Dankgottesdienst – A Nazi “Thanksgiving Prayer” leaflet, printed as part of the religious-fascist propaganda campaign following the Anschluss—the annexation of Austria to the German Reich in 1938. Extremely rare.
On the title page appears a quote from Adolf Hitler’s speech on April 9, 1938 (one day before the referendum confirming the annexation):
“Ich führe Euch heim” – “I am bringing you home.”
The title of the prayer reads: “We thank our Führer, the creator of Greater Germany, for leading us back to the Reich.” The leaflet notes that on this day (April 10, 1938), a religious thanksgiving service (Dankgottesdienst – a German term meaning “religious thanksgiving ceremony, ” usually Protestant) was held.
In 1938, mass religious ceremonies were held across Austria in churches to mark the referendum that supported the Anschluss. Churches, particularly Protestant ones, welcomed the annexation and even viewed it as a fulfillment of the divine vision of German unification. This prayer booklet blends Christian prayers and hymns with the cult of personality surrounding Hitler, presenting Austria’s annexation as an act with divine sanction. The use of religious quotes alongside swastikas and the Nazi anthem was part of a broader attempt to blur the line between religion and radical nationalism, granting the Third Reich an aura of historical and spiritual mission.
The opening hymn expresses gratitude for the victory. The central hymn (Hauptlied) is none other than the famous Lutheran anthem “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” (“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”) by Martin Luther:
“And if the world were full of devils, and they sought to devour us, we would not fear so greatly; we shall still prevail.” This hymn frames the battle against “evil forces”- which the Nazis identified as the enemies of the Reich: Jews, Bolsheviks, liberals, and others. The closing hymn (Schlusslied), with lyrics by Prof. Leopold von Schroeder, a German theologian and nationalist, describes God as the “leader of all worlds, ” with pleas such as: “Help us trample the power of lies, help us shatter the swarm of our enemies.” Swastikas are illustrated in all four corners of the title page.
Extremely rare. Most churches soon withdrew from their initial enthusiasm. During the war, many moved to quiet opposition or were actively persecuted by the Nazi regime. No additional copies of this prayer are known to exist; it was likely printed in a very limited edition.
[4] pages. Stains. Good condition.
