T H U R S D A Y , A P R I L 2 1 , 2 0 0 5Ratzinger's Spiritual Mentor Dined With,Praised Hitlerby Michael in New York on 4/21/2005 02:54:00 AMYes, more information from the well-travelled territory of PopeBenedict XVI/Ratzinger's childhood during the war.</p><p> This time,the Independent UK goes to his hometown and quotes anumber of people quite hard on the teenage Ratzinger.Yet, in Traunstein, some of the town's older residentsfeel that questions about the Pope's early yearsremain unanswered.</p><p> Herta Kaiser, an 83-year-oldpensioner recalled that several people in the town hidJews from the Nazis and helped them to escape toneutral Switzerland. "Traunstein was not all Nazi, itwas also a Catholic stronghold," she said.There is no evidence that the Ratzinger family feltinclined to help the town's few remaining Jews, or thesmattering of anti-Nazi resistance fighters who daredto oppose the regime.Elizabeth Lohner, 84, whose brother-in-law was sentto Dachau concentration camp for being aconscientious objector, recalled: "It was possible toresist and those people set an example for others."She added: "The Ratzingers were young and madedifferent choices."In 1937, another Traunstein family hid a localanti-Nazi resistance fighter, named Hans Braxenthaler.He had been tortured in Dachau for his opposition tothe regime.</p><p> Frieda Meyer, 82, one of the Ratzingerfamily's neighbours at the time, said: "WhenBraxenthaler was betrayed and the Nazis came forhim, he shot himself rather than give himself up."And here's info I haven't read before about Ratzinger's mentor:Ratzinger's election will also raise questions about thedubious role played by the Catholic Church during theNazi era.</p><p> The extent to which leading Catholics feltobliged to reach compromises with the regime isoutlined by the stance taken by Ratzinger's mentor,Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber, one of the Pope'smost important early influences.Documented evidence shows that the cardinal visitedHitler's mountain retreat during the 1930s and wasentertained to lunch by the Führer in person.</p><p> Duringtheir meeting, Von Faulhaber is on record as tellingHitler that the Church saw him as an "authoritychosen by God, to whom we owe respect".Some mentor.</p><p> As fallible human beings, I'm sure we can allempathize with the desire to not be harmed.</p><p> Heck, this is howNaziism and the Holocaust flourished: the price of resisting HuffPost PoliticsJames Crowley, Policeman Who Arrested Gates,Won't Apologize - NATICK, Mass. — A white policesergeant accused of racism after he arrestedrenowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. at hishome insisted Wednesday...8 minutes ago Daily KosIOKIYAPI (It's OK If You're A Private Insurer) -Here's William Kristol revealing the *horrors*hidden within the health care bill as it emergedfrom the HELP committee...</p><p> For Kennedy and hisco-autho...16 minutes ago Ben SmithObama: Cambridge police acted 'stupidly' - Afterspending most of an hour patiently reiterating hisarguments for changing the health insurancesystem, President Barack Obama turned his press1 hour ago Crooks and LiarsGlenn Beck Defends His Radio Show Freakout: ItWas Just Common Sense - You can view this videoright here by getting the latest version of FlashPlayer! DOWNLOADS: (84) [image: DownloadWMV] [image: Download Quicktime] PL...1 hour ago Paul KrugmanProfessor in chief - I found Obama's health carepresentation so impressive - so much command ofthe issues - that it had me worried.</p><p> If I really like apoliticians' speech, is...1 hour agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show All AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Ratzing...http://www.americablog.com/2005/04/ratzingers-spiritual-ment... 1 of 57/22/09 11:30 PMA M E R I C A B L O G T V Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with vodpod In honor of SenatorDeMint For the GOPers, healthcare is politics.</p><p> They just Traditional media has todebunk the birthers One small step...</p><p> The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, in REM - Orange CrushNext 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Ratzing...http://www.americablog.com/2005/04/ratzingers-spiritual-ment... 2 of 57/22/09 11:30 PMEzra KleinTab Dump3 hours agoWonk RoomSen.</p><p> Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’5 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .5 hours agoThe TreatmentHatch Is Out7 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' Proposals13 hours agoG AY P O L I T I C S Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S Blog RSS AMERICAblog TV RSS Twitter RSSTwitter Feed Get the blog by email: Subscribe me! Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Ratzing...http://www.americablog.com/2005/04/ratzingers-spiritual-ment... 3 of 57/22/09 11:30 PMS E A R C H AMERICAblog Web SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$ Recurring monthlydonation$ Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Ratzing...http://www.americablog.com/2005/04/ratzingers-spiritual-ment... 4 of 57/22/09 11:30 PM© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Ratzing...http://www.americablog.com/2005/04/ratzingers-spiritual-ment... 5 of 57/22/09 11:30 PM
