Evening star., 1952-10-26
The Week in Religion
By Religious News Service

A test on how far the Com
munists are prepared to go in
cracking down on Protestant
churches is nearing in the Soviet
zone of Germany.
Otto Nuschke, East German
Deputy Premier, in charge of
church affairs, told the annual
convention of the Soviet zone
Christian Democratic Union this
week that a revision of church.
state relationships was in the
offing.
While Mr.. Nuschke gave no de-
tails. he and other speakers made
it clear that new laws affecting
the church were being prepared.
Youth Work Hindered.
The Communists also have in
terferred with the youth work of
the Evangelical church and have
attempted to eliminate the
church's charitable activities in
hospitals and other welfare insti-
tutionS.
But the Soviet zone regime has
not yet acted against the church
with full force. One reason may
be that no other satellite govern
ment has had to deal with an
overwhelmingly Protestant major
ity in a major area.
Of East Germany's 18 million
people, IA million are Protestants.
In other Iron Curtain countries
the Communists have tried to give
the impression of dealing gingerly
with the Protestant minorities.
They have attempted to quietly
control the Protestant churches,
ousting anti-Communist leaders
and replacing them with Com
followers.
A campaign of persecution
against the Evangelical church in
East Germany would, as the Com
know, arouse world Pro-
testantism.
Church Pledges Fight.
Soviet zone Communist officials
have another problem on their
hands. Leaders of the Evangelical
church already have served notice
that they will fight to the end
against Communist tyranny.
The Evangelical Church Ma
tional Synod voted unanimously
to oppose a recent suggestion"
by East German Premier Otto
Grotewohl that theological facul-
ties connected with Soviet zone
universities be abolished. Mr..
GroteWohl proposed that in place
of these faculties the church set
up a separate theological semi
nary in the Soviet zone.
Mr.. Grotewohl's proposal" was
the first definite Church reform"
advanced by a top government
leader. Lesser Communist leaders
and some party organs have, how
ever, been demanding more dras-
tic action against church groups
and such demands are often q
prelude to official action.
The most insistent demand has
been for a ban on Protestant
youth groups in the Soviet Zone.
In August Erich Honecker, chair
man of the Communist Free Ger
man Youth, predicted that the
government would suppress Prot
estant youth organizations.
The West German News Agency
recently reported that the expro-
priation of church properties and
lands in the Soviet Zone is planned
under a top secret" program
drafted by the Central Committee
of the East German Communist
Party. The agency said the Com
munists plan to limit church ac-
tivity strictly to the holding OF
religious services.
Elsewhere behind the Iron Cur
tain there are signs that the Com
munists are beginning to act
against a growing restiveness on
the part of Protestants.
Attacks in Hungary.
Reports are reaching the West
of increasing attacks upon Prot
estants by the Communist press
of Hungary.
Magyar Nemzet, Budapest daily,
indicated recently that Hungarian
Protestant groups are increasing
their membership despite Com
munist watchfulness. The paper
published a report attacking Prot
estants in Eastern Hungary and
condemning Roman Catholic
priests for protecting them.
Meanwhile, indications of q
possible revolt by churchmen