A Nazi Christmas: Redefining tradition under the Third Reich
Discover how the Nazis tried to redefine Christmas, altering traditions and carols to fit their ideology and the lasting impact on the holiday.
Image: Joseph Goebbels with his children at a Christmas event in Berlin | Shawshots / Alamy Stock Photo
Christmas is traditionally a celebration of joy, generosity and spiritual reflection. But in Nazi Germany, even this cherished holiday wasn’t immune to political manipulation. In the 1930s and 1940s Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party sought to reshape Christmas.
Their goal? Strip the holiday of its Christian foundations and reimagine it as a celebration of Aryan heritage and Nazi ideology.
The Nazi vision of Christmas
Hitler viewed Christmas as an opportunity to strengthen his grip on German culture. Christianity, with its Jewish origins and messages of universal love, clashed with the Nazi ideology of racial purity and nationalism. Hitler and his propagandists sought to replace these values with ones that aligned with their vision of the Aryan race as the pinnacle of human civilisation.
Central to this effort was the removal of religious elements from Christmas. The first thing on the chopping block? Traditional nativity scenes. They were downplayed or replaced with imagery that glorified Germanic paganism, Aryan mythology and even the Führer himself.
Reinventing the symbols of Christmas
Christmas symbols weren’t sacred to the Nazis. The Christmas tree, longtime a staple of German festivities, was remarketed by the Nazis as a 'Yule Tree' and stripped of its Christian connotations. Decorations featured swastikas, runes and sunwheels (symbols tied to Germanic pagan traditions) rather than angels or stars. Father Christmas was recast as a kind of Nordic figure tied to the winter solstice, instead of the Christian Saint Nicholas.
Even gifts for children carried Nazi messaging. Toy soldiers, miniature tanks and Nazi-themed board games aimed to instil militaristic values and loyalty to the party from an early age.
A new take on Christmas carols
Perhaps one of the most enduring and disturbing aspects of the Nazi reimagining of Christmas was the rewriting of traditional carols. Religious lyrics were replaced with ideological or nationalist themes, erasing references to Christ and focusing instead on the German homeland, the Aryan race and nature.
For example, Silent Night (Stille Nacht), a beloved carol, had its lyrics altered to remove mentions of Christ. New verses were created to glorify Germanic culture and nature, reflecting the Nazis’ obsession with purity and their efforts to paganise the holiday.
In some cases, entirely new songs were composed to replace traditional carols. These new songs were written to praise the Führer or emphasise themes of German pride. By altering music, an integral part of the holiday season, the regime sought to shape the emotional tone of Christmas, making it a tool of propaganda.
Propaganda in practice: Christmas under the Nazis
Christmas during the Third Reich was not simply a matter of altered traditions - it was an orchestrated effort to enforce ideological conformity. Schools, workplaces and local Nazi organisations were encouraged to adopt the new versions of Christmas celebrations. Propaganda posters, newspapers and radio broadcasts promoted the regime’s version of the holiday, blending images of snow-covered German villages with swastika-laden decorations.
For families, the choice to embrace these changes was often complicated. Some complied out of fear, while others resisted quietly, keeping traditional religious practices alive in their homes. Churches, though increasingly monitored and suppressed, remained a haven for those who wished to celebrate Christmas in its original Christian form.
The relics of Nazi Christmas
The Nazi Party's attempts to redefine Christmas were ultimately a fleeting chapter in the holiday’s long history. But even after Hitler’s downfall some remnants have lingered, often without public awareness of their origins.
For instance, certain altered carols remained in circulation for years before their Nazi-era revisions were recognised and corrected. Similarly, the aesthetic of minimalistic, natural Christmas decorations- a style promoted by the Nazis to reflect Aryan purity - continues to influence modern holiday trends in subtle ways.
Resistance and resilience
Despite the Nazi Party's efforts, many Germans resisted their reimagining of Christmas. Families continued to attend church services, sing traditional carols and celebrate the holiday in its religious context, often behind closed doors. This quiet defiance was a reminder of the power of tradition to endure, even under oppressive regimes.
In some cases, resistance went beyond private acts. Underground groups and clergy used Christmas gatherings as opportunities to discuss opposition to Nazi policies. These small acts of defiance demonstrated the resilience of faith and community in the face of a government bent on erasing them.
Reclaiming Christmas
For more than a decade the Nazis turned Christmas into a battlefield for competing values: the propaganda of the Third Reich versus the enduring traditions of faith and family. Though some of the changes lingered in subtle ways, the resilience of traditional Christmas celebrations stands as a testament to the enduring power of community and belief, even in the darkest of times.
