[Colonel_Flagg]

The German electorate in 1932 and 1933 was deeply divided. Practicing Catholics wouldn't vote for a Protestant candidate and Practicing Protestants wouldn't vote for a Catholic candidate. Because of their long history of mistreatment, Jews wouldn't vote for either. The end result was Hitler.

Paul von Hindenburg, who defeated Hitler twice in the 1932 German Presidential election, was Lutheran. Perhaps it is fair to assume, since German Protestants outnumbered German Catholics by about two to one at that time, that your postulation is correct.

However, I'll need some convincing that religious differences among the German electorate led to Hindenburg appointing Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. As you know, Hitler never actually won a free election while standing personally as a candidate, and even at the time of his accession to power the Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag but not an outright majority.

But yes, the Stuttgart declaration is an argument that Niemoller accepted personal spiritual responsibility for his past actions. Wheat and chaff separated but at a frightful cost.

[fso301]

Paul von Hindenburg, who defeated Hitler twice in the 1932 German Presidential election, was Lutheran.

I'm uncertain as to what evidence there is that Hindenburg was anything other than a cultural Lutheran. Never-the-less, the Catholic Center Party did support Hindenburg.

Perhaps it is fair to assume, since German Protestants outnumbered German Catholics by about two to one at that time, that your postulation is correct.

However, I'll need some convincing that religious differences among the German electorate led to Hindenburg appointing Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. As you know, Hitler never actually won a free election while standing personally as a candidate, and even at the time of his accession to power the Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag but not an outright majority.

I can't cite any facts. I based my statement on an understanding of the Reformation era chasm that separates Catholics from Protestants. Some from either side will not have anything to do with the other side.

When we look at the German election of 1933, the neopagan Nazis got 43.9 percent of the vote and the atheist Communists got 12.3 percent. That means 56.2 percent of German voters either could not recognize, voted with eyes wide open, or did not care that they were voting an anti-Christian ticket. The German people officially de-Christianized in 1933.

Meanwhile, The Catholic Center Party got 11.25 percent, Social Democrats got 18.3 percent with the remainder scattered across another ten or so parties.