I'm curious, what is the truth there. I don't like the idea that he fought for the Germans when we just had a Pope who was persecuted by them.
"I'm curious, what is the truth there. I don't like the idea that he fought for the Germans when we just had a Pope who was persecuted by them."
Well, there was this Pharasee named Saul who stood by as Stephen was stoned. (First Chritian martyr, BTW).
Saul turned out OK.
Ratzinger was born in Marktl am Inn, in Bavaria, the son of a police officer who was staunchly anti-Nazi. In 1937 Ratzinger's father retired and settled in the town of Traunstein. When Ratzinger turned 14 in 1941, he was required by law to join the Hitler Youth , but according to his biographer John Allen he was not an enthusiastic member. In 1943, at the age of 16 he was, along with the rest of his class, drafted into the Flak or anti-aircraft corps, responsible for the guarding of a BMW plant outside Munich. He was then sent for basic infantry training and was posted to Hungary, where he worked setting up anti-tank defences until he deserted in April 1944 (an offence punishable by death). In 1945 he was briefly held in an Allied POW camp. By June he was released, and he and his brother (Georg) entered a Catholic seminary.
He was born in 1927, the same age as my father.
Dad wasn't old enough to be drafted until 1945, the year the war ended.....18 years old.
From 1939 to 1945, this Pope would have been 12 - 18 years old. Anything at that time of life could hardly be held against him.....especially if he's from Munich.
The Benedictine Abbey of Hildregard was one of my favorite places to visit in my final tour of duty in Germany. It sits along the Rhine alongside the town of Rudesheim. It is a beautiful place of vineyards and prayerfulness. I loved sitting in the sanctuary during vespers listening to the nuns march in and chant. (We could never see them.)
Does anyone know if Ratzinger is Benedictine? (Incidentally, I am not Catholic so if I say anything out of bounds, it's not intentional.)
What the heck is that supposed to mean? Cardinal Ratzinger and John Paul II were very close friends for the last 40 years. If John Paul II had no problem with his "past," then why would you?
Don't fall into that DU trap. Anyone of his age in Germany was required to serve. Only the historically challenged equate German soldiers with Nazi's (I'm not saying you are). The true Nazi's never faced their enemy.