§ 2.35 p.m.
THE LORD BISHOP OF CHICHESTERMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any information to give the House about the current attacks on the Churches in the Soviet Zone of Germany.]
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)My Lords, in answer to the right reverend Prelate's Question, the latest information available to Her Majesty's Government is as follows. The situation of the Churches in the Soviet Zone of Germany, which over the past few years had been steadily deteriorating, became even more serious in recent months, in the face of intensified Communist hostility. This hostility took the form of arrests of clergy and laity, confiscation of Church property, withdrawal of Church subsidies paid by the State, increasing pressure on the young Christian communities (and in particular the Evangelical Junge Gemeinde), restrictions on religious instruction in schools, and the dissemination of propaganda designed to weaken the influence of the Churches.
The Churches in East Germany have not accepted these assaults in silence, and recently leading members of the Evangelical Church decided to ask the Communist authorities to arrange a meeting to discuss the differences between that Church and the State. After this meeting, which took place on June 10, it was announced that an agreement had been reached whereby the attacks on the Evangelical Church were to cease in return for an undertaking that the Church 1024 would refrain from interference in economic and political life.
In view of this agreement I am sure that the right reverend Prelate will agree with the wish of Her Majesty's Government to limit themselves to the facts in answering this question and not to make any comment which might harm the position of the Church in Eastern Germany.
THE LORD BISHOP OF CHICHESTERMy Lords, in thanking the noble Marquess for the Answer which he has given—a satisfactory answer, in the present state of affairs—I should like to say that the situation has greatly altered since I put down my Question. The attitude of the East German Government towards both Protestant and Catholic Churches was condemned by Christian and general human opinion throughout the world, and I very much hope that the present improvement will be maintained.