Catholic Church hid more than 3,000 Jews in Rome North Korea launches submarine for nuclear attack

According to previously unpublished documents, the Catholic Church in Rome hid more than 3,000 Jews during World War II. The files of the Vatican’s Bible Institute were first presented to the public on Thursday.

In total there are the names of 3,600 people who have found shelter with the help of Catholic women’s and men’s orders. A comparison with documents from the archives of the Jewish community in Rome shows that 3,200 of them adhere to the Jewish faith.

The documents were written by a Jesuit partner after the liberation of the Italian capital in June 1944. They also formed the basis for a study by the Italian historian Renzo de Felice in 1961, but were considered lost for decades. There is talk of a total of 4,300 people in hiding, several hundred of whom have not yet been identified by name. Out of respect for the affected families, no names were given by the others on Thursday.

The role of the Vatican during the Nazi dictatorship and fascist regime of Benito Mussolini in Italy is still controversial. In particular, it concerns the responsibility of Pope Pius XII, whose pontificate lasted from 1939 to 1958. The Italian – whose real name is Eugenio Pacelli – was criticized during his lifetime for his dealings with Nazi Germany. He is also accused of remaining silent on the subject of the Holocaust. However, there are also historians who defend him.

Pope Francis today ordered the disclosure of all files. The archives have been accessible since 2020. At the start of World War II, between 10,000 and 15,000 Jews lived in Rome. More than 2,000 were murdered by Nazi forces. After the fall of Mussolini and Italy’s change of sides, the city was occupied by German troops for nine months, until it was liberated by the Allies in June 1944. (rbu/sda/dpa)