ADSS 1.262 Alfredo Pacini to Maglione: Ribbentrop's visit to the Holy See

ADSS 1.262 Alfredo Pacini, Charge d’Affaires Poland (1), to Luigi Maglione, Sec State.

Reference: Report 13/40 (AES 2476/40)

Location and date: Paris, 13.03.1940

Summary statement: Polish reaction to Ribbentrop’s visit to the Vatican.

Language: Italian

Text:

I hasten to draw Your Eminence’s attention to an article on the visit paid to the Holy Father by the German foreign Minister, von Ribbentrop, which appeared today, 13 March, in the newspaper Glos Polski (The Voice of Poland), official paper of the Polish government in Angers.

This article, which I translate word for word, expressed the general feelings of the Polish people living in France and especially in Paris.

Many of them by word of mouth have expressed more or less the same feelings to me; while I for my part tried to quieten these unfortunate people who, because of the situation in which they find themselves and their state of mind, which is full of bitterness and fear, are frightened by the rustle of a leaf.

I have not, these last few days, seen any Government officials or members of the National Council, as they are all at Angers, but I shall not fail to see some of them and to inform Your Eminence about these meetings.

Notes: 

(1) Alfredo Pacini (1888-1967), Charge d’Affaires, Polish Nunciature. Filipo Cortesi, the nuncio left Warsaw in mid-September 1939 and the nunciature was closed.  Pacini made his way to France where a Polish government in exile was established in Angers in January 1940.  The Polish government fled to Britain after the German invasion in May.