F. K. Otto Dibelius

22: 613: 171:), in which he declared the 20th century to be the era when the Evangelical Church may for the first time develop freely and gain the independence God would have wished for, without the burden and constraints of the state church function. He regarded the role of the church as even more important, since the government of the 223:

need for violence, hoping instead 'that the hour may soon come when violence is no longer necessary'. Even after this clearly anti-Semitic action he repeated in his circular to the pastors of Kurmark on the occasion of Easter (16 April 1933) his anti-Jewish attitude, giving the same words as in 1928.

963:

In the German original:"... daß bei allen zersetzenden Erscheinungen der modernen Zivilisation das Judentum eine führende Rolle spielt". Published in his circular (Rundbrief; No. 2; 3 April 1928), recorded at the Evangelisches Zentralarchiv: 50/R 19. Here quoted after Ursula Büttner, "Von der Kirche

222:

members stood outside Jewish shops attempting to enforce the boycott through intimidation, and when swastikas and anti-Jewish slogans were painted on shop-windows. In an address for US radio he commended the restraint shown in the boycott, with "only one single bloody incident" and he accepted the

367:, Dibelius served again as general superintendent in the Kurmark – ignoring his official furlough – accepted only by those congregations whose presbyteries rejected the Nazi adulterated official Old-Prussian church. From 1934 to 1945 he was a member of the 501:

into a mere umbrella organisation ("Neuordnung der Evangelischen Kirche der altpreußischen Union"). Dibelius and some Middle German representatives (the so-called Dibelians) could not assert themselves against Koch and his partisans, to maintain the

383:

Before the end of World War II Dibelius addressed some moderate incumbents of leading positions in the official Old-Prussian church, in order to establish their acceptance and co-operation in a future provisional leading body – the so-called

375:, ecclesiastical provinces and for the overall Old-Prussian church as well as in other Nazi-subjected Protestant church bodies in Germany and on the Reich's level dubbing the position of Reich's Bishop Müller by the Reich's Council of Brethren. 213:

that "the last fifteen years in Germany" had "strengthened Jewry's influence to an extraordinary degree. The number of Jewish judges, Jewish politicians and Jewish civil servants in influential positions has grown measurably". He downplayed the

243:

and religious organisation. The act was strictly opposed by Dibelius, who saw the separation of state and church as a prerequisite of the latter's free development to achieve its best role. On 24 June the Nazi Minister of Cultural Affairs,

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In December 1946 Dibelius spent two weeks visiting prisoner-of-war camps in England, Scotland and Wales, a journey that had been made possible by the Control Commission for Germany and the Minister of State for War, at the request of

186:, "I have always considered myself an anti-Semite. It cannot be denied that with all degenerating phenomena of modern civilisation Judaism plays a leading role". His book was one of the most read on church matters in that period. 1365: 1214: 554:, provisionally led by the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, a naming borrowed from the brethren council organisation. Beginning in 1949, Dibelius was chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany. 591: 41: 594:. Dibelius was elected its bishop in December 1948 by the synod constituting this newly independent church body, after the function of bishop had been officially established by the new church constitution. 1207: 605:

had been removed or had resigned from their positions. Many neutrals, forming the majority of clergy and parishioners, and many proponents of the quite doubtable compromising policy at the time of the

410:. The Soviet occupying power agreed that Dibelius would use the self-chosen title of Bishop, which was regarded a non-Protestant title and was rejected by many, especially since the Nazi-submissive 1200: 1370: 1151:, Peter Mehnert on behalf or the Evangelische Hilfsstelle für ehemals Rasseverfolgte and Bezirksamt Hellersdorf (ed.), Berlin: Bezirkschronik Berlin-Hellersdorf, 1988, p. 18. No ISBN 1132:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 114–147, here p. 118. 1051:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 114–147, here p. 117. 652:, presided over by Dibelius, issued the proposal of the committee for a new constitution, which would bring together the Westphalians striving for the complete unwinding of the 388:(advisory council) of the Old-Prussian church, once the Nazis were defeated. On 7 May 1945 Dibelius organised the forming of a provisional church executive for the Old-Prussian 989:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 76–96, here p. 77. 946:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 27–75, here p. 65. 846:, Peter Mehnert on behalf or the Evangelische Hilfsstelle für ehemals Rasseverfolgte and Bezirksamt Hellersdorf (ed.), Berlin: Bezirkschronik Berlin-Hellersdorf, 1988. No ISBN. 1108:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 97–113, here 104. 1071:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 97–113, here 103. 853:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 97–113, here 103. 459:, only partially cleared of debris. In 1945 Dibelius became a member of the newly founded Christian Democratic Union party in Germany, which later split into the western 1355: 872:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 114–147. 363:, had built up its own organisational structures, circumventing the officially recognised bodies of the Old-Prussian church and the newly established Nazi-submissive 902:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 76–96. 887:, Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, Peter Noss, and Claus Wagener (eds.), Berlin: Inst. Kirche und Judentum, 1999, (Studien zu Kirche und Judentum; vol. 18), pp. 27–75. 1253: 671:

The bulk of the mainstream parishioners shared a strong scepticism about, if not even objection to, communism, and so did Dibelius. So after the foundation of the

81: 1283: 601:

having transformed into a league of independent church bodies. The schism within the Old-Prussian church was not yet fully overcome, since only the most radical

433:, since traffic and communication between the German regions had collapsed. On 13 June 1945 the Old-Prussian ecclesiastical province of Westphalia under synodal 1350: 437: 790:

Ursula Büttner, "Von der Kirche verlassen: Die deutschen Protestanten und die Verfolgung der Juden und Christen jüdischer Herkunft im "Dritten Reich"", In:

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reconfirmed Dibelius as general superintendent of Kurmark and also commissioned him to serve per pro the vacant general superintendencies of Berlin and the

182:. In this respect Dibelius regarded himself as consciously anti-Jewish, explaining in a circular to the pastors in his general superintendency district of 1277: 205:, and Dibelius, then the locally competent General-Superintendent, did the relevant preaching in front of the Protestant members of the Reichstag in 518:

As to co-operation of all the Protestant church bodies in Germany, strong resentments prevailed, especially among the Lutheran church bodies of the

1259: 1271: 1265: 1375: 1360: 108:. In 1918, he was the executive secretary (part-time) of the Mutual Trust Council in the Evangelical Supreme Ecclesiastical Council (German: 474: 527: 117: 321:(est. 26 April 1933) ordered the list to change its name and replace all its election posters and flyers issued under the forbidden name. 531: 21: 464: 359:

After his return to Germany (July 1934) and after – from May to October 1934 – the intra-church opposition, the so-called

539: 547: 481:) for 31 August 1945. The representatives of the six still existing Old-Prussian ecclesiastical provinces (March of Brandenburg, 1018:, re-edited and accompl. ed., Berlin: Institut Kirche und Judentum, 1993, (=Studien zu Kirche und Israel; vol. 10), p. 28. 209:, in the morning. On 1 April 1933 the Nazi regime organized a boycott of Jewish shops and on 4 April Dibelius wrote in Berlin's 809:, re-edited and accompl. ed., Berlin: Institut Kirche und Judentum, 1993, (Studien zu Kirche und Israel; vol. 10), p. 28. 519: 486: 175: – in his eyes – would no longer provide society with binding norms, so that this would be the task of the church. 964:

verlassen: Die deutschen Protestanten und die Verfolgung der Juden und Christen jüdischer Herkunft im "Dritten Reich"", In:

1187: 644:, continued to maintain their conventions in the Old-Prussian brethren councils. On 14 January 1949 representatives of the 482: 460: 309:

In the campaign for the premature re-election of all presbyters and synodals on 23 July the Nazi government sided with the

313:. Under the impression of the government's partiality, the other existing lists of opposing candidates united to form the 612: 597:

In 1947 at a meeting of delegates of the six surviving ecclesiastical provinces they confirmed the status quo, with the

968:, Ursula Büttner and Martin Greschat (eds.), Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1998, pp. 15–69, here p. 37. 1137: 1113: 1076: 1056: 1023: 994: 973: 951: 907: 892: 877: 858: 837: 814: 799: 253: 215: 145: 648:

decided to reconcile the groups and founded a committee to develop a new church constitution. On 15 August 1949 the

497:. The representatives decided to assume the independent existence of each ecclesiastical province and to reform the 489:

had fallen under Polish and Soviet rule, newly annexed by Poland and the Soviet Union) and the central Old-Prussian

128:

In 1921 he was a member of the Evangelical Supreme Ecclesiastical Council (part-time). From 1925 to 1933 he was the

1345: 441: 206: 156: 113: 1380: 129: 1192: 371:

provincial Councils of Brethren, the leading bodies established by the Confessing Church on all levels, such as

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of the 28 Protestant churches were to declare their dissolution as separate church bodies in favour of a united

551: 65: 303: 1224: 621: 456: 236: 794:, Ursula Büttner and Martin Greschat (eds.), Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1998, pp. 15–69. 628:

It was Dibelius' policy to gain the mainstream support of parishioners. Thus the strict opposition of the

1183: 452: 430: 190: 672: 141: 506:

as an integrated church body. However, Dibelius assumed the position of president of the Old-Prussian

757: 198: 378: 144:, an administrative body, of that ecclesiastical province and joined the right-wing and anti-semite 898:

Wagener, Claus, "Nationalsozialistische Kirchenpolitik und protestantische Kirchen nach 1933", in:

352:

gained 70–80% of the seats in presbyteries and synods. In 1933–34 Dibelius served the pastorate at

985:

Claus Wagener, "Nationalsozialistische Kirchenpolitik und protestantische Kirchen nach 1933", in:

1307: 543: 414:

used that title for their church leaders, claiming an intra-church hierarchy in the range of the

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Die verlassenen Kinder der Kirche: Der Umgang mit Christen jüdischer Herkunft im "Dritten Reich"

792:

Die verlassenen Kinder der Kirche: Der Umgang mit Christen jüdischer Herkunft im "Dritten Reich"

563: 306:

as the Reich's Bishop. Müller already now regarded himself as leader of this new organisation.

101: 44:, a self-described anti-Semite and up to 1934 a conservative, who became a staunch opponent of 1031: 822: 112:, EOK) of the Evangelical State Church in Prussia's older Provinces, which renamed after the 1340: 1335: 753:, and its other members officiated per pro as the head and members of the church chancery. 8: 1295: 749:). Until the appointment of the first head in 1952 Dibelius, the former president of the 571: 567: 160: 93: 683:-, its Bishop Dibelius was often defamed in the East as the propagandist of the western 617: 68:. He received his PhD in 1902. From 1904–1906, he studied at the Preachers' Seminary in 1301: 1160: 477:, invited representatives of all Protestant church bodies to Treysa (a part of today's 675:(GDR) in the Soviet zone of occupation on 7 October 1949, including – apart from 448: 1133: 1109: 1072: 1052: 1019: 990: 969: 947: 903: 888: 873: 854: 833: 810: 795: 688: 360: 275: 240: 741:

The heads of the church body, in office for a term of two years, now bore the title

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led by the Praeses of the General Synod (de facto destroyed since 1933), became the

151:

One problem was the spiritual vacuum which emerged after the church stopped being a

1313: 1092: 586:

assumed new church constitutions declaring their independence with Dibelius' local

444:. Dibelius fought this and tried to maintain the unity of the Old-Prussian church. 216:

boycott of enterprises of Jewish proprietors and such of Gentiles of Jewish descent

96:. In 1909–1910, he was the assistant pastor at the Church of Ss. Peter and Paul in 415: 298:). Representatives of all 28 Protestant churches were to attend the newly created 286:) and synodals in all 28 Protestant church bodies in Germany for 23 July. The new 104:. From 1915 to 1925, he was the pastor of the Heilsbronnen congregation in Berlin- 1222: 1179: 684: 559: 379:

Rebuilding the Old-Prussian church and Berlin-Brandenburg ecclesiastical province

344:), presided over by Dibelius and printed new election posters in its premises in 172: 61: 1366:

Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

249: 1289: 542:, against any unification after the experiences during the Nazi reign with the 393: 219: 202: 178:

The church would have to stand for the defence of the Christian culture of the

485:, Rhineland, Saxony, Silesia, and Westphalia; the other three, located in the 1329: 1235: 470: 406: 245: 179: 710:, which convened on 11–13 December in Berlin. The new constitution (German: 235:

in Germany were not to be streamlined from within using the Nazi-submissive

105: 606: 478: 271: 232: 152: 26: 747:

Vorsitzende(r) des Rates der Evangelischen Kirche der altpreußischen Union

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by the German Democratic Republic in 1960. After the construction of the

676: 577: 274:

discretionarily decreed an unconstitutional premature re-election of all

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used the occasion to make fundamental decisions about the future of the

849:

Kühl-Freudenstein, Olaf, "Die Glaubensbewegung Deutsche Christen", in:

89: 69: 1104:

Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, "Die Glaubensbewegung Deutsche Christen", in:

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Olaf Kühl-Freudenstein, "Die Glaubensbewegung Deutsche Christen", in:

928:

Das Jahrhundert der Kirche: Geschichte, Betrachtung, Umschau und Ziele

771:

Das Jahrhundert der Kirche: Geschichte, Betrachtung, Umschau und Ziele

582:

Until 1951 all the six still existing ecclesiastical provinces of the

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list to hinder any reprint. Thus, the list, which had been renamed as

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in 1961 the GDR refused to allow Dibelius to enter its territory and

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and the political province of Brandenburg. The provisionally leading

372: 421:

In June an overall provisional church executive, the Council of the

84:. In 1906–1907, he was the assistant pastor at the Klosterkirche in 562:, Archbishop of Canterbury. On Christmas Eve, at the invitation of 264: 730:), as administrative body. The new governing body, replacing the 455:

in Berlin and Dibelius invested him on 8 August in a ceremony in

434: 353: 324:

The Gestapo confiscated the office and the printing-press of the

318: 194: 133: 40:(15 May 1880 – 31 January 1967) was a German bishop of the 261:

Staatskommissar für die preußischen kirchlichen Angelegenheiten

97: 45: 30: 1371:

Presidents of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany

287: 239:

faction within the church, they abolished the constitutional

85: 883:

Wagener, Claus, "Die Vorgeschichte des Kirchenkampfes", in:

60:, in 1880. One of his cousins was the Protestant theologian 942:

Claus Wagener, "Die Vorgeschichte des Kirchenkampfes", in:

736:

Council of the Evangelical Church of the old-Prussian Union

257:

State Commissioner for the Prussian Ecclesiastical Affairs

1016:

Als die Zeugen schwiegen: Bekennende Kirche und die Juden

807:

Als die Zeugen schwiegen: Bekennende Kirche und die Juden

712:

Ordnung der Evangelischen Kirche der altpreußischen Union

231:

Once the Nazi government realised that the 28 Protestant

1026:. An earlier version appeared as doctoral thesis titled 817:. An earlier version appeared as doctoral thesis titled 514:

President of the Evangelical Church in Germany umbrella

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Bishop of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg

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