Seventh-day Adventist Publications and The Nazi Temptation

Volume 8, Number 321larly the Sabbath, had to be defended even if saying, as happened in one instance, that inthey necessitated sacrifices. 107 "faithful execution of his duty he gave hisreaches the readers, the dice will have fallen.What will the enemy have decided? Certainly,there exists not a single German who does notwant peace like the great Fuhrer of our people."But if this wish should be unfulfilled, "we knowthat God is in control, and that things happenonly through his will and permission."l04God, according to this version, apparently didnot want peace, because war erupted also in theWest with the German invasion of Denmark andNorway on April 9, 1940.Still, Adventists continued to support Hitler.In fact, they sang his praises on his 51st birthday,In 1928, an outside observer, Dr. FriedrichLoofs, stated that Adventists would insist uponreligious liberty, which for them meant "onlythe opposition to the Sunday laws." 108 And soit remained in Nazi times. "The Sabbath questionis and remains the great question offaith.,,109For these and similar principles, Adventistsfought and suffered. As a result, the government'frequently accepted their view. For example, theNazi Minister of War wrote to all the supremecommanders of the army, navy and air force,instructing them to excuse Adventist soldiers ,onwhich came on Sabbath, April 20, 1940. Sabbath between 9 and 12 o'clock so that theyThe Morning Watch Calendar stated:might attend church. An Adventist commentedTrust in his people has given the Fuhrer the on this order by admonishing his readers to fulfilltheir duties with exemplary devotion instrength to carry through the fight for freedomand honor of Germany. The unshakable return for the privilege so that they might earnfaith of Adolf Hitler allowed him to do great the respect of their superiors. 110deeds, which decorate him today before the Adventists also defended the Bible (includingwhole world. Selflessly and faithfully he has the Old Testament) 111 and Christianstruggled for his people; courageously and missions, 112 both of which were being questionedby the Nazis. Yet, besides the biblicalproudly he has defended the honor of hisnation. In Christian humility, at important reasons for world missions, some strange justificationsappeared. For example, world missiontimes when he could celebrate with his people,he gave God in Heaven honor and recognized was the Christian contribution to the strugglehis dependence upon God's blessings. This against Bolshevism, 113 Adventists argued.humility has made him great, and this greatnesswas the source of blessing, from which healways gave for his people. Only very fewstatesmen stand so brilliantly in the sun of ablessed life, and are so praised by his ownpeople as our Fuhrer. He has sacrificed muchAdventists cautiously opposed the governmentwhen their vital interests were at stake. Sometimestheir opposition was successful and thegovernment changed its demands. 114 Therefore,the silence of the church on many critical issuesof the time is regrettable.in the years of his struggle and has thought Adventist publications said nothing about thelittle about himself in the difficult work for 1933 purges when hundreds were murdered 'inhis people. We compare the unnumbered cold blood. Nor did they raise a voice against thewords, which he has issued to the people from persecution and execution of countless Jews.a warm heart, with seeds which have ripened Neither the atrocities in the concentrationand now carry wonderful fruit. 105camps or the occupied territories received mention,nor the euthanasia program, which theCatholics, largely alone, were able to stop. TheIt is clear, insofar as we war itself was never questioned.may extrapolate from Although some individual Adventists seemedpublished evidence, that Adventists supported to have resisted the Nazi temptation, 115 nothe Nazi leadership and many of'its undertakings.But Adventists also insisted strongly onactive official opposition to the inhuman Naziregime seemed to have existed nor even to havetheir traditional teachings. "Conscientiously, we been permitted among Adventists. 116 Yet,want to observe and live the traditional principlesof our message. We want to give up not amany Adventists did die, unfortunately, for thediabolical policies of that state. Then it wassingle one ...." 106 These principles, particu-possible to pen a parting word for the dead,