The influence of Luther’s writings on the Nazis was quite profound. Several of Hitler’s top advisors quoted Luther, as well as Hitler himself. In the chapter entitled “The Beginning of My Political Activity” from Mein Kampf, Hitler’s infamous book, he discussed the “great warriors” in this world, who: though not understood by the present, are nevertheless prepared to carry the fight for their ideas and ideals to their end…to them belong, not only the truly great statesmen, but all other great reformers as well. Beside Frederick the Great stands Martin Luther. Hitler also quoted Luther during one of his speeches: “I do insist on the certainty that sooner or later-once we hold power…the German church established…without a Pope and without the Bible, and Luther, if he could be with us, would give us his blessing.”18 Hitler’s top officials soon followed his example, beginning with Bernhard Rust. Bernhard Rust, Hitler’s Education Minister, was quoted in the Volkischer Beobachter as saying: “Since Martin Luther closed his eyes, no such son of our people has appeared again…we shall be the first to witness his reappearance…I think the time is past when one may not say the names of Hitler and Luther in the same breath. They belong together; they are of the same old stamp.”19 This quote by Rust demonstrates that he was influenced by Luther, and believed his teachings paralleled Hitler’s. In arguing that they “belong together” he tried to justify Hitler’s actions through Luther’s beliefs. Hans Hinkel, a journalist and ministerial official during the Nazi regime, was also influenced by Luther. He paid tribute to him during his acceptance speech of Goebbels’s Chamber of Culture and Propaganda Ministry, saying that “through his acts and his spiritual attitude he began the fight which we still wage today; with Luther the revolution of German blood and feeling against alien elements of the Volk was begun.”20 Again, this quote demonstrates that Luther’s works were used to justify Nazi actions. In this case, Hinkel alluded to the fact that Luther began the revolution that the Nazis continued. One of the most vehement anti-Semitic Nazis during this time period was Julius Streicher, editor of the Nazi newspaper Der Sturmer. After the end of World War II, he was arrested and accused of committing war crimes. During his trial, he claimed that “Dr. Martin Luther would very probably sit in my place in the defendants’ dock today, if this book [On the Jews and Their Lies] had been taken into consideration by the Prosecution.”21 This statement from Streicher shows that he believed Luther was just as guilty as himself, and he uses Luther to defend himself against the accusations being made against him. On October 1st, 1946, he was found guilty of crimes against humanity, and he was executed on October 16th of that year. Not only did Luther influence important Nazi officials, but it has been suggested that he also helped inspire certain major events during the Third Reich. One of these Not only did Luther influence important Nazi officials, but it has been suggested that he also helped inspire certain major events during the Third Reich. One of these events was Kristallnacht. On this night, November 10th, 1938, Nazis killed Jews, shattered glass windows, and destroyed hundreds of synagogues. Bishop Martin Sasse, a leading Lutheran churchman, immediately saw the connection between this event and Luther’s writing. Shortly after the event, he published a compendium of Luther’s antiSemitic works. In the foreword, he applauded the event, especially since it occurred on Luther’s birthday. He also wrote that the German people should pay attention to the writings of Luther, who was the “greatest anti-Semite of this time, the warner of his people against the Jews.”22 Another event in which Luther’s presence was felt was the Nuremberg rallies. During the rallies, a copy of On the Jews and Their Lies was publicly exhibited in a glass case, and the city of Nuremberg presented a first edition to Julius Streicher.
When did Rome stop torturing and burning Jews?