Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1998-06-01 Gemeindegeschichte Als Vergleichende Geschichte: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in East Germany Bruce W. Hall Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the European History Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Hall, Bruce W., "Gemeindegeschichte Als Vergleichende Geschichte: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints in East Germany" (1998). Theses and Dissertations. 4743. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4743 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. gemeindegeschichte als vergleichende geschichte church jesus christ latter day saints east germany 194519891945 1989 thesis presented department history brigham young university partial fulfillment requirements degree master arts bruce W hall june 1998 thesis bruce W hall accepted present form department history brighamofbrigham young university satisfying thesis requirement degree master arts koaxoa11 jaljaier committee chair rodney D boefbohfboha committee member bruce van orden committee member im 1 date kendallkenjall W brown department chair n CONTENTS acknowledgementsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv LIST abbreviations vi chapter 1 introduction 1 2 RELIGION MINORITY RELIGION INTHEGDRGDR 194519491945 1949 13 3 consolidation persecution 1949 1961 23 4 reconciliation accommodation NEWANEW constitution 1961 1971 38 5 POWER BANALITY EAST GERMAN SECRET POLICE CHURCH JESUS CHRIST LATTERDAYLATTER DAY SAINTS 194519891945 1989 61 6 HONECKER TEMPLE WENDE 1971 1989 85 7 conclusion 97 APPENDIX 105 BIBLIOGbibliographyRAPHY 106 iiililili acknowledgments many people contributed compilation completion thesis I1 like thank few them here special thanks goes frau steinbach frau erb aideroiderder bundesbeauftragtebundesbeauftragteftr furrur die unterlagenUnterlagen des staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen deutschen demokratischen republikublikbublik leipzig diligence patience willingness search through thousands former stasi files american student matthew heiss church jesus christ latter day saints historical department salt lake city I1 wish express my appreciation numerous hours spent discussion research I1 like express my gratitude various departments brigham young university provided funding long research trip germany department history department religious education david M kennedy center international area studies graduate school office research creative activities without support none research possible I1 like thank members my thesis committee time effort project truly offered exceptional insights direction I1 especially like thank my thesis advisor dr tobler without encouragement confidence me I1 am sure thesis never written iv germany my good friend ajombj6mbjom bauerfeind great help both during my stay leipzig since him herzlichenherzlichen dank eberhard wemerwerner without whose knowledge expertise mention significant portion unpublished gemeindegeschichte I1 express deep gratitude hopefully future name appear next mine authors substantial work religion leipzig least I1 like thank my wife beate inspiration support mention native german helped me see through end much work LIST abbreviations EK evangelischeEvange lische kirche evangelical lutheran church largest church former east germany FRG federal republic germany GDRDDR german democratic republic deutsche demokratische Republik GI heimerneheimerGegeheimer informatorInforminformatoryator secret informant designation given informants worked stasi prior 1968 IM inoffiziellerinofflziellermitarbeiterMitarbeiter inofficial workercollaboratorWorker Collaborator designation given informants worked stasi 1968 JG junge Gemegemeindegemeinderinde society youth youth society within evangelical church germany LDS latter day saints short church jesus christ latter day saints mfs ministeriumfiirministerium furrur staatssicherheit ministry state security east german secret police SED sozialistische einheitspartei deutschlandsdeutschlandeDeutschlands socialist unity party germany communist party east germany SMAD soviet military administration germany 194519491945 1949 stasi short ministeriumftrministerium furjur staatssicherheit east german secret police viVI CHAPTER 1 introduction SED continually avoided pursuing policy aimed abolition complete privatization churches instead endeavored without fundamentally questioning churches repress public influence words limit them status quo completely secularize social life well replace christian morals manifestations life socialist society 1 above quotation taken hartmut timmermanszimmermansZimmermans authoritative DDR handbuchHandbuch published 1989 reveals general position SED socialist unity party germany sozialistische einheitspartei deutschlandsdeutschlandeDeutschlands toward religion former german democratic republic GDR relatively consistent policy limitation secularization although earlier severe later accommodating influenced development religious organizations churches during GDRs forty year 194919891949 1989 existence tools employed accomplish these goals included media dedicated communist politicians education system police notorious ministry state security aall2allailali religious organizations felt pressure exerted regime eventually forced way reconcile existence GDR church jesus christ latter day saints LDS Morcormonsmormonsmons religious organizations forced situation accommodation established germany during mid 1800s LDS church often viewed germans rather obscure american denomination grown significantly twentieth century 1 during latter part 1920s cormonsmormons lived germany country outside united states beginning world war II11 LDS population germany exceeded 13000 division germany establishment german democratic republic 1949 mormon membership behind iron curtain stood approximately 6000 number however began diminish circumstances discussed thesis august 1961 erection berlin wall prevented further emigration GDR west germany 3 united states membership stabilized approximately 45 00OO several hundred these cormonsmormons lived large eastern city leipzig beginning 1940s comprised two separate branches congregations 1961 number decreased half two branches combined several significant factors caused decrease membership devastation world war II11 left many without homes husbands founding GDR 1949 felt chances success life better west moved even though church leaders encouraged them remain emigration longer became option wall tightened border security left church social political pressures imposed communist government forty years 1949 until 1989 faithful latter day saints GDR leipzig endured hardships challenges living devout religious life unfriendly communist society opening quotation zimmerman suggests religious life GDR often forced difficult choices concerning ones faith LDS church GDR tiny insignificant minority population 17 million total membership constituted less 030.