The Concordat between the Holy See and the German Reich was signed in Vatican City on 20 July 1933, in duplicate, the German and Italian texts having equal force. Plenipotentiaries: Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, Secretary of State of Pope Pius XI, and Franz von Papen, Vice-Chancellor, for the President of the Reich. Article 34: ratification and exchange of instruments; entry into force on the day of the exchange — 10 September, also at the Apostolic Palace. It is not the 1929 Lateran Pacts, nor the concordats with Bavaria, Prussia and Baden, which it supplements.

The preamble seeks to settle the relations between the Catholic Church and the State for the whole territory of the Reich. Article 1: freedom of public worship and the Church’s right to order its own affairs within the bounds of the general law. Article 2: the Land concordats of 1924, 1929 and 1932 remain; future Land concordats only with the consent of the Reich government. Article 3: an Apostolic Nuncio in the capital and a German ambassador to the Holy See. Article 4: freedom of correspondence with bishops, clergy and the faithful.

Articles 5–13: protection of ministry, exemptions from certain civil offices, the pastoral seal, and legal personality of parishes, dioceses and orders. Article 14: appointment to episcopal sees after the name has been communicated and it has been established that there are no objections of a general political nature — a framework, without an appointment handbook. Article 16: bishops take an oath of loyalty to the Reich and the Land before taking possession of the diocese.

Articles 19–24: state theological faculties, seminaries, religion as an ordinary school subject and Catholic confessional schools, at the level of principle. Article 27: a military bishopric, appointed by the Holy See after consulting the government. Article 31: protection of Catholic religious, cultural and charitable associations if they operate outside political parties. Article 32: the Holy See excludes clergy and religious from membership of political parties.

Article 33: matters not covered fall under canon law; differences of interpretation shall be settled amicably. A final protocol, an integral part of the concordat, accompanies the text. Cover: the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, the place of signature; we do not claim the hall. Wikimedia Commons, free licence.

Sources consulted: Reichskonkordat; Konkordat zwischen dem Heiligen Stuhl und dem Deutschen Reich.