FIGHTING NAZISM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1940, Page 6

FIGHTING NAZISM

GERMAN CHURCH IN RAND, > GRATITUDE TO GOVERNMENT. ' Impressive tributes to the moderation and goodwill of the present Union Government in wartime are contained iii the latest report of the German Church. Hospital Hill, Johannesburg, which has just been issued. Commenting on the events of the past year, the Rev. J. Herrmann, the pastor, declares, on behalf of (he Church Committee: "We can admit in honest gratitude that the Government, ' the State authorities and the public of I' this country have not made the faintest - attempt to impose the slightest restrictions on the activities of our congrega- - tion. ' "As a Church Community we have - nothing to do with politics. Let us 1 continue to remain faithful to this I principle, so that we may hope to con- ■ tinue to maintain our Christian and German Lutheran interitance without - interference.” Pastor Herrmann has for years past : fought a battle against any attempt at Nazification of his congregation, and has been a supporter ol' Pastor Nie- ' moeller and the opposition parsons. • who have fought against the "New 1 Paganism" in the Reich. ■ He has been successful in his ef- , forts. Mr G. Rathke, one of the few ■ Nazi members of the Church Committee, was among those who “resigned in ■ accordance with the regulations." How many Germans are in sympathy with lhe anti-Nazi stand of the Johani nesburg German Church is evidenced by the impressive size of the congregation, which, in spite of all attacks on religion, has 1.270 souls, and is one of the largest in the city. Following the outbreak of the war certain important changes have been made in the running of the Church. "All special functionaries." it was stated. "including the chairman of the Church Council, his deputy, the secretary and the treasurer, must in future be South African citizens." How exaggerated are the allegations made by the Nationalist propagandists in Parliament and elsewhere about the | sufferings brought about by the intern- | ment policy of the Government, is best shown by the reference to the report of the German -Church. "Some weeks after the outbreak of war," it states, "we reopened a public kitchen (Volkskueche). The small number of people patronising it showed that the right moment had not yet arrived for such an institution, to help I compatriots in need. Accordingly the I public kitchen was provisionally closed again in December. At Christmas we . | took part in the collecting of gifts for > ' internees and by special request mem--1 bers and friends of our congregation have taken care of German families interned in Rhodesia." Tribute is paid to the English Baptists of Boksburg and the Wesleyans of Springs for continuing to allow their churches to be used for services in those towns. Hopes are entertained that lhe 150th anniversary of lhe Johannesburg German Church, which lately fell duo. may be suitably celebrated when happier times return.