Collection GB 1556 WL 1273 - German Confessional Church: Instructions regarding racial origins

Identity area

Reference code

GB 1556 WL 1273

Title

German Confessional Church: Instructions regarding racial origins

Date(s)

  • 1939-1957 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

1 folder

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

In Germany in 1933, the Protestant faith was divided into 28 churches with 45 million members. On 4 April 1933, Hitler appointed Ludwig Müller as National Bishop to lead all protestants in an all embracing German Christian Church. As a result of the creation of the new German Christian Church, 200 pastors led a breakaway church, the Confessional Church. 7,000 of the 17,000 pastors in Germany joined the church and its leaders included Pastor Martin Niemöller, who felt that the church should be independent of the state.

Repository

Archival history

These copies of correspondence of the directorate of the German Confessional Church were sent to Alfred Wiener from Pastor Niemoeller with a letter dated 9 September 1957.

GB 1556 WL 1273 1939-1957 collection 1 folder German Confessional Church

In Germany in 1933, the Protestant faith was divided into 28 churches with 45 million members. On 4 April 1933, Hitler appointed Ludwig Müller as National Bishop to lead all protestants in an all embracing German Christian Church. As a result of the creation of the new German Christian Church, 200 pastors led a breakaway church, the Confessional Church. 7,000 of the 17,000 pastors in Germany joined the church and its leaders included Pastor Martin Niemöller, who felt that the church should be independent of the state.

These copies of correspondence of the directorate of the German Confessional Church were sent to Alfred Wiener from Pastor Niemoeller with a letter dated 9 September 1957.

Pastor Niemoeller .

Papers of German Confessional Church, 1939-1957, relate to racial origins and aryanism within the German Confessional Church and comprise copies of correspondence including a letter from the temporary directorate of the German Evangelical Church to its regional administrations asking that clergymen submit proof of their Aryan origin, 1939; letter to the temporary directorate of the German Evangelical Church from Alberz and Böhm regarding emigration of those who are non-aryan or related to non-aryans from the German Confessional Church, 1939, and a letter from Alfred Wiener to Pastor Niemoeller, 1957.

Arranged in original order.

Open

Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.

German

A detailed description exists on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.

Sources: Germany, 1919-45 by Martin Collier and Philip Pedley (Heinemann Educational, Oxford, 2000).
Compiled by Samantha Velumyl.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

March 2008 Ancient religions Christianity Emigration Ethnic groups European history German Confessional Church German Evangelical Church German history Migration National history Nazism Niemöller , Martin , 1892-1984 , Pastor Political doctrines Racial discrimination Racism (doctrine) Religion Religions Totalitarianism

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Pastor Niemoeller .

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of German Confessional Church, 1939-1957, relate to racial origins and aryanism within the German Confessional Church and comprise copies of correspondence including a letter from the temporary directorate of the German Evangelical Church to its regional administrations asking that clergymen submit proof of their Aryan origin, 1939; letter to the temporary directorate of the German Evangelical Church from Alberz and Böhm regarding emigration of those who are non-aryan or related to non-aryans from the German Confessional Church, 1939, and a letter from Alfred Wiener to Pastor Niemoeller, 1957.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged in original order.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

German

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

A detailed description exists on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Wiener Library

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area