ADSS 10.209 Angelo Rotta to Luigi Maglione

By 24 May 1944 it was estimated that 100,000 Hungarian Jews had been gassed in Birkenau.  Rotta's usual urbanity slipped a little in his comment on the inactivity of the Hungarian Bishops.

ADSS 10.209 Angelo Rotta to Cardinal Maglione

Reference: Telegram 198 (AES 3285/44)

Location and date: Budapest 24.05.1944 @ 18.10 (Received in Rome 25.05.1944 @ 13.35)

Summary statement: Steps taken by the Nuncio for the persecuted Hunarian Jews.

Language: Italian

Text:

I received the telegram number 238. (1)

This Apostolic Nunciature presented a Diplomatic Note on 15.05.1944 to the Government with a strong defence of the baptised Jews and against the feared deportation, however it is masked; (2) with the next diplomatic courier I will send a copy of the letter to the Prime Minister and the Ministers.

So far I have had no response; I predict it will be almost negative.  Meanwhile, under the title of obligatory work, deportation is already in place and underway and carried out without consideration and with often-methodical inhumanity by the police.

I have repeatedly asked the former Prime Minister, Imredy (3) to intervene using his authority for mitigating action.  So far, the Hungarian bishops have done nothing … with general astonishment, perhaps they fear attacks on institutes … (4)

Some steps from the Holy See could possibly be useful (?)

Conditions, especially economic, for the Polish refugees are difficult, but so far there is no deportation.  As for the rest, I do not have any news.

Notes:

(1) Sent from Rome 20.05.1944.  Not published in ADSS.  See ADSS 10.196 n2

(2) See ADSS 10.207, appendices.

(3) See ADSS 10.207 n4.

(4) See ADSS 10.225