4 Interesting (And Creepy) Facts About Christmas in Nazi Germany

Christmas in Nazi Germany was chilling …

A photograph of Adolf Hitler from the German Federal Archives, 1937 (Wikimedia Commons)

The Nazis reshaped Germany around the principles of fascism and racism, changing everything from education to entertainment, including Christmas.

Their main goal was to take the “Christ” out of Christmas and transform the season into a nationalist celebration that emphasized the country’s pagan and Germanic roots.

While their attempt wasn’t wholly successful (many citizens simply refused to go along with these changes), the festive season in Nazi Germany was still deeply unsettling …

1. Adolf Hitler Replaced Jesus

A photograph of Adolf Hitler from the German Federal Archives, 1889 (Wikimedia Commons)

Devout members of the Nazi Party had a religious view of Adolf Hitler. They saw him as a divine savior, an almighty figure who had rescued Germany from her economic and cultural woes.

Germanic folklore replaced Biblical prophecy, with the regime portraying Hitler as the prophesized hero who saved the country from darkness. It was he, not Jesus, who was the true light of the world.