1st Edition

Clerical Fascism in Interwar Europe

Edited By Matthew Feldman, Marius Turda, Tudor Georgescu Copyright 2008
    272 Pages
    by Routledge

    264 Pages
    by Routledge

    This edited volume arose from an international workshop convened in 2006 by Feldman and Turda with Tudor Georgescu, supported by Routledge, and the universities of Oxford, Brookes, Northampton and CEU (Budapest). As the field of fascist studies continues to integrate more fully into pan-European studies of the twentieth century, and given the increasing importance of secular ‘political religion’ as a taxonomic tool for understanding such revolutionary movements, this collection of essays considers the intersection between institutional Christian faiths, theology and congregations on the one hand, and fascist ideology on the other.

    In light of recent debates concerning the intersecting secularisation of religion and (usually Christian-based) the sacralisation of politics, "Clerical Fascism" in Interwar Europe approaches such conundrums from an alternative perspective: How, in Europe between the wars, did Christian clergy, laity and institutions respond to the rise of national fascist movements? In doing so, this volume provides case studies from the vast majority of European countries with analyses that are both original in intent and comprehensive in scope. In dealing with the relationship of various interwar fascist movements and their respective national religious institutions, this edited collection promises to significantly contribute to relevant academic historiographies; and as such, will appeal to a wide readership.

    This book was previously published as a special issue of Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions.

    -Introduction: Matthew Feldman (University of Northampton) and Marius Turda (Oxford Brookes University), Approaching "clerical fascism’

    -Griffin, Roger (Oxford Brookes University), ‘The Holy Storm’: "clerical fascism" through the lens of modernism

    -Steigmann Gall, Richard (Kent State University), The Nazis’ ‘Positive Christianity’: A case of "clerical fascism"?

    -Bodo, Bela (Grand Valley University), The Catholic Church and the White Terror in Hungary, 1919-1922

    -Cronin, Mike (Boston College), Catholicising fascism, fascistising Catholicism? The Blueshirts and the Jesuits in 1930s Ireland

    -Berggren, Lena (University of Umea), Completing the Lutheran revolution: "clerical fascism" and ultra-nationalism in interwar Sweden

    -De Wever, Bruno (Ghent University), Catholicism and fascism in Belgium

    -Linehan, Thomas (Brunel University), ‘On the Side of Christ’: clerics and fascists in interwar Britain

    -Dagninio, Jorge (University of Oxford), Catholic modernities in Fascist Italy: The case of the FUCI

    -Falina, Maria (Central European University), Between "clerical fascism" and political orthodoxy: the case of interwar Serbia

    -Pinto, Antonio Costa (University of Lisbon), Political Catholicism, Crisis of Democracy, and Salazar’s New State in Portugal

    -Biondich, Mark (Carleton University), The Ustasha and "clerical fascism" in the wartime Independent State of Croatia

    -Sandulescu, Valentin (Central European University), Scaralised Politics in Action: The February 1937 Burial of the Romanian Legionary Leaders Ion Mota and Vasile Marin

    -Kallis, Aristotle (University of Lancaster) The Metaxas regime and "clerical fascism" in interwar Greece

    -Pyrah, Robert (University of Oxford) Enacting Encyclicals: Austrian cultural politics in the context of "clerical fascism"

    -Shekhovstov, Anton (TO FOLLOW), "Clerical fascism" in interwar Ukraine: Its nature and place in the European context

    -Kocoureck, Katya (TO FOLLOW), ‘The father of the Slovak nation and his devout followers’: Andrei Hlinka, Jozef Tiso and Karol Sidor in the struggle for SL’s power, 1935-8

    -Krzywies, Grezegorz (TO FOLLOW), Catholic authoritarians or fascists: The Case of National Democracy in Poland

    -Pollard, John (Cambridge University), Context, Overview and Conclusion

    Biography

    Matthew Feldman is a Lecturer in Twentieth Century History at the University of Northampton and editor of the journal Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions.