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Religion and nazism

This so-called Austro-fascist system was replaced by Nazism after the unification with Germany (Anschluss) in 1938, which was in part supported by Austrian churches. In 2018, the ecumenical council issued an official statement acknowledging the churches’ contribution to the “Anschluss”. During the Nazi regime, more than 130 000 Austrian Jews were expelled and more than 66 000 Jews were murdered. Apart from ethnic minorities, political opponents, and disabled persons, the Nazis also persecuted the small religious group of Jehovah’s Witnesses, killing 145 members.

Sources and further information:
 City of Vienna, “Expulsion, Deportation and Murder - History of the Jews in Vienna”, 2021.
 Aigner, Franz, "Überblick über die Verfolgung der Zeugen Jehovas 1938-1945", in Dokumentationsarchiv des österreichischen Widerstandes (Hg.): Zeugen Jehovas – Vergessene Opfer des Nationalsozialismus?, Wien, 1998, pp. 37-44.

D 21 February 2022    AAstrid Mattes AKerstin Wonisch

CNRS Unistra Dres Gsrl

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