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American Reform – The Conclusion to the Foundations of National Socialism — Hudal, 1937

“If National Socialism is only a political-social problem, then there is no reason for Catholics, who cannot be surpassed by anyone in their love and loyalty to state and nation, not to also be faithful, unreserved adherents of this movement… however, [if] National Socialism is synonymous with a new Worldview raised to the level of a dogma, in which an overabundance of the false paths of past decades are assembled into a dazzling myth that is particularly fascinating to the youth, then silence and waiting would be an affirmation and a denial of the faith.”>

Even in times of war, a busy ‘networker’: Bp. Alois Hudal at his work desk in the Anima | Colorized photo courtesy @Hudalianlarp on X

Introduction

“National Socialism is not an accident, not the invention of individual men, by no means a radical upheaval, but rather something long prepared for in the German character and its development”, observed a high-ranking ecclesiastic in 1937. He immediately followed it by saying “[National Socialism] belongs in the riverbed of German history and is rooted in its past.”>These quotes, of course, are taken from the third and final installment of our series featuring the writing of Alois Karl Hudal, the aforementioned ecclesiastic. The concluding chapter, translated from the original German, will be presented below. It is a critical study that has been largely forgotten or, if by chance remembered, unfairly maligned. The English name of the work is “The Foundations of National Socialism”, and it provides valuable insight into the situation of the German Reich and Catholic Church during the interwar period. Not only that, but it traces the intellectual history and major players of National Socialism and its program.

Originally published in The Journal of American Reform. Read original article