Samuel Koehne | University of Melbourne (original) (raw)

Papers by Samuel Koehne

Late last year I published an article that examined the official Nazi views on religion. In this ... more Late last year I published an article that examined the official Nazi views on religion. In this brief paper, I wished to simply deal with two further points––one relates to Feder’s Commentary and the other deals with the practical effect or impact of ‘ethnotheism’ as it derived from Point 24 of the Nazi Party Program.

Journal of Contemporary History, 2016

In recent years there has been a renaissance of studies into the diverse relationships between Na... more In recent years there has been a renaissance of studies into the diverse relationships between National Socialism and esoteric or occult religious trends, which appears to form a remarkable return to the work of George L Mosse. Yet within these debates there has been surprisingly little space devoted to the question of what specifically ‘counted’ as religion in the early Nazi milieu. This article seeks to address this problem through a detailed study of the views on religion in one of the major antisemitic groups in the 1920s, the German Socialist Party, which had a number of significant connections to the NSDAP. The German Socialist debates on religion have remained largely unexamined, and this article analyses the group’s response to the Nazis’ 25 Point Programme, the German Socialists’ own debates about religion, and their views on the most important völkisch authors who were seeking a ‘religious revival’. It demonstrates that views on religion in the early Nazi milieu were extre...

German Studies Review, 2014

Balea stabilis (L. Pfeiffer) collected from two localities in the Polish Carpathians were kept in... more Balea stabilis (L. Pfeiffer) collected from two localities in the Polish Carpathians were kept in the laboratory for more than four years. Observations were conducted between March and October when the snails were kept at room temperature (18-25°C); in winter they were stored at 3°C. The egg-laying period started in late March and lasted till the middle of September, with the maximum in April-May. The eggs were oval, gelatinous, with separate calcium carbonate crystals in the external envelope (average egg size 1.69 × 1.47 mm). They were deposited in batches, usually of 5-9 eggs (mean 6.9). The number of batches per snail per year was 1-7; the corresponding number of eggs-3-41. At room temperature the incubation took 15-21 days; the hatching success was 71.9%.

Journal of Contemporary History, 2013

Returning to the Journal of Contemporary History debate on The Holy Reich, this article argues th... more Returning to the Journal of Contemporary History debate on The Holy Reich, this article argues that the notion of ‘positive Christianity’ as a Nazi ‘religious system’ has been largely invented. It offers a close analysis of significant public statements on National Socialism by three leading Nazis: Adolf Hitler, Gottfried Feder and Alfred Rosenberg. In doing so, it demonstrates that in historical context the three key ideas from Point 24 of the NSDAP programme that were meant to form the content of this ‘type of Christianity’ were not promoted as Christian. Instead, they formed a part of the Nazis’ racial ideology.

Central European History, 2013

The study of German Christian responses to the Nazis is undoubtedly a growing field of historical... more The study of German Christian responses to the Nazis is undoubtedly a growing field of historical inquiry. Within this topic much of the focus has been on larger church organizations, such as the Catholic Church or on those who were engaged in the “Church Struggle” (Kirchenkampf)––the Confessing Church (Bekennende Kirche, BK) or the German Christian Faith Movement (Glaubensbewegung Deutsche Christen, GDC). There are numerous such works that form excellent studies of church organizations, as well as individual theologians.

Central European History, 2014

A trend in studies about National Socialism and religion in recent years argues for a deliberate ... more A trend in studies about National Socialism and religion in recent years argues for a deliberate distinction between the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and the antisemitic völkisch movement of nineteenth-century Germany. This article challenges that contention. Several researchers have published comprehensive studies on the heterogeneous nature of Christian responses to the Nazis, but a comparable approach looking at how the Nazis viewed religion has not yet been undertaken. A study of the latter type is certainly necessary, given that one of the consistent features of the völkisch movement was its diversity. As Roger Griffin has argued, a “striking feature of the sub-culture . . . was just how prolific and variegated it was . . . [T]he only denominator common to all was the myth of national rebirth.” In short, the völkisch movement contained a colorful, varied, and often bewildering range of religious beliefs.

Koehne, Samuel 2008, Refusing to leave : perceptions of German national identity during internmen... more Koehne, Samuel 2008, Refusing to leave : perceptions of German national identity during internment in Australia, 1941-45, in Under suspicion : citizenship and internment in Australia during the Second World War, National Museum of Australia Press, Canberra, ACT, pp.67-83.

Notes and presentation on research into the official Nazi views on religion, and a consideration ... more Notes and presentation on research into the official Nazi views on religion, and a consideration of 'ordinary' Christian response to the rise of the Nazis in Germany.

In 1943, at the Berlin Sportspalast, Joseph Goebbels made his infamous speech on 'total war&#... more In 1943, at the Berlin Sportspalast, Joseph Goebbels made his infamous speech on 'total war', appealing to the crowd to represent Germany as a nation and asking them whether they wanted a war 'more total and radical' than had been previously imagined. In Australia in 1944, the idea of this 'total war' struck a resonance with German civilians interned in Tatura, Victoria. Writing to protest a planned release of internees, these Camp 3 internees claimed an involvement in the 'total war', arguing that any release from the camp would necessitate working towards the 'total destruction of the political, economical and cultural existence of the German Reich and the German nation.' A curious, and important, part of their argument was that such a release would mean that their 'cultural life would be endangered.' It is precisely this 'cultural life' within internment that I wish to examine in this paper.

This historical note briefly considers the history of the phrase ‘Sieg Heil,’ using excerpts from... more This historical note briefly considers the history of the phrase ‘Sieg Heil,’ using excerpts from original sources. It argues that this phrase, and the swastika, marked points of continuity with the earlier volkisch movement.

The riot at Internment Camp 3 Tatura on 29 September 1941 was an example of differing views betwe... more The riot at Internment Camp 3 Tatura on 29 September 1941 was an example of differing views between officers in charge and their superiors regarding the enforcement of camp rules in Australia during World War II. A system of cooperation developed in the c

Late last year I published an article that examined the official Nazi views on religion. In this ... more Late last year I published an article that examined the official Nazi views on religion. In this brief paper, I wished to simply deal with two further points––one relates to Feder’s Commentary and the other deals with the practical effect or impact of ‘ethnotheism’ as it derived from Point 24 of the Nazi Party Program.

Journal of Contemporary History, 2016

In recent years there has been a renaissance of studies into the diverse relationships between Na... more In recent years there has been a renaissance of studies into the diverse relationships between National Socialism and esoteric or occult religious trends, which appears to form a remarkable return to the work of George L Mosse. Yet within these debates there has been surprisingly little space devoted to the question of what specifically ‘counted’ as religion in the early Nazi milieu. This article seeks to address this problem through a detailed study of the views on religion in one of the major antisemitic groups in the 1920s, the German Socialist Party, which had a number of significant connections to the NSDAP. The German Socialist debates on religion have remained largely unexamined, and this article analyses the group’s response to the Nazis’ 25 Point Programme, the German Socialists’ own debates about religion, and their views on the most important völkisch authors who were seeking a ‘religious revival’. It demonstrates that views on religion in the early Nazi milieu were extre...

German Studies Review, 2014

Balea stabilis (L. Pfeiffer) collected from two localities in the Polish Carpathians were kept in... more Balea stabilis (L. Pfeiffer) collected from two localities in the Polish Carpathians were kept in the laboratory for more than four years. Observations were conducted between March and October when the snails were kept at room temperature (18-25°C); in winter they were stored at 3°C. The egg-laying period started in late March and lasted till the middle of September, with the maximum in April-May. The eggs were oval, gelatinous, with separate calcium carbonate crystals in the external envelope (average egg size 1.69 × 1.47 mm). They were deposited in batches, usually of 5-9 eggs (mean 6.9). The number of batches per snail per year was 1-7; the corresponding number of eggs-3-41. At room temperature the incubation took 15-21 days; the hatching success was 71.9%.

Journal of Contemporary History, 2013

Returning to the Journal of Contemporary History debate on The Holy Reich, this article argues th... more Returning to the Journal of Contemporary History debate on The Holy Reich, this article argues that the notion of ‘positive Christianity’ as a Nazi ‘religious system’ has been largely invented. It offers a close analysis of significant public statements on National Socialism by three leading Nazis: Adolf Hitler, Gottfried Feder and Alfred Rosenberg. In doing so, it demonstrates that in historical context the three key ideas from Point 24 of the NSDAP programme that were meant to form the content of this ‘type of Christianity’ were not promoted as Christian. Instead, they formed a part of the Nazis’ racial ideology.

Central European History, 2013

The study of German Christian responses to the Nazis is undoubtedly a growing field of historical... more The study of German Christian responses to the Nazis is undoubtedly a growing field of historical inquiry. Within this topic much of the focus has been on larger church organizations, such as the Catholic Church or on those who were engaged in the “Church Struggle” (Kirchenkampf)––the Confessing Church (Bekennende Kirche, BK) or the German Christian Faith Movement (Glaubensbewegung Deutsche Christen, GDC). There are numerous such works that form excellent studies of church organizations, as well as individual theologians.

Central European History, 2014

A trend in studies about National Socialism and religion in recent years argues for a deliberate ... more A trend in studies about National Socialism and religion in recent years argues for a deliberate distinction between the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and the antisemitic völkisch movement of nineteenth-century Germany. This article challenges that contention. Several researchers have published comprehensive studies on the heterogeneous nature of Christian responses to the Nazis, but a comparable approach looking at how the Nazis viewed religion has not yet been undertaken. A study of the latter type is certainly necessary, given that one of the consistent features of the völkisch movement was its diversity. As Roger Griffin has argued, a “striking feature of the sub-culture . . . was just how prolific and variegated it was . . . [T]he only denominator common to all was the myth of national rebirth.” In short, the völkisch movement contained a colorful, varied, and often bewildering range of religious beliefs.

Koehne, Samuel 2008, Refusing to leave : perceptions of German national identity during internmen... more Koehne, Samuel 2008, Refusing to leave : perceptions of German national identity during internment in Australia, 1941-45, in Under suspicion : citizenship and internment in Australia during the Second World War, National Museum of Australia Press, Canberra, ACT, pp.67-83.

Notes and presentation on research into the official Nazi views on religion, and a consideration ... more Notes and presentation on research into the official Nazi views on religion, and a consideration of 'ordinary' Christian response to the rise of the Nazis in Germany.

In 1943, at the Berlin Sportspalast, Joseph Goebbels made his infamous speech on 'total war&#... more In 1943, at the Berlin Sportspalast, Joseph Goebbels made his infamous speech on 'total war', appealing to the crowd to represent Germany as a nation and asking them whether they wanted a war 'more total and radical' than had been previously imagined. In Australia in 1944, the idea of this 'total war' struck a resonance with German civilians interned in Tatura, Victoria. Writing to protest a planned release of internees, these Camp 3 internees claimed an involvement in the 'total war', arguing that any release from the camp would necessitate working towards the 'total destruction of the political, economical and cultural existence of the German Reich and the German nation.' A curious, and important, part of their argument was that such a release would mean that their 'cultural life would be endangered.' It is precisely this 'cultural life' within internment that I wish to examine in this paper.

This historical note briefly considers the history of the phrase ‘Sieg Heil,’ using excerpts from... more This historical note briefly considers the history of the phrase ‘Sieg Heil,’ using excerpts from original sources. It argues that this phrase, and the swastika, marked points of continuity with the earlier volkisch movement.

The riot at Internment Camp 3 Tatura on 29 September 1941 was an example of differing views betwe... more The riot at Internment Camp 3 Tatura on 29 September 1941 was an example of differing views between officers in charge and their superiors regarding the enforcement of camp rules in Australia during World War II. A system of cooperation developed in the c

This collection of essays by Australian, New Zealand and international historians comes from the ... more This collection of essays by Australian, New Zealand and international historians comes from the XVth Biennial Conference of the Australasian Association of European History, held at the University of Melbourne, Australia, in July 2005.

The essays present current research on a number of major themes: state-sanctioned terror and total war in twentieth-century Europe; famine, mass-killing and genocide; as well as cultural and political histories, and the place of Europe in world history.

Covering the period from the late nineteenth century to the present, the studies embrace social, intellectual and political issues and concerns, including close empirical studies of specific Eastern, Central and Western European contexts and developments, but also trans-national perspectives and relationships.

The collection includes work by distinguished international and Australasian historians as well as emerging younger scholars.

This thesis examines questions of national identity as they pertain to an ethno-religious group, ... more This thesis examines questions of national identity as they pertain to an ethno-religious group, the Temple Society, and the “points of conflict” that arose over the Templers’ identity during the turbulent period 1933-1950. It considers at some length the perceptions regarding their identity during the period in which they were deported from the British Mandate of Palestine and interned in Australia during World War II.

Contemporary Church History Quarterly, 2020

This article note examines the research of Amit Varshizky on the 'metaphysics of race'

News, reviews, & commentary on contemporary religious history with a focus on Germany & Europe in... more News, reviews, & commentary on contemporary religious history with a focus on Germany & Europe in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. https://contemporarychurchhistory.org

Professor Jantzen reviews two of my recent articles: Samuel Koehne, “Nazism and Religion: The Pr... more Professor Jantzen reviews two of my recent articles:
Samuel Koehne, “Nazism and Religion: The Problem of ‘Positive Christianity,’” Australian Journal of Politics and History 60 No. 1 (2014): 28-42.

Samuel Koehne, “Nazi Germany as a Christian State: The ‘Protestant Experience’ of 1933 in Württemberg,” Central European History 46 No. 1 (March 2013): 97-123.

Contemporary Church History Quarterly, 2021

This reviews Klaus Vondung's book Paths to Salvation: The National Socialist Religion, trans. Wil... more This reviews Klaus Vondung's book Paths to Salvation: The National Socialist Religion, trans. William Petropulos (St Augustine’s Press: South Bend, Indiana, 2019). 168 Pp. ISBN: 978-1-58731-656-2.