German Quakers Issue Letter on Personal Conscience Amid Nazi Rule

The Religious Society of Friends, known as Quakers, was a small community in Germany, with around 225 members in 1933–34. Over the following years, the group saw a modest increase in membership. Committed to non-violence, spiritual life, and community service, the Quakers maintained strong ties with fellow Quaker communities in Europe, Britain, and North America. Many members were also engaged in organizations that promoted peace, international cooperation, and intellectual exchange.

Just months after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933, the Executive Committee of the German Religious Society of Friends convened in Frankfurt. They composed a two and a half page letter addressed to the entire German Quaker community. The authors made it clear that the text was “strictly personal and confidential, intended for members only, and under no circumstances for publication or propaganda.”

The letter acknowledged the “moment in time” and its “profound effect on our people,” without directly referencing the Nazi regime or specific events. The authors urged members to focus on spiritual matters, reinforcing the group’s identity as “a religious society.” They emphasized the importance of personal faith and conscience over institutional identity.

Toward the end of the letter, the authors suggested a growing strategy the Quakers would adopt during the Nazi era—encouraging individuals to act according to their own conscience regarding Nazi policies. The letter cautioned members to consider whether to resist Nazi rule personally, rather than relying on their Quaker identity. “Everyone has the opportunity to do so in their own circles. But we ask you to carefully consider your actions… and not to believe that as Quakers you must do something, or that under this name you can do more than your own strength allows.”

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, German Quakers, along with their Austrian counterparts who joined the German body after the Anschluss in 1938, showed solidarity with German Jews as persecution intensified. They assisted Jewish individuals in emigrating or evading deportation through hiding. Thirteen German Quakers have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem.

Between 1933 and 1934, there was a notable increase in membership, with 63 new members joining and 44 withdrawing. The period also saw the establishment of an active International Quaker Center, reflecting the group’s ongoing engagement with global issues.

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