Nazi Civil Religion during the Third Reich: Secular Religiosity and Violence in Hitler’s Germany — Dr. Michael Booker

This discussion examines the making of a distinct and identifiable civil religion of Nazism in Germany. Nazi civil religion included a constellation of institutions, symbols, ideas, standards, and practices that provided adherents with a sense of belonging, history, sacredness, and most importantly, destiny. It was identified through the Nazi civil religious community of believers’ holidays, heroes, folklore, and, most importantly, observance of rituals like rallies. Devout members of the Nazi Party were loyal to Adolf Hitler and they aggressively and virulently defended bigoted ideologies he espoused at any cost. They had an unconditional, almost covenanted loyalty to Hitler, the symbol of the Nazi state, and were willing to protect, strengthen and expand the German Reich at any cost. Those perceived as enemies of Hitler and Nazism were ultimately considered enemies of Germany, deemed undesirable and dangerous, and eliminated.

11:30 AM – 1 PM | Aims Community College, Student Commons, Room 114