The Catholic Adult Education of Westeifel and the parish community of Schönecken-Waxweiler present on Thursday, August 21, at 7:00 PM, the latest documentary by the Bitburg filmmaker Adolf Winkler. The film titled “Not in God’s Name” will be shown on a 150-inch screen in the parish church of St. John the Baptist in Waxweiler. Afterwards, the director will be available for a conversation.

Background
In times when racism and anti-Semitism are resurfacing in society, it is necessary to remind ourselves of the terrible consequences that this inhumane hatred can trigger. During the time of National Socialism, many people stood up against the Nazis and had to pay for their courageous engagement with extreme consequences, including the loss of their own lives. Particularly many clergy, priests, and members of religious orders who recognized the evil spirit of the Nazis early on and tried to confront it bravely faced teaching bans, speaking prohibitions, imprisonment, physical abuse, and in many cases, internment in concentration camps, enduring hunger, torture, illness, and forced labor until death from exhaustion or execution. Anyone who follows in the footsteps of these individuals today finds many testimonies of their work, characterized by faith, selflessness, and courage.

The film project is a non-commercial production aimed at providing material for youth and adult education to support the fight against the resurgence of right-wing ideologies and to warn of the terrible consequences of these inhumane ideologies. Hans Peter Bögel, a well-known voice in many high-quality documentaries on ZDF and ARD, was secured as the voiceover for the film.

The fundamental idea for the film was the fate of the two priests Johannes Schulz and Josef Zilliken, who lost their lives in the Dachau concentration camp. The absurd yet frightening reason for the internment of these two clergymen in the Dachau concentration camp was their refusal to perform the so-called “German salute” to Reich Marshal Hermann Göring during a visit to a local restaurant near the Laacher See.