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Faulhaber Defies Hitler on Race As Nazis Suppress His Speech

August 21, 1934
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In a speech bristling with defiance of the Nazi racial policy and the fight against Jews, Michael Cardinal Faulhaber, courageous Archbishop of Munich, declared that no persecution would ever “eradicate the ancient Jewish people,” it was disclosed today. Cardinal Faulhaber stated that “no Catholic had ever agreed to the persecution of the Jews in Germany” and said that “God always punishes the persecutors of the Jews.”

The daring speech of Cardinal Faulhaber was suppressed by the Nazis and the Propaganda Ministry forbade German papers to quote it. At the same time the bitter attack made by Reichsbishop Ludwig Mueller against the Jews was given the widest publicity by the German press.

“History teaches that God always punishes the persecutors of the Jews,” Carinal Faulhaber said. “No Catholic ever agreed with the persecution of the Jews in Germany.

“When God punished the numerous persecutors of the Jews on June 30, that punishment was deserved by them.

“Persecution will never eradicate the ancient Jewish people, which has been suffering and which always suffers because of its deep devotion to religion.

“Let us Catholics take an example from the Jews and honor them because they gave the world the best gift, which is the Bible.

“Catholics, educate your brothers that racial hatred is the wildest poison in our life,” the ringing appeal of the Munich Cardinal concluded.

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