Latter-day Saints and Nazi Germany

Did the Church ever support the Nazi regime?

No. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never endorsed the policies or beliefs of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi) Party.[1] In October 1942, the First Presidency condemned Nazism as coming from "wicked and designing men."[2]

There is no record of Church leaders ever instructing German Latter-day Saints to become Nazis or adopt Nazi ideology.[3] However, Church leaders emphasized the Church's neutrality in partisan politics[4] and encouraged missionaries not to participate in politics while serving in Germany.[5]

Are the teachings of the Church compatible with Nazism?

No. The teachings of the Church are fundamentally incompatible with the core tenets of Nazism.[6] In 1938, a report on the Church written to Nazi official Alfred Rosenberg[BIO] concluded that "the teachings of the Mormons are incompatible with the National Socialist worldview."[7] The Nazis were especially disdainful of the Saints' friendliness towards Jews and their use of the Old Testament.[8]

But aren't there similarities between what the Church teaches and Nazism?

Some have pointed out similarities between some things the Church teaches and some aspects of Nazi ideology, such as an interest in family history, physical health, and obedience.[9][10]

But didn't some Church leaders say positive things about the Nazis?

Yes. Some Church leaders in Germany and the United States said positive things about certain aspects of Nazi rule in Germany, such as their emphasis on healthy living, genealogy, social orderliness, and collecting donations for the poor.[11]

However, other Church leaders were outspoken in their criticism of Nazism, such as David O. McKay,[BIO] who called Hitler a "murderous dictator,"[12] and John A. Widtsoe,[BIO] who called Hitler "mentally ill" and Nazi racial beliefs "an ugly delusion."[13][14]

The Nazis were aware of the overall negative feelings Church leaders had towards them.[15]

Did the Church condemn Germany when World War 2 broke out?

The First Presidency condemned the war in general conference, but without specifically naming Germany,[16] saying that God would subject "eternal punishments" for those who waged war "unrighteously."[17]

Were Latter-day Saints more or less likely to be members of the Nazi party?

Latter-day Saints were about half as likely to be members of the Nazi party. About 5% of German Latter-day Saints are estimated to have been members of the Nazi Party,[18] compared to about 10% of the overall German population.[19]

Why would a Latter-day Saint become a Nazi?

Some listed reasons included personal belief in Nazism, antisemitic beliefs or feelings, pressure to join for social reasons, or as a requirement for government employment.[20][21]

What did the Nazis think of the Mormons?

The Nazi regime was suspicious and distrustful of the Church,[22] but as a general policy, they allowed the Church to continue operating in Germany between 1933 and 1945,[23] albeit with some restrictions.[24] Individual attitudes toward the Church among the Nazis ranged from cooperative to hostile.[25]

The Church was called a Sekte ("sect") by the Nazis,[26] which had both a technical and a pejorative meaning in Germany.[27]

Did the Nazis spy on the Church?

Yes. Internal reports and memoranda from the Nazi secret police (the Gestapo) indicate that Church members and activities in Germany were being monitored.[28] When President Heber J. Grant[BIO] toured Germany and spoke to the Saints in Frankfurt and Berlin in 1937, he was monitored and his speeches recorded by Nazi agents.[29]

Were Latter-day Saints in Germany persecuted by the Nazis?

No, not as an official government policy.[30] However, there are individual accounts of Saints being harassed, threatened, or targeted by the Nazis,[31] and some Church literature was banned or confiscated.[32] Some Nazi officials considered banning foreign missionaries in Germany, and maybe even the Church itself, but an official ban was never implemented.[33]

Were any German Saints sent to concentration camps?

Yes. Some Latter-day Saints were sent to concentration camps; not, apparently, for the sole reason of being a member of the Church, but instead because of political opposition to the Nazis or for having Jewish ancestry.[34][35]

Did Latter-day Saints fight in the German army during World War Two?

Yes. Though the exact number of German Saints who fought in the Wehrmacht or armed forces of Germany during the war is unknown, historians have documented German Saints fighting in each major branch of the German military.[36]

How many German Latter-day Saints died during World War Two?

It is estimated that at least a thousand German Latter-day Saints lost their lives as a result of the war in combat or as civilian casualties.[37]

Were there German Saints who resisted the Nazis?

Yes. The most well-known example is Helmuth Hübener,[BIO] who, along with friends from his branch in Hamburg, distributed anti-Nazi pamphlets.[38] Hübener was eventually executed for his actions against the Nazi government.[39][40] Another Saint, Max Reschke,[BIO] helped shelter Jews from the Nazis.[41]

Did the twelfth article of faith make people more willing to become Nazis?

Possibly. The twelfth article of faith says: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."[42] This has been interpreted to mean the Saints believe in upholding the laws of the land and being good citizens of whatever country they live in,[43] and there is at least one report that the verse was cited in support of National Socialism among German Latter-day Saints.[44] Mission leaders in Germany also cited the twelfth article of faith to signal the Church's willingness to coexist with the Nazis.[45]

Is it true that Heber J. Grant told German Saints to support the Nazis?

No. There is no record of President Grant officially instructing Church members in Germany to support the Nazis or become Nazi Party members. However, on July 8, 1937, he delivered an address to the Saints in Frankfurt instructing them on the Godhead, the Articles of Faith, and prayer.[46] Later that month, in Berlin, President Grant gave a similar address.[47]

Heber J. Grant (center) with Church leaders and members in Frankfurt, Germany, July 8, 1937 (CHL PH 4134).

Why is there a photo of Heber J. Grant in front of a Nazi flag?

In the summer of 1937, President Grant toured Europe to speak to Church members, including stops in Switzerland and Germany.[48] While in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 8, 1937, President Grant spoke to almost a thousand people gathered in a local community center.[49]

The venue, owned by local Nazis, displayed the swastika flag, which was also the national flag of Germany at the time.[50][51] Similarly, other photographs from that speaking tour show President Grant addressing Swiss members of the Church in front of the flag of Switzerland.[52]

Heber J. Grant (center) with Church leaders and members in Basel, Switzerland, July 4, 1937 (CHL PH 4134).

Did J. Reuben Clark have antisemitic views?

Yes. J. Reuben Clark,[BIO] who was an apostle and member of the First Presidency, harbored some antisemitic attitudes and beliefs,[53] though he did not endorse Nazism.[54]

Has the Church made any statements related to the Neo-Nazi movement?

Yes. In 2017, in response to white supremacist and Neo-Nazi marches in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Church issued a statement condemning those who "promote or pursue a 'white culture' or white supremacy agenda."[55]

The Facts

  • There were about 13,000 Latter-day Saints in Germany during the time the Nazis were in power.

  • About 5% of German Latter-day Saints are estimated to have been Nazi Party members, as opposed to about 10% of Germans.

  • Some German Saints fought in the armed forces of Germany during World War 2.

  • The Church never officially endorsed or supported Nazi policies.

  • The Church was never officially persecuted by the Nazis.

  • There were individual incidents of the Nazis harassing, monitoring, and threatening Church members.

  • At least two Church members were sent to concentration camps and one Church member was executed by the Nazis.

  • Some Church members and leaders said positive things about some aspects of Nazi rule in Germany.

  • The Nazis themselves believed National Socialism was incompatible with the Church's teachings.

Our Take

The Nazi regime committed horrific atrocities, and so the relationship between the Church and the government in Germany during the 1930s brings up difficult questions about how faith and moral choices play out under oppressive governments. Did the Church support the Nazi government? Were Latter-day Saints more likely to join the Nazi party? And did the Nazi government ever persecute the Saints?

While some Latter-day Saints in Germany supported the Nazi government, most Latter-day Saints did not have warm feelings towards the regime. German Latter-day Saints were half as likely to be registered with the Nazi party, and the Gestapo reported that Latter-day Saints were reluctant to participate in Nazi practices such as the Hitler salute. And while the Nazi regime never officially persecuted the Saints, it confiscated Church literature, spied on Church meetings, and considered banning missionaries in Germany.

Although the Church did not officially support the Nazi regime, some leaders made compromises to coexist with it before World War II. However, once the war began, Church leaders condemned Nazism. This period in Church history serves as a reminder of the importance of religious freedom and the resilience of faith. It also highlights the tough moral choices the Church and its members faced while trying to uphold the teachings of Jesus Christ under government pressure.

What's Your Take?

280 characters remaining
These takes are curated for a general audience and may contain minor edits when posted.
Once some Mormonr readers submit their takes, they will appear here. Submit yours above!
Footnotes