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American Catholic Periodicals React to Nazism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

F. K. Wentz
F. K. Wentz
Affiliation:
Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg, Pa.
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Extract

To probe the reaction of American Roman Catholics to the emergence of Nazism three periodicals were studied for the years 1933 to 1937. America was a well-edited Jesuit weekly with a circulation approximating thirty thousand. It was well-informed, detailed in its coverage of contemporary events, and wielded wide influence among Catholics in its approach to current affairs. The Brooklyn Tablet, weekly diocesan publication for Brooklyn in New York, had a newspaper format and a circulation approaching fifty thousand. Commonweal was edited independently by Catholic laymen and was more influential than its circulation of about twenty thousand would indicate.

Type
Research Article
Information
Church History , Volume 31 , Issue 4 , December 1962 , pp. 400 - 420
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1962

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References

1. See the writer's unpublished dissertation “The Reaction of the Religious Press in America to the Emergence of Nazism” (Yale University, 1954).Google Scholar Many summary statements in this article are spelled out in greater detail in that work. See also an abstract of that dissertation in Church History, XXV, 372Google Scholar, and the article “American Protestant Journals and the Nazi Religious Assault,” Church History, XXIII, 321–338.Google Scholar

2. See especially the Brooklyn Tablet (hereafter called BT), 04 1, 1933, 1.Google Scholar

3. For example see America (hereafter called A), June 24, 1933, 267; June 13, 1936, 223–4; Aug. 8, 1936, 420; June 12, 1937, 229; Commonweal (hereafter called C), 08 9, 1935, 355.Google Scholar

4. For example see A, Apr. 1, 1933, 615; Apr. 8, 1933, 11–13; June 3, 1933,196; July 28, 1934, 375–6; C, June 2, 1933, 115; Nov. 23, 1934, 103–4; Sept. 27, 1935, 510.

5. For example see Nov. 23, 1934, 103–4; Feb. 15, 1935, 440.

6. For example see Mar. 25, 1933, 5 and 9; Apr. 1, 1933, 1 and 30; Apr. 8, 1933, 1; May 20, 1933, 9; May 27,1933, 1 and 2; June 20, 1936, 5; Aug. 22, 1936, 9; Jan. 30, 1937, 8.

7. July 8, 1933, 9; Nov. 4, 1933, 2; Dec 16, 1933, 9. July 28, 1934, 1; July 27, 1935, 9; Aug. 10, 1935, 9; June 12, 1937, 1; Feb. 8, 1936, 8.

8. For example see C, July 21, 1933, 295; Aug. 11, 1933, 359; A, July 22, 1933, 383–4; Sept. 2, 1933, 510–2; BT, July 15, 1933, 1, 8, and 16; for reluetance in C, see Sept. 1, 1933, 420–2.

9. Correspondent Jordan expressed in the columns of the Brooklyn Tablet the sentiment of the Nazi press that “the Vatican would not have entered into such a treaty with Germany, if it had not felt that the new German regime was stable and could be relied upon for a long time.” BT, Aug. 19, 1933, 4.

10. For example there was no separate item on Germany in A's “Chronicle” for Aug. 12, 1933.

11. For example see A. Aug. 5, 1933, 431; Sept. 2, 1933, 527; Oct. 7, 1933, 22.

12. For example see July 29, 1933, 1 and 16; Aug. 5, 1933, 3; Aug. 12, 1933, 1 and 5; Oct. 7, 1933, 10.

13. Nov. 4, 1933, 2.

14. Nov. 4, 1933, 8.

15. A, July 27, 1935, 382; BT, July 20, 1935, 1 and 2.

16. Aug. 3, 1935, 385.

17. July 25, 1936, 1.

18. In December, 1934, for example.

19. In January, 1937, for example.

20. Quotation from A, Mar. 13, 1937, 538.

21. For example see A, Apr. 22, 1933, 50–1; Dec. 16, 1933, 243–4; Mar. 21, 1936, 563; Aug. 29, 1936, 501; Oct. 17, 1936, 27. Since tbis and following footnotes are illustrative and not exhaustive, references are to one magazine, America, in order to provide consistent documentation.

22. For example see A, Apr. 7, 1934, 643–4; July 28, 1934, 3 75–6.

23. For example see A, Nov. 18, 1933, 150–1; Aug. 17, 1935, 434.

24. For example see A, Nov. 11, 1933, 124; Dec. 9, 1933, 222–3.

25. For example see A, Mar. 24, 1934, 583; Sept. 7, 1935, 511; July 11, 1936, 334; Oct. 17, 1936, 27; Mar. 27, 1937, 589; Apr. 3, 1937, 613.

26. For example see A, Apr. 22, 1933, 52; July 13, 1935, 324; May 1, 1937, 75.

27. For example see A, July 3, 1937, 294–5; Sept. 25, 1937, 584.

28. For example see A, Aug. 24, 1935, 462–3; Sept. 7, 1935, 506; Sept. 21, 1935, 561–3 (a reprint of au English Jesuit's article condemning Italy on the subject of Ethiopia); Oct. 12, 1935, 3.

29. For example see A, June 17, 1933, 261, a letter.

30. For example see A, Apr. 4, 1936, 620; Nov. 20, 1937, 151.

31. A, July 11, 1936, 334.

32. For example see A, Nov. 18, 1933, 151; Apr. 20, 1935, 42; June 29, 1935, 267; June 29, 1935, 283; Aug. 24, 1935, 461, Oct. 19, 1935, 45.

33. For example see A, July 14, 1934, 315; July 21, 1934, 339.

34. A. Aug. 3, 1935, 385; see also Oct. 30, 1937, 77.

35. A, July 31, 1937, 396.

36. A, July 14, 1934, 315.

37. A, July 14, 1934, 315; see also Sept. 21, 1935, 561–2; Oct. 30, 1937, 77.

38. A, July 14, 1934, 315.

39. A, July 14, 1934, 315.

40. For example see A, Jan. 14, 1933, 357; May 13, 1933, 124; June 3, 1933, 197; Nov. 14, 1936, 138; Aug. 14, 1937, 454.

41. For example see A, May 13, 1933, 141, a letter; June 17, 1933, 261; BT, Jan. 20, 1934, 3.

42. Commonweal's attitude requires separate handling.

43. For example see A, Mar. 18, 1933, 562; Apr. 8, 1933, 6–7; Mar. 21, 1936, 577.

44. For example see A, June 10, 1933, 239; Oct. 7, 1933, 22; Apr. 7, 1934, 651.

45. For example see A, July 14, 1934, 315; Aug. 17, 1935, 434; Oct. 31, 1936, 94; Mar. 27, 1937, 588; May 22, 1937, 156; BT, Apr. 22, 1933, 7; Jan. 20, 1934, 3; July 14, 1934, 7;Mar. 30, 1935, 8; Oct. 26, 1935, 11.

46. For example see A, July 14, 1934, 315; July 21, 1934, 339.

47. For example see A, Aug. 4, 1934, 389; Aug. 25, 1934, 462–3.

48. For example see A, Feb. 3, 1934, 415–16; Aug. 3, 1935, 385; Oct. 19, 1935, 35; Mar. 21, 1936, 563; Mar. 21, 1936, 577; Jan. 2, 1937, 294; Mar. 27, 1937, 582; May 15, 1937, 133; June 12, 1937, 229; BT, June 19, 1937, 11.

49. For example see A, Dec. 5, 1936, 203; Nov. 20, 1937, 151; BT, Nov. 13, 1937, 7.

50. For example see A, July 4, 1936, 294; July 18, 1936, 357; Jan. 2, 1937, 294; Jan. 9, 1937, 336; Mar. 13, 1937, 538; Apr. 3, 1937, 606; Apr. 3, 1937, 613; BT, Nov. 2, 1935, 2; June 12, 1937, 7.

51. A. October 10, 1936, 5.

52. For example see A, Sept. 5, 1936, 509; Oct. 10, 1936, 4; Nov. 7, 1936, 99; Jan. 9, 1937, 315; Mar. 27, 1937, 582; May 1, 1937, 77.

53. For example see A, May 1, 1937, 77.

54. For example see A, Apr. 8, 1933, 7; Sept. 21, 1935, 562; Oct. 10, 1936, 5; Dec. 12, 1936, 240; Feb. 13, 1937, 445; BT, July 25, 1936, 9; Jan. 2, 1937, 9; Jan. 30, 1937, 4.

55. For a few illustrations of this interest in social justice, see A, May 13,1933, 124; Oct. 10, 1936, 5; Jan. 2, 1937, 294; BT, July 29, 1933, 1; July 6, 1935, 8; Jan. 4, 1936, 7; Jan. 16, 1937, 9; Jan. 30, 1937, 6.

56. For example see A, Oct. 10, 1936, 5; BT, July 29, 1933, 1; BT, Jan. 4, 1936, 7; June 13, 1936, 7.

57. For example see BT, June 12, 1937, 7.

58. For example see A, May 4, 1935, 83; Dec. 21, 1935, 258; Feb. 15, 1936, 442–3; Aug. 8, 1936, 420; Sept. 5, 1936, 509; Nov. 7, 1936, 99; Jan. 9, 1937, 315; Oct. 9, 1937, 7–8; Oct. 30, 1937, 78; BT, Dec. 15, 1934, 10; July 13, 1935, 2; Jan. 30, 1937, 8.

59. For example see A, May 13, 1933, 124; Apr. 4, 1936, 620; Nov. 20, 1937, 146; see also for confirmation, Nichols, James Hastings, Democracy and the Churches (Philadelphia, 1951), p. 248.Google Scholar

60. For example see BT, July 6, 1935, 8.

61. A. Apr. 4, 1936, 620.

62. For example see A, June 3, 1933, 197; July 8, 1933, 318–9; Nov. 2, 1935, 75; BT, Apr. 22, 1933, 2; Aug. 19, 1933, 4; Jan. 20, 1934, 3.

63. A, Apr. 8, 1933, 7.

64. BT, Oct. 26, 1935, 11.

65. For example see BT, 11; Apr. 20, 1935, 9; 11; Aug. 3, 1935, 9; 8; Dec. 7, 1935, 11; 10; July 25, 1936, 9; 9; Feb. 6, 1937, 11; 10.

66. For example see BT, Aug. 10, 1935,9; Oct. 5, 1935, 9; Dec. 19, 1936, 11.

67. BT, Dec. 1, 1934, 9.

68. For example see A, Sept. 21, 1935, 554;Nov. 2, 1935, 75; Dec. 18, 1937, 244–5; BT, Jan. 2, 1937, 9; Jan. 30, 1937, 4 (Fulton Sheen); Nov. 27, 1937, 2.

69. Quoted by Scanlon, BT, Jan. 16, 1937, 9.

70. A, Mar. 27, 1937, 581.

71. For example see A, Nov. 20, 1937, 151; Dec. 18, 1937, 244; Dec. 25, 1937, 270.

72. For example see A, Oct. 10, 1936, 4; Jan. 2, 1937, 294; June 19, 1937, 257. 73. For example see A, Jan. 2, 1937, 294; Jan. 9, 1937, 336.

74. A. Oct. 10, 1936, 4.

75. For example see A, July 18, 1936, 357; Apr. 3, 1937, 606.

76. Quoted from a speech in C, Nov. 1, 1935, 7; see also A, July 4, 1936, 294.

77. A, Nov. 18, 1933, 150–1.

78. BT, Dec. 19, 1936, 11; for other examples of lumping the isms together under totalitariaaism see A, Dec. 21, 1935, 258; Dec. 5, 1936, 203; Mar. 13, 1937, 538; Mar. 27, 1937, 582;BT, Jan. 30, 1937, 4; June 12, 1937, 7; Nov. 13, 1937, 7.

79. See for example A, Mar. 13, 1937, 538.

79. See for example A, Mar. 13, 1937, 538.

80. BT, June 12, 1937, 7.

81. For example see C, Mar. 22, 1933, 563; Mar. 29, 1933, 591; Apr. 5, 1933, 620; May 19, 1933, 69–71; July 7, 1933, 255; July 21, 1933, 295; Jan. 5, 1934, 253; Jan. 26, 1934, 43–4; Nov. 2, 1934, 1–2, 42; Nov. 23, 1934, 103–4; Dec. 28, 1934, 261; Jan. 4, 1935, 274; May 10, 1935, 31; Aug. 30, 1935, 415–6; Oct. 25, 1935, 627; Feb. 21, 1936, 451; Apr. 23, 1937, 716–7; Nov. 19, 1937, 91–3.

82. See for example C, Mar. 22, 1933, 563; Mar. 29, 1933, 594; Apr. 5, 1933, 620; June 29, 1934, 234; Aug. 17, 1934, 382; Aug. 2, 1935, 333.

83. For example see C, Feb. 22, 1933, 454; Mar. 29, 1933, 591; Apr. 5, 1933, 620; June 2, 1933, 117–18; July 21, 1933, 295; July 21, 1933, 296; Sept. 1, 1933, 419; Sept. 1, 1933, 420–21; May 11, 1934, 39; Jan. 25, 1935, 357; Mar. 1, 1935, 506; Aug. 9, 1935, 355; Sept. 13, 1935, 455; June 18, 1937, 205; July 2, 1937, 254.

84. For examples of the neutral position see C, Mar. 5, 1937, 516–7; Apr. 2, 1937, 625–7; Apr. 23, 1937, 716–7. For examples of the pro-Frauco posture see C, May 7, 1937, 33–37; June 11, 1937, 171. Roy, Ralph L. (Communism and the Churches, p. 114)Google Scholar indicates that Commonweal swung to a position of neutrality in June of 1938. He fails to note that this was a switch back to neutrality after but a year of the pro-Franco position.

85. For example see A, Oct. 21, 1933, 50–1; Jan. 6, 1934, 317; July 6, 1935, 302; Oct. 19, 1935, 27; BT, Nov. 18, 1933, 2; Dec. 30, 1933, 1; Jan. 6, 1934, 1; Jan. 13, 1934, 4; Feb. 1, 1936, 8.

86. For example see A, Feb. 23, 1935, 461; BT, Mar. 2, 1935, 7; Mar. 16, 1935, 5.

87. For example see BT, Apr. 14, 1933, 14; Apr. 21, 1943, 1; May 18, 1935, 5; June 1, 1935, 7.

88. For example see A, June 16, 1934, 239–40; Feb. 22, 1936, 464; Feb. 22, 1936, 482; Mar. 7, 1936, 524; BT, Apr. 21, 1934, 1 and 13; Jan. 19, 1935, 3; June 22, 1935, 5.

89. For example see A, Mar. 24, 1934, 582–3; June 16, 1934, 239–40; Feb. 23, 1935, 461; Dec. 5, 1936, 204; Feb. 6, 1937, 420; June 19, 1937, 255; July 3, 1937, 300; BT, Mar. 2, 1935, Mar. 16, 1935, 5.

90. For example see A, Feb. 15, 1936, 442; BT, Feb. 17, 1934, 16; Feb. 24, 1934, 4; July 28, 1934, 3; June 1, 1935, 8; Aug. 24, 1935, 8.

91. A, May 22, 1937, 152; see also for example A, July 6, 1935, 290; July 27, 1935, 380; Aug. 1, 1936, 386–7.

92. For example see A, June 6, 1936, 198–9; May 22, 1937, 152; Oct. 30, 1937, 76–7; BT, Oct. 26, 1935, 11; Feb. 8, 1936, 8; June 6, 1936, 7.

93. BT, Nov. 27, 1937, 1.

94. BT, May 8, 1937, 9.

95. A, July 4, 1936, 290.

96. A, Jan. 6, 1934, 315; see also A, Sept. 1. 1934, 482; Dec. 16, 1933, 263–4; Feb. 3, 1934, 415–16; Mar. 3, 1934, 519–21; Mar. 24, 1934, 582–3; Apr. 14, 1934, 5; BT, Jan. 6, 1934, 9; Jan. 20, 1934, 3; July 7, 1934, 1; Sept. 15, 1934, 7.

97. For example see A, May 18, 1935, 122; Oct. 19, 1935, 36; Sept. 12, 1936, 540; Apr. 13, 1937, 612; May 15, 1937, 122; July 17, 1937, 343; BT, July 27, 1935, 8; Sept. 7, 1935, 14; Jan. 4, 1936, 1; Jan. 9, 1937, 8; Mar. 27, 1937, 10.

98. A, Aug. 24, 1935, 460.

99. A. Sept. 4, 1937, 509.

100. BT, Oct. 2, 1937, 11.

101. For example see A, May 15, 1937, 122; Mar. 3, 1934, 519–21; July 17, 1937, 343.

102. For example see A, Dec. 2, 1933, 195–6; Feb. 3, 1934, 415–16; Aug. 3, 1935, 385; BT, Dec. 23, 1933, 3.

103. For example see A, Dec. 2, 1933, 195–6; Feb. 3, 1934, 415–16; May 18, 1935, 122–3; Aug. 3, 1935, 385–6; May 15, 1937, 122; BT, July 27, 1935, 8; June 6, 1936, 7.

104. For example see A, Aug. 25, 1934, 458; BT, Feb. 15, 1936, 1.

105. For example see A, Jan. 6, 1934, 315; BT, Dec. 23, 1933, 3.

106. For example see A, Aug. 25, 1934, 458; BT, Jan. 4, 1936, 1; May 8, 1937, 4; July 24, 1937, 1.

107. For example see BT, Jan. 18, 1936, 1; Sept. 5, 1936, 1; Nov. 7, 1936, 1.

108. For example see A, Apr. 3, 1937, 612; BT, Aug. 4, 1935, 8; Feb. 8, 1936, 8; Mar. 27, 1937, 10.

109. BT, Aug. 24, 1935, 8.

110. A, Apr. 3, 1937, 612–13.

111. For example see A, Sept. 12, 1936, 540–41; Mar. 27, 1937, 588; BT, Jan. 9, 1937, 8; Mar. 27, 1937, 10.

112. A, Sept. 12, 1936, 541.

113. BT, Jan. 9, 1937, 8.

114. For example see A, Aug. 17, 1935, 434; Feb. 15, 1936, 443; Apr. 3, 1937, 613; May 22, 1937, 156; BT, July 27, 1935, 8; May 30, 1936, 6.

115. BT, Aug. 7, 1937, 8; see also A, Aug.17, 1935, 435; BT, Aug. 7, 1937, 8.

116. For example see A, Mar. 24, 1934, 582–3; Feb. 23, 1935, 461; Aug. 17, 1935, 434–5; Sept. 5, 1936, 516–7; Feb. 6, 1937, 420–1; BT, Mar. 13, 1937, 9; Mar. 20, 1937, 5; Aug. 7, 1937, 8.

117. A, Sept. 29, 1934, 583–4; Quotation from 584.

118. For example see BT, Sept. 15, 1934, 7; Apr. 11, 1936, 14; Aug. 7, 1937, 5; Aug. 28, 1937, 4.

119. BT, Apr. 11, 1936, 14 and Aug. 28, 1937, 4.

120. For example see A, Dec. 28, 1935, 281; Sept. 25, 1937, 584; Oct. 30, 1937, 6–7; BT, May 26, 1934, 2.

121. For example see A, June 23, 1934, 258–9; Oct. 27, 1934, 67; Oct. 12, 1935, 4; Sept. 25, 1937, 584.

122. A, Sept. 25, 1937, 584.

123. For example see A, Dec. 16, 1933, 243–4; Jan. 6, 1934, 315; Mar. 30, 1935, 584; July 6, 1935, 290; Sept. 7, 1935, 510; May 22, 1937, 152; BT, Dec. 16, 1933, 3; Feb. 17, 1934, 16; Feb. 24, 1934, 4; Mar. 3, 1934, 3; July 28, 1934, 3; June 1, 1935, 8; Aug. 24, 1935, 8; June 20, 1936, 8.

124. BT, June 1, 1935, 1, quoting a speech; see also for example A, Sept. 21, 1935, 562; BT, July 14, 1934, 7.

125. A, Dec. 21, 1935, 258; for similar quotation from Dawson's Religion and the Modern State, see Mar. 27, 1936, 612.

126. For example see A, Feb. 23, 1935, 461; July 13, 1935, 314–15; Aug. 17, 1935, 434–5; Feb. 22, 1936, 463–4; Apr. 18, 1936, 43; June 20, 1936, 242; Apr. 3, 1937, 605–6; Sept. 18, 1937, 553; Oct. 9, 1937, 12; BT, July 14, 1934, 7; Dec. 1, 1934, 9.

127. A, Aug. 17, 1935, 434; see also BT, Oct. 26, 1935, 11. 128. A, Aug. 17, 1935, 434; see also for example A, Feb. 23, 1935, 461; Apr. 3, 1937, 606; Oct. 9, 1937, 12; BT, Dec. 1, 1934, 9.

129. A, Oct. 9, 1937, 12.

130. A, Dec. 1, 1934, 191.

131. A. Oct. 9, 1937, 11.