Pope Pius XII, the Vatican Archives, and the Holocaust

Last updated on: March 5, 2019 at 5:55 am by Pat McNamara

Pope Pius XII, the Vatican Archives, and the Holocaust 2019-03-05T05:55:37-07:00 Pat McNamara

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Pope Francis has just announced that on March 2, 2020, the Vatican Archives relating to the pontificate of Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) will be fully opened to scholars. “The Church,” Francis stated, “is not afraid of history, rather, loves it, and would like to love it more and better, as God loves it!” This is no small feat. For the past thirteen years, Vatican archivists have been doing what archivists do: “inventorying and substantial documentation” to get it all ready for researchers. And when you’re talking about the Vatican, that’s a lot of paper!

Normally, Vatican archives for a particular pope aren’t opened to the public until seventy-five years after his death. But the controversy surrounding Pius XII and his connection to the Holocaust led Francis to formally lift this ban, which had actually partially begun under his two predecessors.

This move is the latest phase in what some have called the “Pius Wars,” a decades-long debate over whether Pius XII did, or did not do enough, either by word or by deed, to help stop the extermination of the Jewish people under the Nazis. Those arguing against what one author called “the silence of Pius XII” contend that he failed to speak out as directly and forcefully on these persecutions as he did on other issues relating to the welfare of the Catholic Church.

Immediately following the end of the Second World War, the consensus among Jewish and Catholic leaders was positive. Pius was praised for his work behind the scenes helping to save the lives of several hundred thousand Jewish men, women and children. His supporters argued that a full-blanket condemnation might have worsened conditions for those Jewish people already under Nazi control. Furthermore, they pointed out, the majority of world leaders were also silent on the Holocaust.

The controversy began in full force five years after Pius’ death, with the release of Rolf Hocchuth’s 1963 play The Deputy, in which Pius was depicted as an anti-Semite, a Nazi sympathizer, and indifferent to the plight of the Jewish people. Since then, scholars have literally gone back and forth arguing in favor of the pontiff or against him. The debate heated up in 1999 with the publication of John Cornwell’s book, Hitler’s Pope, spawning a whole new series of defenses, many of them quite scholarly and thorough.

Over the years, proof has been piled on proof— both for and against. And we’re still a long way from the final word, at least until the Vatican Archives are fully opened and thorough research has been done by professional, objective scholars. Ultimately, though, I don’t think the point of all this debate is to prove whether Pius XII was “right” or not. Rather, I think it’s about the Church’s willingness to be transparent on an issue that could potentially prove damaging to itself. Pope Francis’ action is proof of that willingness.

When Pope Leo XIII first opened the Vatican Archives in 1883, he wrote: “The first law of history is not to dare to utter falsehood; the second, not to fear to speak the truth.” As Catholics, we cannot hide our history, or hide from our history, good or bad– it’s part of who we are as the People of God– the fallible People of God. Our journey toward the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom is full of highs and lows, and we need to learn from both as proceed on our path. For, as Leo added, “In a way, all history cries aloud that God is.”

(Photograph of Pope Pius XII courtesy of Pat McNamara.)

Popes

Previous Post

March 3, 2019

As St. Patrick’s Day Approaches: An Irish American Poem

Next Post

March 27, 2020 Saint Aloysius Gonzaga: A Reflection for Troubled Times

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category African-American Catholics Alabama Catholics American Catholic History American Catholic women American History Anniversaries Anti-Catholicism Arkansas Catholics Benedictines Bishops Blessed John Henry Newman Book Reviews Books Boston College Brooklyn churches Brothers California Catholics Capuchins Cardinals Carlo Carretto Carmelites Catholic authors Catholic Cemeteries Catholic Historians Catholic History in Less Than 5 Minutes Catholic musicians Catholic Poetry Catholic Press Catholic School Textbook Catholic University of America Catholic Worker Catholics and Music Catholics and Race Catholics in Politics Catholics in the American Revolution Catholics in the Military Catholics in the Movies Catholics in the South Catholics in the West Catholics on Stage Catjolic Women Catolic Poetry Charles de Foucauld Children's Masses Christian Brothers Christmas Church Reform Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colleges and universities Converts D.C. Catholics Deaf Catholics Dominicans. Dorothy Day English Catholics Florida Catholics Fordham University Franciscans French Catholics Georgetown University German Americans Good Shepherd Sisters Hispanic Catholics Historians and Archivists Holy Cross Fathers Holy Name Society Idaho Catholics Illinois Catholics Indian Wars Indiana Catholics Irish Americans Irish Catholicism Italian Americans Italian Catholics Jesuits Josephite Sisters Kentucky Catholics Know-Nothings Laetare Medal Recipients laity Liturgical Movement Maine Catholics Manhattan College Maryland Catholicism Michigan Catholics Middle Ages Minnesota Catholics Missionaries Mississippi Catholics Missouri Catholics Monasteries Montana Catholics Native Americans New England Catholicism New Jersey Catholics New York Catholics North American College Ohio Catholics Oratorians Oregon Catholics Parish Mission Parishes Passionists Pat McNamara's Books Paulists Pennsylvania Catholics Popes Presidents Priests Quotations Religious Orders Rhode Island Catholics Saints Salesians Seminarians Seminaries Sermons Servants of God Siisters of Charity Sisters of Mercy South Carolina Catholics Spanish-American War Sports St. Francis of Assiai St. John Henry Newman Suplicians Tennessee Catholics Texas Catholics The year in review Thomas Merton Throwback Thursday Photograph Trappists Uncategorized University of Notre Dame Video Presentations Vincentians Virginia Catholics Visitation Nuns Washington West Point West Virginia Catholics West Viriginia Catholics Wisconsin Catholicism Women Religious World War II

Select a Month December 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was turned into a pillar of salt?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ruth Lot Naomi Lot's wife