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Church and politics: Dorothy Buxton and the German church struggle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2016

Keith Robbins
Keith Robbins*
Affiliation:
University College of North Wales, Bangor
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Extract

The German church struggle in the nineteen thirties inevitably involved christians in Germany in a reconsideration of their attitudes towards politics, but its significance was not confined to Germany. The fate of Martin Niemöller, in particular, was a matter of lively concern in Britain. Conway contends that ‘the English-speaking public was all the more disposed to give every credit to the “Bekennende Kirche” because all the books published in English before the war were wholeheartedly on their side.’ English-speaking authors, he adds, unanimously, if one-sidedly, saw the struggle as one of church versus state, good versus evil, and confessing church versus nazi storm-troopers. A brief study of the activities of one of the writers mentioned by Conway, Mrs Dorothy Buxton, reveals that the ‘English-speaking public’ was not quite as unanimous in its interpretation of church and politics in Germany as the contemporary literary works might suggest.

Type
Research Article
Information
Studies in Church History , Volume 12: Church Society and Politics , 1975 , pp. 419 - 433
Copyright
Copyright © Ecclesiastical History Society 1975

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References

1 See my article ‘Martin Niemöller, the German Church Struggle and English Opinion’ JEH 21, 2 (April 1970).

2 Conway, [J.S.], [The Nazi Persecution of the Churches, 1933-45] (London 1968) pp xvii–iii Google Scholar.

3 Wilson, F., Rebel Daughter of a Country House (London 1967)Google Scholar.

4 Bunsen, V.de, Charles Roden Buxton (London 1948)Google Scholar.

5 Jasper, [R.C.D.], [George] Bell, [Bishop of Chichester] (London 1967)Google Scholar. G. Bell to D. Buxton, 4 February 1935. A letter in the possession of Miss Eglantyne Buxton. Any letters in her possession are hereafter referred to as Buxton Papers (A).

6 J. H. Oldham to D. Buxton, 1 February 1935, Buxton Papers (A). Oldham was a leading figure in the developing ecumenical movement. See his Church, Community and State (London 1935).

7 Jasper, Bell, p 205.

8 Jasper, [R.C.D.], [A.C.] Headlam: [Life and Letters of a Bishop] (London 1960) pp 292–3 Google Scholar.

9 Headlam to Rosenberg, 25 February 1935 quoted in Jasper, Headlam, p 295. See also Das politische Tagebuch Alfred Rosenbergs 1934/35 und 1939/40, ed Seraphim, H.-G. (Munich 1964) p 65 Google Scholar.

10 Headlam to Miss P. L. Wingfield, 28 October 1935, Jasper, Headlam, p 296.

11 N. Mickiem to D. Buxton, 3 January 1937. A letter in the possession of the author. Letters in his possession are hereafter referred to as Buxton Papers (B). Mickiem, N., The Box and the Puppets (London 1957)Google Scholar.

12 Jasper, Bell, pp 217-20. See also the article by Macdonald, in The Nineteenth Century, March 1937 Google Scholar.

13 The Times, 24 February 1937.

14 D. Buxton to A. C. Headlam, 17 June 1937. In an unsorted collection of Buxton Papers in Lambeth Palace library, London, hereafter referred to as Buxton Papers (C) 5a.

15 Conway p 164.

16 M. E. Aubrey to D. F. Buxton, 2 March 1937, Buxton Papers (B). Aubrey was general secretary of the baptist union.

17 H.H. Henson to D. F. Buxton, 2 March 1937, Buxton Papers (B). For Henson see Henson, H.H., Retrospect of an unimportant life, 2 (London 1943)Google Scholar and Braley, E.F., Letters of Herbert Hensley Henson (London 1950)Google Scholar.

18 Bishop of Croydon to D. F. Buxton, 3 March 1937, Buxton Papers (B).

19 Lord Hugh Cecil to D. F. Buxton, 10 March 1937, ibid.

20 Bishop of Fulham to D. F. Buxton, 2 March 1937, ibid.

21 D. F. Buxton to bishop of Fulham, 9 March 1937, ibid.

22 A. C. Headlam to D. Buxton, 4 March 1937 and 10 March 1937, ibid.

23 Bishop of Birmingham to D. F. Buxton, 8 March 1937, ibid.

24 The Times, 11 March 1937; M. E. Aubrey to D. F. Buxton, 24 March 1937, Buxton Papers (B).

25 D. F. Buxton to M. E. Aubrey, 29 March 1937, ibid.

26 M. E. Aubrey to D. F. Buxton, 23 April 1937, ibid.

27 D. F. Buxton to M. E. Aubrey, 27 April 1937, ibid.

28 N. Mickiem to D. F. Buxton, 7 May 1937, ibid.

29 N. Micklein to D. F. Buxton, 13 May 1937, ibid.

30 Fourth Survey on the Affairs of the Continental Churches (German Evangelical Church), April 1936 to April 1937 (London June 1937). Preface by the bishop of Gloucester.

31 D. F. Buxton to A. C. Headlam, 17 June 1937, Buxton Papers (C) 5a.

32 A. C. Headlam to D. Buxton, 29 June 1937, ibid.

33 M. E. Aubrey to D. F. Buxton, 2 July 1937, ibid.

34 In order to protect her informants she simply described herself as ‘An English Protestant’. [The] Church Struggle [in Germany. A Survey of Four Years, March 1933- July 1937] (London 1937).

35 See Wiener’s, A. article ‘Untersuchungen zum Widerhall des deutschen Kirchenkampfes in England, 1933-38; in On the track of tyranny; Essays presented by the Wiener Library to Leonard G. Montefiore, ed Beloff, M. (London 1961)Google Scholar.

36 Church Struggle pp 23-4.

37 H. H. Henson to D. F. Buxton, 14 July 1937.

38 W. Temple to D. F. Buxton, 14 July 1937; G. Bell to D. F. Buxton, 13 August 1937, Buxton Papers (B).

39 G. Mayfield to D. F. Buxton, 20 August 1937, Buxton Papers (B).

40 Jasper, Bell, p 235.

41 H. Henson to D. F. Buxton, 7 December 1937, Buxton Papers (C).

42 Bishop of London to D. F. Buxton, 14 December 1937, ibid.

43 Bishop of Ripon to D. F. Buxton, 28 December 1937, ibid.

44 W. R. Matthews to D. F. Buxton, 8 December 1937, ibid.

45 G. Bell to D. F. Buxton, 7 December 1937, 13 December 1937, 16 December 1937, Buxton Papers (B). See also Jasper, Bell, p 235.

46 G. Bell to D. F. Buxton, 20 December 1937, Buxton Papers (B).

47 N. Mickiem to D. F. Buxton, 21 December 1937, 13 January 1938, 21 January 1938, ibid.

48 A special correspondent, ‘Justice in Germany’, The Spectator, 18 February 1938.

49 Buxton), Q.R.S.(D. F., ‘Dr Nieraoller and the Confessional Church’, Time and Tide, 5 March 1938 Google Scholar.

50 K. Barth to D. F. Buxton, 28 May 1938, Buxton Papers (B).

51 M. E. Aubrey to D. F. Buxton, 13 May 1938, ibid.

52 A special correspondent, ‘Dr Niemöllcr’s ordeal’, Tlie Spectator, 1 July 1938.

53 The Times, 28 July 1938.

54 Ibid, 20 July 1938.

55 Ibid, 10 August 1938.

56 The bishop of Gloucester, ‘The German Church’, The Guardian, 2 September 1938 Google Scholar.

57 D. F. Buxton to K. Barth, 20 September 1938, Buxton Papers (B).

58 Barth, K., The German Church Struggle; Tribulation and Promise (London 1938. ForewordGoogle Scholar.

59 I was in Prison, ed Buxton, D.F. (London 1938)Google Scholar.

60 Robbins, K.G., Munich 1938 (London 1968)Google Scholar. Watt, D.C., ‘Christian Essay in Appease ment; Lord Lothian and his Quaker Friends’, Wiener Library Bulletin, 14, 2 (London 1960)Google Scholar.

61 Mrs Buxton was responsible for the fact that the service was reproduced in The British Weekly, 1 December 1938.

62 See, for example, an exchange of letters in The Scotsman, 6-26 January 1939.

63 The Church of England Newspaper, 10 February 1939.

64 D. F. Buxton to the editor, Church of England Newspaper, 13 February 1939; editor, Church of England Newspaper, 21 February 1939, Buxton Papers (B).

65 D. F. Buxton to the editor, Church of England Newspaper, 23 February 1939, ibid.

66 Articles in the Church of England Newspaper, 17 March 1939 and 31 March 1939; editor, Church of England Newspaper to D. F. Buxton, 3 April 1939; D. F. Buxton in the Church of England Newspaper6 April 1939.