Martin Luther in Nazi Germany

[3] A recurring point of contention among scholars of Luther's work is whether or not his antisemitic beliefs could have directly influenced the repression and genocide under the Nazi regime.

[4] Although many other scholars have contested these connections and the true relationship between Lutheran and Nazi antisemitism yet lacks consensus, historian David H. Lindquist nonetheless summarizes the matter by stating: "It would be disingenuous to hold that the Nazi persecution of the Jews could have occurred without the presence of preexisting conditions in German culture in particular and European society in general, and the existence of long-term, seemingly endemic antisemitism in various forms is the most important of such conditions" and argues the "Racial root" of Nazi antisemitism to be part of the same historical context of the "Religious root" of Luther's writings on Jews.

[2] Other appropriations of Martin Luther's image and writings for NSDAP purposes included Trust No Fox on his Green Heath and No Jew on his Oath, an antisemitic children's picture book by kindergarten teacher Elvira Bauer [de] published by Der Stürmer editor Julius Streicher with a title taken directly from Luther's On the Jews and Their Lies.

The most notable of these was his 450th birthday in November 1933, which was declared a nationwide holiday termed "German Luther Day" and featured public demonstrations by pro-Nazi Christians and speeches by major religious figures.

Richard Steigmann-Gall writes in his 2003 book The Holy Reich: Nazi Conceptions of Christianity, 1919–1945: The leadership of the Protestant League espoused a similar view.