Pius XII, The Holocaust, and the Cold War
Encyclopedia
Pius XII, The Holocaust, and the Cold War is a 2008 book by historian Michael Phayer
which makes use of many new documents that have recently come to light due to Bill Clinton
's 1997 executive order declassifying wartime and postwar documents.
The new documents were stored at the US National Archives and Holocaust Memorial Museum, including both diplomatic correspondence, American espionage, and even decryptions of German communications), new documents released by the Argentine government and the British Foreign Office, and the diary of Bishop Joseph Patrick Hurley
In particular, these documents reveal new information about Pius XII's actions regarding the Ustaše
regime, the genocides in Poland, the finances of the wartime church, the deportation of the Roman Jews, and the postwar "ratlines"
for Nazis and fascists fleeing Europe.
According to Phayer, "the face of Pope Pius that we see in these documents is not the same face we see in the eleven volumes the Vatican published of World War II documents, a collection which, though valuable, is nonetheless critically flawed because of its many omissions".
Michael Phayer
Michael Phayer, born 1935, is a historian and professor emeritus at Marquette University in Milwaukee and has written on 19th and 20th century European history and the Holocaust....
which makes use of many new documents that have recently come to light due to Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
's 1997 executive order declassifying wartime and postwar documents.
The new documents were stored at the US National Archives and Holocaust Memorial Museum, including both diplomatic correspondence, American espionage, and even decryptions of German communications), new documents released by the Argentine government and the British Foreign Office, and the diary of Bishop Joseph Patrick Hurley
Joseph Patrick Hurley
Joseph Patrick Hurley was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of St. Augustine from 1940 until his death in 1967. He also held diplomatic posts in Europe and Asia....
In particular, these documents reveal new information about Pius XII's actions regarding the Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
regime, the genocides in Poland, the finances of the wartime church, the deportation of the Roman Jews, and the postwar "ratlines"
Ratlines (history)
Ratlines were a system of escape routes for Nazis and other fascists fleeing Europe at the end of World War II. These escape routes mainly led toward havens in South America, particularly Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile. Other destinations included the United States and perhaps...
for Nazis and fascists fleeing Europe.
According to Phayer, "the face of Pope Pius that we see in these documents is not the same face we see in the eleven volumes the Vatican published of World War II documents, a collection which, though valuable, is nonetheless critically flawed because of its many omissions".