Martin Luther and the Nazi's

By Luke Lancaster

Luther wrote a book in 1543 called, "The Jews and Their Lies." Within this work, he outlined an eight-point plan for quieting the Jewish people. If stripping them of their rights did not work, then he recommended driving them out of Germany like "wild dogs." Some would suggest that this line of thinking is eerily familiar to some other leaders in Germany around the 1930s and 40s. In fact, according to the book, “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” by William Schier, Mr. Schier explains that Luther had some role to play in the Nazi regime. Mr. Schier was present in the 1920's and 1930's of Germany, and saw Hitler come to power firsthand.

Schier said, "It is difficult to understand the behavior of most German Protestants in the first Nazi years, unless one is aware of two things: their history, and the influence of Martin Luther. This great founder of Protestantism was both a passionate anti-Semite and a ferocious believer in an absolute obedience to political authority. He wanted Germany rid of the Jews. Luther's advice was literally followed four centuries later by Hitler, Gurring, and Hemler" (Schier, 1960, p. 236). Luther was highly anti-semitic, and quite possibly played a part in the rise of 20th century German anti-semitism.