Saturday, October 15, 2011

ADSS 8.345 Notes of Cardinal Maglione on the Slovak Jews

As news of the deportation of the Jews of Slovakia spread, Maglione received more appeals from Jewish leaders and communities for the Holy See to intervene.  Understandably they would not know of the efforts undertaken by the Vatican to intervene with the Slovak government.  There is an element of frustration in Maglione's notes that the efforts of the Holy See appear to have little effect - which is how I read the footnotes of this document.

ADSS 8.345

Reference: (AES 2733/42, autograph)
Location and date: Vatican, 11.04.1942

Summary statement: Protest of the Holy See against the Slovak measures against the Jews.

Language: Italian

Text:

The English minister [D’Arcy Osborne] (1) asked whether the Holy See has intervened in favour of the Jews of Slovakia. (2)

I responded “Yes”. He, moreover, had already been informed by me of steps taken before Easter. This morning, I added, I have protested to the Slovak Minister [Karel Sidor].


Cross references:
(1) William Godfrey, Apostolic Delegate in the United Kingdom, informed the Vatican of the persecution of the Jews in Slovakia: “The Chief Rabbi of the Jews in Britain, asked me to recommend to the Holy See the sad plight of the Jews of Romania and Hungary. The entire Jewish population of Czechoslovakia, numbering 90,000, is condemned to concentration near the Polish border. He begs for the gracious intervention of the Holy See against the new wave of anti-Jewish persecution”. (Telegram no. 41, 01.04.1942, AES 2764/42) Maglione replied on 11.04.1942: “ … that the Holy See has repeatedly shown its concern to improve the situation of the non-Aryans. The English minister to the Holy See was informed of steps taken for the Jewish population of Slovakia.” (Telegram no. 206, AES 2764/42)
(2) See ADSS 8.328 (ADSS has 234 which does not make sense)
(3) See ADSS 8.346.


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