Pope Francis Warns Spreading Populism Could Spawn New Hitler
Image by Getty Images
By Sam Kestenbaum January 24, 2017
Pope Francis is warning against growing populism in Europe — pointing out that similar nationalist sentiments led to the election of Adolf Hitler.
“In times of crisis, we lack judgment,” the pontiff said in an interview with the Spanish outlet El Pais, according to an NBC translation.
“The most obvious example of European populism is Germany in 1933. After the crisis of 1930, Germany is broken, it needs to get up, to find its identity, a leader, someone capable of restoring its character, and there is a young man named Adolf Hitler.”
The pope went on: “Hitler didn’t steal the power, his people voted for him, and then he destroyed his people.”
During that same interview, the pope spoke about the rise of President Trump, striking a conciliatory tone despite past criticism.
“I don’t like to get ahead of myself nor judge people prematurely. We will see how he acts, what he does, and then I will have an opinion,” he said.
Email Sam Kestenbaum at [email protected]
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
