Persecution and its consequences
Religious policy under Khrushchev
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
The Khrushchev era is described as being a phase of de-Stalinisation and liberalisation. However, in terms of religious policy, the opposite was true. From 1958 onwards, the CPSU waged a campaign against the Russian Orthodox Church. Its openly declared goal was to completely destroy the Church and exterminate religion. Religious thought and life were regarded as being reactionary. However, the assault on the Church failed. The Soviet regime also needed the Church again as a foreign policy tool.
(Osteuropa 9-10/2017, pp. 165–173)