ADSS 9.265 Valerio Valeri to Maglione: deportation of non-French Jews

At the same time Padre Benedetto was meeting with Pius XII this document arrived in Rome confirming much of what the Capuchin was reporting to the pope.

 ADSS 9.265 Valerio Valeri, Nuncio to France to Cardinal Maglione

Reference: Report number 7809/251 (AES 4886/43)

Location and date: Vichy, 16.07.1943

Summary statement:  Information on the deportation of non-French Jews

Language: Italian

Text:

I received the dispatch number 4179/43 of 04.07.1943 (1), together with a petition addressed to the Holy Father by Mrs X.  I would be happy if I were in a position to do something in favour of Mr XX.  Unfortunately, I am unable to confirm for your Eminence that I had the opportunity to relate your reports to him with my reports numbers 6278/1132 of 12.11.1942 and 7476/193 of 27.05.1943. (2)

I have to add in this respect that the German minister, Mr Krug von Nidda (3) who I had asked about other persons arrested by the Gestapo, confirmed that the police are only deporting non-French people.  Among these are, no doubt, mostly non-Aryans.  They, in fact, it seems, after spending some time at the infamous Drancy camp (4) are conveyed under German escort, for unknown destinations so that they disappear without trace, especially as the same German authorities claim to know nothing.

Neither this government, nor the [French] police, who until recently had stopped delivering non-Aryans to the Germans, were better informed.

Therefore, for this and similar cases, it seems that it would be something the Apostolic Nunciature in Berlin could attempt to look into.  I have made appeals over these last days, without having high hopes about it.(5)

Cross references: 

(1) Not published in ADSS.

(2) Not published in ADSS.   The most recent report quoted (AES 3966/43) said:

“… I report … these poor wretches just left France, without any trace so that one cannot know if they are alive or dead. There have been no improvements in the painful situation whatsoever.  I know that not even the Red Cross was unable to obtain some facilities from the German authorities”.

 (3) Roland Hans Krug von Nidda (1895-1968), chief of the German delegation to Vichy 1941-1943 under the supervision of Otto Abetz, de-facto German ambassador in Paris.

(4) Pere Marie-Benoit wrote of the camp: (ADSS 9.264, note 17) “Drancy and Compiegne have acquired a sad notoriety through the abuse of the victim internees”.

(5) See ADSS 9.279.