Cover letter to Rosenberg and letter to the finance minister, proposing an increased quota for church contributions to the war fund

National Socialist German Workers Party.
The Fuehrer's Deputy Staff leader
Munich 33, Brown House,
at present Berlin W 8, 9 Jan., 1940. Wilhelmstr. 64 III
Dr. Kl/Gf.
To Reichsleiter Party Comrade Alfred Rosenberg Berlin W 35 Margareten Strasse 17
Subject: Raising of a War Fund from the Churches.
Enclosed, I forward to you the copy of a letter, sent today to the Reichsminister for Finance, for cognizance.
' Heil Hitler
/s/ M. Bormann (M. Bormann)
Enclosure.
Berlin 19 Jan 1940 Dr. Kl/Gf.
To the Reichsminister for Finance Berlin W 8 Wilhelmplatz 1-2
Subject: Raising of a War Fund from the Churches.
As it has been reported to me, the war fund of the churches has been specified from the 1 November 1939 on, at first for the duration of three months at RM 1,800,000.—per month, of which Rm 1,000,000.—are to be paid by the Protestant church and RM 800,000.—by the Catholic church per month.
The establishment of such a low amount has surprised me. I construe from numerous reports, that the political communities have to raise such a large war fund, that the execution of their tasks, partially very important for example in the field of public welfare, is endangered. In consideration of that, a larger quota from the churches appears to be absolutely appropriate.
iff * * * * *
In my opinion, the determination of the amount cannot be affected by the argument that the fund could only have as a consequence a decrease of the material expenses, but not of the personnel expenses of the churches. I consider it absolutely bearable, to decrease also the personnel expenses, especially for the Catholic clergymen. In contrast to all other German men, obliged to
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serve, not one Catholic clergyman is in the field as the soldier; also none of the Catholic clergymen takes obligations unto himself voluntarily, like the ones which must be borne by every German family head.
As far as the technical handling of the war fund to be determined for the Catholic Church is concerned, in my opinion, the state does not have to bother to figure out the individual partial contributions, which must be raised by the various Orders and religious associations. I would rather consider it correct if the amount is determined in one for the entire Catholic Church, and if one then leaves it to the Church to divide up this amount according to its own best knowledge. However, the state must be free to call upon the property and funds of the various individual parts and groups of the church arbitrarily to make its demands valid.
As far as the Evangelical Church is concerned, for years the efforts of the Reichminister for Church Affairs have been in the direction to organize all the State Churches [Landeskirchen] of the Evangelical Church into one unified organization with a unified leadership for the spiritual as well as for the financial affairs. Despite the objections, raised by the party, these plans were more and more elaborated upon; even during the war, they were followed up without interruption. Therefore it is not unjust, to determine in one for the Evangelical Church the war fund to be raised according to the same principles, which have been developed for the Catholic Church.
It should be left up to the State Churches [Landeskirchen] and religious associations, who consider such treatment unjust, to demonstrate in an easily perceptible manner, that they are not in any dependent relationship to the leadership of the German Evangelical Church, and do not desire to come under the latter's dominion.
I would be thankful to you, if you could inform us very soon, how high the amount of the war fund of the churches has been set at. The sum, calculated for the duration of the first three months, of which, 'as I understand, the churches have not paid one penny, may not correspond in any way to the capability, as figured from the entire fortune "and from the contribution and/or tax income of the Churches.
Heil Hitler
By order
M B (M. Bormann)