German Bishops' 2024 AfD Ban Echoes 1931 Stance, Author Says
In February 2024, German Catholic bishops declared the far-right AfD party unelectable for Christians. Author Nora Bossong notes that the church took a similar stance in 1931, only to later capitulate to Hitler. She argues that the church has not learned enough from history in dealing with right-wing extremists. The bishops' 2024 statement called for resistance when human dignity and rights are endangered, but Bossong highlights the historical parallel of the church's earlier failure to maintain its position under political pressure.
Key facts
- German Catholic bishops declared AfD unelectable in February 2024.
- Similar declaration was made in 1931 before the church capitulated to Hitler.
- Nora Bossong wrote about the church's insufficient learning from history.
- Bishops' 2024 statement called for resistance against threats to human dignity.
- The article was published in der Freitag.
- The church's 1931 stance was abandoned under political pressure.
- Bossong questions whether lessons from history have truly been learned.
- The article appears in the current issue of der Freitag.
Entities
Artists
- Nora Bossong
Institutions
- AfD
- der Freitag
Locations
- Germany