Fritz Gericke

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Fritz Gericke (also: Friedrich Gericke, * 1897 in Sumatra ; † 1958 in Berlin ) was a functionary of the neo-pagan German Faith Movement (DG) during the Nazi era until 1935 .

Life

In World War I served as a soldier and Gericke was seriously injured. After the war he studied philosophy, German literature and history at the University of Breslau . After receiving his doctorate in 1922, he began to work as a writer. In 1933 he joined the Köngener Bund , which later became part of the German Faith Movement . He was considered a close confidante of the founder of the DG, Jakob Wilhelm Hauer , with whom he maintained extensive correspondence.

The historian Schaul Baumann describes Gericke as a "high-ranking leader of the DG". At an event organized by the DG in Berlin in 1934, he was the main speaker alongside Ernst zu Reventlow , a member of the Reichstag . In addition to Hauer, Reventlow held the position of chairman of the DG. Gericke was one of the editors and collaborators of the journal of DG Deutscher Glaube and mainly dealt with educational issues in his articles. He also worked as a press officer for the DG.

In 1935 he was the head of the regional parish of the DG in Berlin and was instrumental in organizing the largest event of the movement in the Berlin Sports Palace on April 26, 1935, which, according to Gericke, 18,000 people took part. The event represented the high point in DG history.

After the event, the main organizer of DG Wilhelm Heßberg demanded Gericke's “voluntary or involuntary resignation” in connection with a “review of the suitability of the leadership”. In June 1935 Gericke wanted to prove his leadership skills by formulating a program. On July 28, 1935, he resigned from his position in agreement with Hauer. Health reasons were given to the members as a reason for resignation. According to Ulrich Nanko , the resignation was actually a "fall" of Gericke, which was directed against the program and goals of the DG. The complete change in leadership - Hauer announced his resignation in April 1936 - was, according to Nanko, the result of efforts by National Socialist members to “impose their will on the DG by all means”. A group of National Socialists active in the DG wanted to make them the extended arm of the SS in the fight against the Christian churches. Either Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich or subordinate bodies from the SS and SD were behind the demands for resignation against Gericke and Hauer. Critics threw Gericke and Hauer u. a. propose to conduct the confrontation with the Christian churches in a "noble tone". However, a tougher form of confrontation against the “main enemy” in Rome is required. The DG had to be the NSDAP's “vanguard” on this issue . Gericke and Hauer would not have met this requirement. Only after Gericke and Hauer left, according to Nanko, did the DG enter a phase of National Socialism.

After the war Gericke worked as a journalist and writer. Until his death he maintained an intensive correspondence with Jakob Wilhelm Hauer on religious questions.

Own writings

  • Believe from the blood. From the struggle for the confession , Stuttgart 1934 (writings on the German faith movement, issue 3).
  • The soldier's faith , Berlin 1940.
  • Germanic-German Faith History , Stuttgart 1942.
  • The new faith , Stuttgart 1943.

literature

  • Dierks, Margarete: Jakob Wilhelm Hauer 1881–1962. Life - Work - Effect , Heidelberg 1986.
  • Nanko, Ulrich: The German Faith Movement. A historical and sociological study , Marburg 1993.
  • Schaul Baumann: The German Faith Movement and its founder Jakob Wilhelm Hauer (1881–1962) , Marburg 2005.

swell

  1. ↑ Dierks 1986, p. 255.
  2. ↑ Alternatively, June 1, 1885 is given as the date of birth, as in Mohler / Weißmann: The Conservative Revolution in Germany 1918–1932 .
  3. ↑ Baumann 2005, p. 138.
  4. ↑ a b Baumann 2005, p. 75.
  5. ↑ Baumann 2005, p. 138.
  6. ↑ "Soul throbs" , Time Magazine , June 25 1934th
  7. ↑ Dierks 1986, p. 255.
  8. ↑ Nanko 1993, p. 276.
  9. ↑ Nanko 1993, p. 278.
  10. ↑ Nanko 1993, pp. 278f.
  11. ↑ Nanko 1993, p. 286.
  12. ↑ Nanko 1993, p. 281.
  13. ↑ Nanko 1993, p. 279.
  14. ↑ Nanko 1993, p. 286.
  15. ↑ Baumann 2005, p. 138.
  16. ↑ Dierks 1986, p. 255.
personal data
SURNAME Gericke, Fritz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Functionary of the neo-pagan German Faith Movement (DG)
DATE OF BIRTH 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Sumatra
DATE OF DEATH 1958
Place of death Berlin