Part 37 (2/2)
It is difficult to draw conclusions. Mostly generalizations are dangerous.
I myself have the impression that public opinion tends to overrate the practical help rendered by individual Christians. Only a minority of professing Christians willingly risked their lives in order to help and save their Jewish neighbours.
The Bible condemns such a lack of self-sacrificing love. When, however, human beings judge, particularly if they are people who themselves did not have to undergo the test, they should remember the Jewish saying: ”Judge not thy neighbour until thou art come in his situation.” [617]
On the other hand, public opinion possibly tends to underestimate the official activities of Churches against anti-Semitism, because they are not generally known. The att.i.tude of the Churches with regard to the persecution of Jews under Hitler's reign of terror was far from uniform.
The picture is neither completely black, nor purely white. White and black are mingled. Thus the name chosen for this publication is ”The Grey Book”.
The darkness of the holocaust was so great that one can hardly comprehend it. It is understandable that there are people who tend to ignore the lights that were so small, far too small. But ”the greater the darkness, the brighter the light, be it no more than that of a small candle.” [618]
<289> In cases where Church leaders or individual Christians did risk their lives, they should remember the words of their Lord: ”Is the master grateful to the servant for carrying out his orders? So with you: when you have carried out your orders, you should say, 'We are servants and deserve no credit; we have only done our duty'.”(Luke 17, 9-10).
On March 23, 1943, the Archbishop of Canterbury declared in the House of Lords: ”We stand at the bar of history, of humanity and of G.o.d”.
It is appropriate to conclude this book with the words of Ecclesiastes (12, 13-14): ”Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear G.o.d, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For G.o.d shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
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APPENDIX I
DECLARATIONS AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM ISSUED AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Much has been spoken against anti-Semitism by non-Roman Catholic Churches and Church leaders, after the Second World War. We only mention the most important declarations and statements.
On April 8, 1948, the NATIONAL BRETHREN COUNCIL (Reichsbruderrat) of the Evangelical Church in Germany, meeting at Darmstadt, issued the following ”Message Concerning the Jewish Question”.
”...It may rightly be said that after what has happened, after all that we allowed to happen in silence, we have no authority to speak now. We are distressed about what happened in the past, and about the fact that we did not make any joint statement about it. We have not forgotten that a number of pastors and churches did speak out, and suffered for doing so; we thank G.o.d for it, and we thank them. We thank all who, in our own country and abroad, have helped us with old and new insights into the Word of G.o.d, and who have taken action by setting up warning signs.
Today when retribution is meted out to us for what we did to the Jews, there is increasing danger that we may take refuge from G.o.d's Judgment in a new way of anti-Semitism, thus conjuring up all the old evils once again. In this perilous situation and amid this temptation G.o.d's Word speaks to us and helps us to find the right att.i.tude to the Jews. It is under pressure of this Word that we speak, because we are filled with anxiety about the future and burdened by the past, and because we feel obliged to express our grat.i.tude to all those individual people who spoke out, took action and suffered doing so...
It was a disastrous mistake when the Churches of our time adopted the secular att.i.tude of mere humanity, emanc.i.p.ation and anti-Semitism towards the Jewish question. There was bound to be a bitter retribution for the fact that anti-Semitism rose and flourished not only among the people (who still seemed to be a Christian nation), not only among the intelligentsia, and in governmental and military circles, but also among Christian leaders. <291> And when finally this radical anti-Semitism, based on racial hatred, destroyed our nation and our Churches from within, and released all its brutal force from without, there existed no power to resist it - because the Churches had forgotten what Israel really is, and no longer loved the Jews. Christian circles washed their hands of all responsibility, justifying themselves by saying that there was a curse on the Jewish people. Christians no longer believed that the promise concerning the Jews still held good; they no longer preached it, nor showed it in their att.i.tude to the Jews.
In this way we Christians helped to bring about all the injustice and suffering inflicted upon the Jews in our country.
This is what the Word of G.o.d teaches us, so that we recognize with shame and grief what a great wrong we have done to Israel, and how deep our guilt is. As a Church we have failed to be the witness of salvation for Israel. Now we have to face the judgments of G.o.d which are coming upon us one after the other, so that we may bow beneath the mighty hand of G.o.d in sincere repentance, both as a Church and as a nation...” [619]
On April 27, 1950, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany, meeting at Berlin-Weissensee, issued a ”Message of Guilt towards Israel”, from which we quote the following:
”...We declare that by dereliction of duty and in keeping silent we also are guilty of the crimes committed by people of our nation towards the Jews...
We pray all Christians to rid themselves of all anti-Semitism whatsoever, to resist it earnestly where it raises its head again, and to meet Jews and Jewish Christians in a brotherly spirit. We pray the Christian congregations, to care for Jewish cemeteries in their territory if n.o.body is in charge of them.” [620]
On January 12, 1960, the Executive of the United Evangelical Church of Germany issued the following Declaration:
”The Executive of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany most sharply condemns the expressions of anti-Semitism which have stirred the public in the last weeks.
Moral condemnation of the crimes committed by Germans against the Jews cannot be evaded, though it is difficult to explain the motives of this wave (of anti-Semitism) which encompa.s.ses many lands.
The reaction of the public must not be limited to declarations of sympathy towards Jewish fellow citizens but must aim at uncovering their own failures.
It is especially important, to break the silence which frequently is maintained here between the older and younger generation, and to help our young people to come to their own clear judgment of the history of the Third Reich and what led up to it.” [621] <292>
On February 26, 1960, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany, meeting at Berlin-Spandau, published the following Resolution, after the synagogue of Cologne was daubed with swastikas:
”The fact that the honour of our Jewish neighbours has been offended, fills us with horror and shame. We express our solidarity with those who have been offended and insulted...
We are guilty towards youth, to whom we have failed to teach and to bear the witness we owe them. It is not surprising, therefore, that the evil spirit increases its influence, again and again, among our youth. However, anew we must realize and attest: the hatred of the Jews which breaks out, again and again, is public G.o.dlessness...
Therefore, let parents and educators break the widely-spread, painful silence, in our country about co-responsibility for the fate of the Jews.
Let them resist everything that seduces the young generation into hatred of the Jews...
Therefore, stand up for the payment of reparations. Keep in mind, however, that true repentance is more essential than financial compensation, which only can mean little to people who lost most of their relatives by acts of violence...
Therefore, pray for G.o.d's peace upon Israel. Pray for the peace of Israel amongst the nations, on the borders of its State and amongst us.” [622]
During the trial of Eichmann, the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany stated (Berlin-Spandau, Febr. 17, 1961):
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