Editing Heinrich Himmler (section)

=== Anti-church struggle ===
{{Main|Kirchenkampf|Nazi persecution of the Catholic Church}}

According to Himmler biographer [[Peter Longerich]], Himmler believed that a major task of the SS should be "acting as the vanguard in overcoming Christianity and restoring a 'Germanic' way of living" as part of preparations for the coming conflict between "humans and subhumans".{{sfn|Longerich|2012|p=265}} Longerich wrote that, while the Nazi movement as a whole launched itself against Jews and Communists, "by linking de-Christianisation with re-Germanization, Himmler had provided the SS with a goal and purpose all of its own".{{sfn|Longerich|2012|p=265}} Himmler was vehemently opposed to Christian sexual morality and the "principle of Christian mercy", both of which he saw as dangerous obstacles to his planned battle with "subhumans".{{sfn|Longerich|2012|p=265}} In 1937, Himmler declared:

{{blockquote|We live in an era of the ultimate conflict with Christianity. It is part of the mission of the SS to give the German people in the next half century the non-Christian ideological foundations on which to lead and shape their lives. This task does not consist solely in overcoming an ideological opponent but must be accompanied at every step by a positive impetus: in this case that means the reconstruction of the German heritage in the widest and most comprehensive sense.{{sfn|Longerich|2012|p=270}}}}

In early 1937, Himmler had his personal staff work with academics to create a framework to replace Christianity within the Germanic cultural heritage. The project gave rise to the Deutschrechtliches Institut, headed by Professor Karl Eckhardt, at the [[University of Bonn]].{{sfn|Padfield|1990|p=170}}