Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust: What Did He Know?

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The legacy of Pope Pius XII, born Eugenio Pacelli, is fraught with controversy due to his role—or lack thereof—during World War II and the Holocaust. The extent of his knowledge about the Holocaust remains a topic of intense debate among historians, theologians, and scholars. This expanded discussion aims to delve deeper into historical references that […]

The post Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust: What Did He Know? appeared first on The Holocaust History - A People's and Survivor History - Remember.org.

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Members of the Royal 22e Regiment in audience with Pope Pius XII

The legacy of Pope Pius XII, born Eugenio Pacelli, is fraught with controversy due to his role—or lack thereof—during World War II and the Holocaust.

The extent of his knowledge about the Holocaust remains a topic of intense debate among historians, theologians, and scholars. This expanded discussion aims to delve deeper into historical references that can shed light on what the Pope knew.

This blog post examines historical evidence, including correspondence and diplomatic communications, to better understand what Pope Pius XII knew about the Holocaust.

With the recent release of another letter showing the Vatican had information about the Holocaust has recently been released:

“The letter, dated Dec. 14, 1942, was written by Father Lother Koenig, a Jesuit who was in the anti-Nazi resistance in Germany and addressed to the pope’s personal secretary at the Vatican, Father Robert Leiber, also a German.

Vatican archivist Giovanni Coco told the Corriere that the importance of the letter was “enormous, a unique case” because it showed the Vatican had information that labor camps were actually death factories.

In the letter, Koenig tells Leiber that sources had confirmed that about 6,000 Poles and Jews a day were being killed in “SS-furnaces” at the Belzec camp in southeastern Poland. 

The camp was about 20 km (12 miles) northwest of the town of Rava-Ruska, a railway center that was then also part of German-occupied Poland but is now in western Ukraine.”

Letter shows Pope Pius XII probably knew about Holocaust early on By Philip Pullella

Early Warnings to Pope Pius XII about the Holocaust

Pope Pius XII ascended to the papacy in March 1939, just months before World War II began—his earlier role as the Papal Nuncio in Germany from 1917 to 1929.

He developed an intricate network of contacts, offering him a ringside view of the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. This diplomatic experience set the stage for how Pius XII would interact with the Nazis during the war.

In the early years of World War II, the Pope received multiple warnings about the mass killings of Jews. Notably, in 1941, reports from the bishops in Poland highlighted large-scale deportations and killings.

Similarly, Jan Karski, a Polish underground operative, met with American and British officials and religious authorities, including members of the Vatican, to provide eyewitness accounts of mass killings.

In 1942, the Allies issued the “Joint Declaration by Members of the United Nations,” which specifically mentioned the mass extermination of European Jews. The information was so alarming that it was broadcast globally, including on Vatican Radio.

“From all the occupied countries, Jews are being transported in conditions of appalling horror and brutality to Eastern Europe. 

In Poland, which has been made the principal Nazi slaughterhouse, the ghettos established by the German invader are being systematically emptied of all Jews except a few highly skilled workers required for war industries. 

None of those taken away are ever heard of again.” – Excerpt from the Joint Declaration shared on Vatican Radio Broadcast, 1942.

“Pius XII had already prepared the text of a public protest against the persecution of the Jews. 

Shortly before this text was sent to L’Osservatore Romano, news reached him of the disastrous consequences of the Dutch bishops’ initiative. 

He concluded that public protests, far from alleviating the fate of the Jews, aggravated their persecution and he decided that he could not take the responsibility of his own intervention having similar and probably even much more serious consequences. 

Therefore he burnt the text he had prepared. .” Pius XII as he really was, 13/02/1999 by Peter Gumpel in The Tablet

Vatican Diplomatic Channels: A Balancing Act Revisited

Pope Pius XII kept diplomatic channels with Nazi Germany, primarily through the Apostolic Nuncio Cesare Orsenigo in Berlin, who held his position from before the war started until its conclusion.

The Papal Nuncio was in a precarious position; his role was to maintain lines of communication with a regime that was antithetical to the teachings of the Church.

New Year’s reception for Hitler in Berlin. – In the foreground: Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop in conversation with Nuncio Cesare Orsenigo. In the background: Leader and Chancellor Adolf Hitler. Attribution: Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-H26878 / CC-BY-SA 3.0

Historically, Papal Nuncios acted as diplomatic mediators. Their task is to maintain relationships with host countries while upholding the tenets of the Catholic faith.

Orsenigo had reported as early as 1940 that there were rumblings about a “final solution” within Nazi circles. While the document did not outline specifics, it indicated that the Vatican was not entirely in the dark about the extreme actions the Nazis were planning.

The Vatican’s open channels with Nazi Germany present a particularly complex dimension to Pope Pius XII’s role during World War II.

Communication with the Nazis was a double-edged sword. They offered the Pope some leverage and vital intelligence. They also made the Vatican susceptible to accusations of complicity through silence.

Perspective of Other Countries: The Media Landscape

Comparing the Vatican’s knowledge to what was publicly available at the time offers an additional layer of complexity. Newspapers and media outlets in other countries reported Nazi atrocities by 1941, albeit often in a piecemeal fashion.

The New York Times, for instance, published articles on mass killings of Jews as early as 1941. Similarly, the BBC was broadcasting reports about the killings, and the information even made its way to neutral countries like Sweden.

However, what sets the Vatican apart is its extensive network of clergy and nuncios in various countries, which could have acted as additional intelligence sources.

The Catholic Church was present in nearly every country involved in the war, from the Axis Powers to the Allies and neutral states. 

In this context, it’s reasonable to assume that the Pope’s knowledge wasn’t solely based on diplomatic communiqués but also church networks.

A Balancing Act: Diplomacy and Ethical Responsibility

Maintaining diplomatic relations with Nazi Germany was like walking a tightrope. On the one hand, the Vatican needed to keep these channels open to gather intelligence and exert influence where possible.

On the other hand, by maintaining diplomatic relations without public condemnation, the Vatican risked appearing complicit or, at the very least, complacent.

Imagine a doctor who has a patient with a highly contagious disease. The doctor must maintain contact to provide treatment but risks spreading the disease to other patients.

Similarly, the Vatican had to balance its moral duty to intervene with the diplomatic repercussions that could result from any such intervention.

Complexity in Retrospect

When examined through history, the Vatican’s diplomatic balancing act with Nazi Germany remains intensely scrutinized.

While the Pope had several avenues of knowledge—from Orsenigo’s reports to Church networks and public media—how he acted on that knowledge is still debatable.

The decision to opt for quiet diplomacy over public condemnation is not black and white, and scholars continue to dissect the nuances of this complex issue.

Public Silence, Private Actions?

Pope Pius XII’s public silence about the Holocaust is perhaps the most criticized aspect of his wartime conduct. 

The Pope’s defenders argue that he opted for quiet diplomacy, working behind the scenes to save Jews by facilitating visas and helping them escape.

“…the Catholic Church, under the pontificate of Pius XII, was instrumental in saving at least 700,000, but probably as many as 860,000, Jews from certain death at Nazi hands…. 

These figures, small as they are in comparison with our six million martyrs whose fate is beyond consolation, exceed by far those saved by all other churches, religious institutions and rescue organizations combined.” Three Popes and the Jews, Pinchas Lapide, Hawthorn, 1967, pps. 214-15. Lapide was a Jewish historian and diplomat.

The Pope addressed the issues of racial persecution in the following terms in his 1942 Christmas address:

“Humanity owes this vow to those hundreds of thousands who, without any fault on their part, sometimes only because of their nationality or race, have been consigned to death or to a slow decline [also translated: “marked down for death or gradual extinction”]. Ritner, Carol and Roth, John K. (eds.). 2002, p. 3. Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust

Pope Pius XII reportedly used diplomatic backchannels to save Jews. 

For instance, he provided visas and facilitated passage to safe countries. However, the real scale and effectiveness of these quiet efforts remain hotly debated topics.

Ethical and Moral Quandaries

The Pope’s silence raises complex ethical questions. A public condemnation might have endangered Catholics and Jews in occupied territories. 

Some argue that a more vocal condemnation from the Pope could have swayed Catholic nations allied with Germany or at least mobilized public opinion.

A school of thought suggests that a vocal papal intervention might have pushed Hitler to expedite his genocidal plans as an act of defiance. 

It could have led to severe repercussions for the Church and the Jews in occupied territories.

Unpacking the Vatican Archives: A Deeper Dive

The Vatican Secret Archives, now more accessibly known as the Vatican Apostolic Archives, has long been a source of mystery and speculation. 

The recent opening of these archives has offered scholars a treasure trove of documents that provide new perspectives on Pope Pius XII’s role during World War II.

While some documents corroborate the Pope’s knowledge of the Holocaust, others reveal diplomatic communications where the Pope prioritized the preservation of the Church.

One controversial document is a 1942 letter from the U.S. representative to the Vatican, Myron Taylor, stating that the Pope was “convinced that he had done all in his power.”

But the Pope and the Nuncio were not the only figures involved; several other key players within the Vatican also had significant roles.

Domenico Tardini and Giovanni Montini

Two individuals who frequently appear in these archives are Domenico Tardini and Giovanni Montini, later Pope Paul VI. 

Both were close advisors to Pope Pius XII. Tardini was the head of the Vatican Secretariat of State, while Montini was his Undersecretary.

Their roles were vital in shaping Vatican policy and crafting secret diplomatic missions. 

Documents show that both were involved in internal discussions regarding how to respond to reports about the Holocaust. 

These advisors helped the Pope strategize the Vatican’s next moves like a chess game with high stakes.

The Jewish Delegation to the Vatican

Another fascinating aspect of the archives is the details about a Jewish delegation that sought an audience with Pope Pius XII. 

The delegation presented evidence of the ongoing Holocaust to secure a public papal denouncement.

While no public denouncement came, documents suggest that the Pope took the delegation’s information seriously.

Some scholars argue that the Pope’s subsequent actions, including the extension of aid and shelter to Jews in Rome, were influenced by this meeting.

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Correspondence with Other Religious Figures

The archives also unveil correspondence between Pope Pius XII and other religious figures, both Catholic and non-Catholic. 

Leaders of Protestant churches in Germany, for instance, communicated their dilemmas and actions concerning the Nazis. Additionally, letters from Catholic bishops in Eastern Europe detail the atrocities they witnessed. 

Such letters corroborated what the Pope was hearing through other channels and likely weighed on his moral calculus.

The U.S. and the Vatican

Another revealing piece of the puzzle is the correspondence between Myron Taylor, the U.S. representative to the Vatican, and Pope Pius XII. 

In these documents, Taylor expresses that the U.S. government would appreciate a more assertive stance from the Vatican against the Nazis. 

The Pope’s replies give an insight into his thought process as he navigated the diplomatic intricacies between condemning evil and protecting the Church.

Nuanced Complexity

The documents in the Vatican archives add a layer of nuanced complexity to Pope Pius XII’s wartime role. They illustrate the agonizing decisions that must be made and reveal that the Pope did not make them in a vacuum. 

Advisors, delegations, foreign diplomats, and other religious figures all shaped the Vatican’s policy during this dark period.

Conclusion – Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust

The question of what Pope Pius XII knew about the Holocaust is entangled in a web of diplomacy, ethical considerations, and historical contexts. 

Evidence suggests that he had early warnings and detailed information about Nazi atrocities. 

Whether his public silence or quiet diplomacy approach was the best course of action remains a topic of ongoing debate.

Key Takeaways:

Pope Pius XII had early warnings about the Holocaust.
The Vatican’s diplomatic channels with Nazi Germany were both informative and problematic.
Early reports from bishops and operatives indicated mass exterminations.
The Vatican’s diplomatic channels with Nazi Germany offered a unique vantage point, but they also posed ethical dilemmas.
This complexity is magnified compared to public information in other countries, revealing a highly nuanced picture of what Pope Pius XII knew and how he chose to act.
Pope Pius XII chose a “quiet diplomacy” path but faced criticism for his public silence.
The Vatican Archives reveal that the decisions made during the Holocaust were not unilateral actions the Pope took alone.
A host of other players, both within and outside the Vatican, shaped the course of the Church’s actions, thereby painting a picture of intricate moral and diplomatic complexity.
The scale of the Pope’s efforts to save Jews is disputed.
Ethical quandaries surround the Pope’s silence.
New findings from the Vatican archives add complexity but must resolve the controversy definitively.

References:

“The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe” by David I. Kertzer
Vatican Secret Archives
“Hitler’s Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII” by John Cornwell
Correspondence between the Holy See and the German Reich
New York Times Archives detailing Holocaust reports during World War II
BBC Historical Archives on World War II broadcasts
Vatican Apostolic Archives, Records Relating to World War II and Pope Pius XII

 

The post Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust: What Did He Know? appeared first on The Holocaust History - A People's and Survivor History - Remember.org.