Christine Burden reviews ‘Rose-Tinted Memory: Holocaust Truths that Can’t Be Erased’ by Michael S Fryer (Perissos Group, 2016).
Michael Fryer draws on his experience as a police officer in the National Crime Squad, as a pastor of Father’s House Sabbath Congregation, in North Wales and as a graduate of Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Memorial in Israel), to investigate the Church’s involvement and complicity in the Holocaust.
For those who believe that the Gentile Church and the general public in Nazi- occupied Europe were all rescuers of Jewish people, this book will be a startling revelation. For sure, there were 25,685 aptly named ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ that are recognised by Yad Vashem and the author does not ignore this fact. However, the thrust of the book is to examine to what extent Christendom was aware of what happened to the Jewish people in Europe during World War II and what its response was.
How the Church Paved the Way
Fryer documents how Christendom in Germany and Europe helped to create the climate of hate which allowed Hitler and his accomplices to introduce their terrible programme of genocide.
“95% of Germans had church affiliation” (p19). The author asks: why did these people allow God’s chosen people to die in their towns and villages?
Fryer documents how Christendom in Europe helped to create the climate of hate that allowed Hitler to introduce genocide.
Even before the rise of Nazism in Germany, the teaching that came from the pulpits began the process of “de-humanising” the Jewish people. Consequently, it was not long before members of the public seemed to have no problem in “voluntarily shooting Jews- men, women and children - at point-blank range” (p50).
On the Protestant side there was the German Christian Movement (GCM). The aim of this group was to integrate the Protestant Church with nationalistic fervour for German culture and ethnicity. “By the mid-thirties this movement had more than 500,000 members who fully endorsed the Nazi ideology” (p49).
Chapter 11, entitled ‘German Christians’, gives numerous examples of anti-Semitic teachings circulated at this time. For me this is one of the most important chapters in the book. Examples include, “removing any idea that Christianity was in any way connected to Judaism” (p51). Hymn books and Scripture were revised to erase all ‘Jewishness’.
Practical Complicity of the Church
The author describes the national census in Germany, in which Christendom played a major role. Churches provided baptismal and marriage certificates plus other documents to establish whether a person was a Jew or Aryan. This information was used to provide lists of Jews, which then enabled officers to round up the Jewish population.
It is also well-documented that the Vatican knew of the existence of the concentration camps and did nothing to help the Jews. Without guidance from the Pope, the clergy did not know what to say, and often remained silent. Even today, the Vatican has papers concerning the Holocaust, which it refuses to release.
German Hymn books and Scripture were revised to erase all ‘Jewishness’.
The Involvement of the Public in the Genocide
Another powerful chapter poses the question, ‘Just a few Nazis?’ Again, our thinking is challenged as to how many people were complicit in Jewish persecution.
“German perpetrators numbered well in excess of 100,000. There were 10,005 camps which included satellite camps situated on the edges of towns and villages” (p43). In addition to this there were other staff and members of the general public who would have known what was happening.
“In Poland, local people were used to exterminate 3 million people. Local people then buried the dead” (p56). Many people, including professing Christians, must have been aware of the atrocities.
Justice and Accountability After the War
The author highlights some startling facts - some of which are well-known, others less so. For instance, there were 13 Nuremburg Trials held between 1945 and 1949, but they did not call many people to account.
Hitler and others committed suicide and therefore escaped earthly justice. Only 24 senior Nazi officers appeared in court and not everyone was found guilty. Meanwhile, many escaped down so-called ‘rat lines’, often with the help of the Church. Before 1949, 10,000 ex-SS officers were allowed into the UK, while only 2,000 displaced Jews were allowed entry into Britain.
Many ordinary people who had committed racially-motivated murders in their communities, or who had been involved with the camps, were never called to account. People returned home and kept quiet or remained in denial.
Modern-Day Considerations
In the concluding chapter, the author shares his concerns about Christendom allowing the Jewish people to be harmed today. He questions whether this will come in a different guise, that of Anti-Zionism, where teaching “that Israel is an occupying force is promulgated by large sections of Christendom” (p73).
Many ordinary people who had committed racially-motivated murders were never called to account.
Before and during the Holocaust, Christian leaders preached messages of hate. Sadly there are many examples of church leaders saying hateful things against Israel today. In the city of Liverpool, Hope University, the only ecumenical Christian university in Europe, staged an exhibition vilifying Israel. A Jewish lady wrote to Mr Fryer sharing her deep concern about the university, and expressing the fear that she feels at times, living as a Jew in Liverpool.
Conclusion
This book serves as a warning to all believers and hopefully will provoke us to study the biblical plans God has for the Jewish people. It documents uncomfortable truths, but truths that I strongly believe every Bible-believing Christian needs to be informed about.
I have no hesitation in highly recommending this well-documented book. Let us thank God for watchmen like Mr Fryer who attempt to highlight the lesser-known realities of the Shoah.
‘Rose-Tinted Memory’ (95 pages) is available from Amazon for £2.12.