Was Hitler a Catholic?

The allegation is sometimes made that Hitler was a Catholic - a Christian until the day he died. This claim is based upon him being born into a Catholic family.

Catholics led the plot against Hitler

As an adult, Hitler specifically rejected the Catholic Church, as well as Christianity in general. He described himself as "a complete pagan". Count von Stauffenberg, a practicing Catholic with a taste for philosophy led Valkyrie, the most famous plot to kill Hitler. Tom Cruise played him in the Movie.

Quotes from Adolf Hitler

The book Hitler's Secret Conversations: 1941-1944, published by Farrar, Straus and Young, Inc. (1953), contains definitive proof of Hitler's real views. The book was published in Britain under the title, Hitler's Table Talk: 1941-1944, which title was used for the Oxford University Press paperback edition in the United States.

Night of 11th-12th July, 1941:

National Socialism and religion cannot exist together.... The heaviest blow that ever struck humanity was the coming of Christianity. Bolshevism is Christianity's illegitimate child. Both are inventions of the Jew. The deliberate lie in the matter of religion was introduced into the world by Christianity.... Let it not be said that Christianity brought man the life of the soul, for that evolution was in the natural order of things. (p 6 & 7)

10th October, 1941, midday:

Christianity is a rebellion against natural law, a protest against nature. Taken to its logical extreme, Christianity would mean the systematic cultivation of the human failure. (p 43)

14th October, 1941, midday:

The best thing is to let Christianity die a natural death.... When understanding of the universe has become widespread... Christian doctrine will be convicted of absurdity.... Christianity has reached the peak of absurdity.... And that's why someday its structure will collapse.... ...the only way to get rid of Christianity is to allow it to die little by little.... Christianity [is] the liar.... We'll see to it that the Churches cannot spread abroad teachings in conflict with the interests of the State. (p 49-52)

19th October, 1941, night:

The reason why the ancient world was so pure, light and serene was that it knew nothing of the two great scourges: the pox and Christianity.

21st October, 1941, midday:

Originally, Christianity was merely an incarnation of Bolshevism, the destroyer.... The decisive falsification of Jesus' doctrine was the work of St. Paul. He gave himself to this work... for the purposes of personal exploitation.... Didn't the world see, carried on right into the Middle Ages, the same old system of martyrs, tortures, faggots? Of old, it was in the name of Christianity. Today, it's in the name of Bolshevism. Yesterday the instigator was Saul: the instigator today, Mardochai. Saul was changed into St. Paul, and Mardochai into Karl Marx. By exterminating this pest, we shall do humanity a service of which our soldiers can have no idea. (p 63-65)

13th December, 1941, midnight:

Christianity is an invention of sick brains: one could imagine nothing more senseless, nor any more indecent way of turning the idea of the Godhead into a mockery.... [here he insults people who believe transubstantiation] .... When all is said, we have no reason to wish that the Italians and Spaniards should free themselves from the drug of Christianity. Let's be the only people who are immunised against the disease. (p 118 & 119)

I promise you, if I wished to, I could destroy the Church in a few years; it is hollow and rotten and false through and through. One push and the whole structure would collapse... I shall give them a few years reprieve...The Church was something really big. Now we are its heirs. We, too, are the Church. Its day has gone...

... as long as the youth follows me I don't mind if the old people limp to the confessional ...I shall make them appear ridiculous and contemptible. I shall order films to be made about them. We shall show the history of the monks on the cinema. Let the whole mass of nonsense, selfishness, repression and deceit be revealed; how they drained money out of the country...how they committed incest. We shall make it so thrilling that everyone will want to see it. There will be queues outside the cinemas.

Hitler closed Catholic Schools

In 1932 before Hitler got into power, 65% of German youth went to Catholic schools. In 1937, it was 3%. Catholic youth groups were forbidden to compete in sports. Hitler set up a separate educational structure. He also said:

The most dangerous activity of countless Catholic clergy is the way in which they 'mope about', spreading despondency. Favorite topics are the "dangers of a new time", "the present emergency", "the gloomy future". Prophecies are made about the speedy downfall of National Socialism or at the very least mention is made of the transience of all political phenomena, compared with the Catholic Church which will outlive them all. National Socialist achievements and successes are passed over in silence. ... There is thus a deliberated undermining of the very basis of the National Socialist program of reconstruction, the people's trust in leadership of the state.

Hitler murdered priests and catholic officials

Soon after, the leader of Catholic Action, Erich Klausener was murdered in the purge. Hundreds of priests and Catholic officials were arrested or driven into exile while others were accused of violating currency regulations or morality rules (including sexual abuse of minors).

In 1938, Pius XI wrote a letter instructing universities and seminaries to "make use of biology, history, philosophy, apologetics, legal and moral studies as weapons for refuting firmly and completely the ...untenable assertions" of race set forth by the Nazis.

Hitler argues Christianity is an illigitimate child of Bolshevism

Before becoming Pope Pius XII, Secretary of State Cardinal Pacelli, in a formal protest, asserted that "a planned attack is in progress against Catholic schools." Hitler handed it back:

"The heaviest blow to humanity was the coming of Christianity. Bolshevism is Christianity's illegitimate child. Both are inventions of the Jews."

Hitler planned to set up his own church

Hitler planned to set up a National Reich Church which would be a shell for his ideologies.

Hitler unhappy with the appointment of the Pacelli (Pius XII) as pope

Hitler was not happy about the appointment of Pacelli (Pius XII), which was chronicled in a Jewish news paper at the time.

"The frantic attempts, therefore, which has [sic] been made by Nazis and Fascists to influence the [papal] election, by speech, suggestions, and counsel, in favor of a cardinal friendlier to Hitler and Mussolini was ultimately foiled. The clumsy advice which... Germany's Cardinals... has already received an answer as unequivocal as the advice was arrogant. The plot to pilfer the Ring of the Fisherman has gone up in white smoke. (The Canadian Jewish Chronicle)

When the Pope was elected war was imminent, and they elected the most experienced and brilliant diplomat available.

[Pacelli was] "cool and critical" thinking, "a veritable prince of diplomats"...."Pacelli takes a long time to make a decision of importance. Once it is made, however, one may be sure that it is the result of profound analysis and meditation."

Pacelli was welcomed as Pope Pius XII in every country except for Germany. The day after his election (March 3, 1939), the Nazi newspaper, Berliner Morganpost stated its position clearly: "the election of Cardinal Pacelli is not accepted with favor in Germany because he was always opposed to Nazism.

14th December, 1941, midday:

Kerrl, with noblest of intentions, wanted to attempt a synthesis between National Socialism and Christianity. I don't believe the thing's possible, and I see the obstacle in Christianity itself.... Pure Christianity-- the Christianity of the catacombs-- is concerned with translating Christian doctrine into facts. It leads quite simply to the annihilation of mankind. It is merely whole-hearted Bolshevism, under a tinsel of metaphysics. (p 119 & 120)

9th April, 1942, dinner:

There is something very unhealthy about Christianity (p 339)

27th February, 1942, midday:

It would always be disagreeable for me to go down to posterity as a man who made concessions in this field. I realize that man, in his imperfection, can commit innumerable errors-- but to devote myself deliberately to errors, that is something I cannot do. I shall never come personally to terms with the Christian lie. Our epoch in the next 200 years will certainly see the end of the disease of Christianity.... My regret will have been that I couldn't... behold its demise." (p 278).