I am posting this in GQ because it presumably has a factual answer and I do not want to start a religious war. A recent posting on another forum (Pointless…) said,
I would like to know if there is any evidence for the claim that the pope is a former Nazi. Is he even old enough for that?
The only piece of evidence I know of is that he was in Hitlerjugend as a kid, but as I said when I had this discussion when he was elected: virtually everybody was. He may well have been devoted to Nazism, but his membership in Hitlerjugend says nothing one way or the other.
Characterizing him as a Nazi implies he supported Hitler’s government and its goals. Since the record shows he did not enroll in the Hitler Youth by choice, came from a family that opposed the Nazis, skipped meetings, joined a seminary and eventually deserted the army, the implication is at best ignorant and at worst grossly unfair.
As stated, he was a member of the Hitler Youth, which was a requirement for all boys his age at that time. This article in the New York Times discusses his opposition to the Nazis during WWII.
Yes, I figured it had to be something like that. He has enough to answer for, but I prefer to stick to facts. Maybe this thread should be closed since the question is answered.
He was not called Panzer Cardinal for nothing. Actung Holy Ghost!!!
No doubt he was a devoted follower of Nazism… not!!!
He was what 16 when the war ended, in other words still a kid. One way or another it did not matter.
As another Doper once put it, Hitler Youth was something done to German children.
Well, my suspicions were first aroused by his boyhood membership of a seemingly innocuous club called the Hitler Youth: subsequent research brought to light the alarming fact that this organisation was, in fact, largely made up of Hitler’s Youths.
On one hand, “former Nazi” is probably an unfair characterisation; on the other hand, fuck him.
Moderator Warning
As you should know, religious jabs like this are out of line in GQ. Do not do this again.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Closing thread at suggestion of OP.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
The other thread got closed just before I could post this:
I’m no fan of the current Pope, and wouldn’t call him a Nazi (ex- or otherwise), but he did - involuntarily, by all reputable accounts - serve in the German armed forces during WW2: Good fortune kept Ratzinger from thick of the war
Merged threads.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator