Informed Saints Were Latter-day Saints Nazis? Secret Files Revealed | Informed Saints
Oct 12, 2025
Neal Rappleye, a Book of Mormon researcher, and Stephen Smoot, an expert on Latter-day Saints history in Nazi Germany, dive into the complex relationship between the Church and the Nazi regime. They explore survival strategies of members—resistance, collaboration, or neutrality—amidst Nazi scrutiny. Smoot reveals shocking findings from Gestapo dossiers, highlighting arrests and mistrust of the Church. They dissect infamous photos and discuss the tragic story of Helmut Hübener, a young resistance fighter. It's a deep look at doctrine, survival, and moral dilemmas during a dark time.
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Three Survival Options Under Totalitarian Rule
- In Nazi Germany small religious minorities faced three survival choices: resist, collaborate, or remain neutral and accommodate.
- The LDS Church largely chose political neutrality to protect members and avoid state repression.
Avoid Hindsight Moralizing Online
- Avoid judging historical actors solely by hindsight moralizing on social media.
- Consider the survival pressures and trade-offs minorities faced under totalitarian regimes before assigning blame.
A 500‑Page Nazi Dossier On The Mormons
- Nazi secret police compiled a roughly 500-page dossier monitoring Latter-day Saints from 1933–1939 that few historians had used.
- Those files reveal systematic surveillance, bans, arrests, and Nazi evaluations of LDS beliefs and activities.
