fourth, I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb. ... Fifth, I advise that safe-­conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews. ... Sixth, I advise that usury be prohibited to them, and that all cash and treasure of silver and gold be taken from them and put aside for safekeeping. The reason for such a measure is that, as said above, they have no other means of earning a livelihood than usury, and by it they have stolen and robbed from us all they possess. ... Seventh, I recommend putting a flail, an ax, a hoe, a spade, a distaff, or a spindle into the hands of young, strong Jews and Jewesses and letting them earn their bread in the sweat of their brow, ...”, Martin Luther, On the Jews and Their Lies, Part XI, 1543.


 * “The Jews deserve to be hanged on gallows seven times higher than ordinary thieves”, Martin Luther's Table Talk.


 * “We ought to take revenge on the Jews and kill them.”, Martin Luther's Table Talk.