The 'official' Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi. has touched a nerve by proclaiming that his boss, Joe Ratzinger, was never a member of the Hitler Youth. I guess Father Lombardi hasn't had time to thumb through Pope Bennie's autobiography where he notes, quite plainly, that he was enrolled in the Hitler Youth, but he sort of went AWOL from the HY after he got out of the seminary.
I guess Father Lombardi hasn't seen this picture either.
I'm not saying that Joe was an ardent Nazi. The only way we'd have known that was if Germany had won the war. When that scrap didn't turn out too well for the Fatherland, Germany was instantly full of innocents like Joe who'd never really supported Hitler.
Welcome to the Vatican Rathaus (Vatican City Hall).
ReplyDeleteNot sticking up for this creepy Pope but the youth were required to join Hitler's Youth. They, apparently, had no choice whether they agreed with it or not.
ReplyDeleteYour point's well taken Penlan. HY membership was mandatory to those attending the seminary. I wonder how those off in the service of Jesus reconciled that other duty.
ReplyDelete"I wonder how those off in the service of Jesus reconciled that other duty."
ReplyDeleteMakes you wonder. I do think some were very careful to avoid doing their Youth duty somehow while others may have relished it. Who knows.
HY membership was mandatory to those attending the seminary.It was mandatory for all youth in Germany by 1936.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you'd be criticising Hans Scholl for being a member.
Lombardi is just being an idiot.