Though denying any enthusiasm, Ratzinger was a member of the Hitler Youth, which means he must have taken this oath (from The History Place).
"In the presence of this blood banner which represents our Führer, I swear to devote all my energies and my strength to the saviour of our country, Adolf Hitler. I am willing and ready to give up my life for him, so help me God."
But what’s a guy to do? If Ratzinger had denounced Hitler and his works he would have suffered some negative consequences. There were lots of negative consequences in Hitler’s Germany, and Ratzinger was able to avoid all of them. Like, if he had professed his faith that Christ, not Hitler, is the saviour of Germany, he might have joined millions of others, nameless, in a mass concentration camp grave.
That just wouldn’t do for someone who wanted to become Pope.
Hitler's anti-Marxism survives in Ratzinger.
Maybe we truly are evolving per Teilhard: Ratzinger only censured Sobrino, Hitler would have killed him.
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