Watch Tom Cruise's Scientology speech

A German historian has compared a speech by actor Tom Cruise about Scientology to a call to war by Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

Guido Knopp, an expert on Second World War history, told Bild newspaper that Cruise's address to his fellow Scientologists "inevitably" recalled Goebbels.

Mr Knopp was referring to a video recording of a sermon Cruise delivered to Scientology members four years ago that surfaced on the YouTube website this week.

The Mission Impossible star asks fellow members of the church: "Should we clean this place up?"

Mr Knopp said it was bound to remind Germans of Goebbels' notorious speech in Berlin on February 18 1943 when he asked the audience: "Do you want total war?".

Mr Knopp said: "It may be the case that Cruise's delivery style is not uncommon in certain religious movements in the US.

"But for Germans with an interest in history, that scene where he asks whether the Scientologists should clean up the world and everyone shouts 'yes' is inevitably reminiscent of Goebbels' notorious speech."

Cruise's portrayal of Nazi resistance hero Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg, an aristocrat who led a failed plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944, caused unhappiness in Germany because of the actor's links to Scientology.

The movement is often described in Germany as a sect that exploits its members financially. In December, regional ministers agreed to investigate the possibility of banning it.

Cruise's film, titled Valkyrie after the code-name of the plot, is due for release later this year.

His role in the Church of Scientology is examined in an unauthorised biography of the actor by Andrew Morton which was released in the US earlier this month.

The publication of the book has received wide coverage in the German media. It was described by the Church of Scientology as "replete with lies".

The Church of Scientology accused Bild of being "grossly irresponsible" for publishing Mr Knopp's comments.

The church, of which the Mission Impossible star is a leading member, said the claims of Second World War historian Guido Knopp, published by the Bild tabloid, were "horrendous and disgraceful".

Karin Pouw, the church's public affairs director, said: "Bild am Sonntag is grossly irresponsible for publishing horrendous and disgraceful claims about Mr Cruise.

"The video of Mr Cruise is a pirated, edited video that is taken from a three-hour event which encompassed the many humanitarian programs sponsored by the Church of Scientology...

"Bild am Sonntag has disgracefully misinterpreted Mr Cruise's remarks. He was giving an acceptance speech for a humanitarian award bestowed in honour of his efforts for global literacy.

"In doing so, he was urging other people to become involved in similar humanitarian activities to the betterment of all.

"Anyone who knows Mr Cruise knows that he does not have a prejudicial bone in his body and that, unlike Bild am Sonntag and other German anti-religionists, he does not discriminate against any other religion, race or colour."

She said the church was responsible for the largest non-governmental anti-drug campaign on earth and also funded a global literacy programme helping tens of millions of students.

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