ADSS 10.321 Domenico Tardini, Sec State to William Godfrey, UK: Hungarian Jews

This single sentence document indicates the growing public awareness of the situation in Hungary.  As the situation in Hungary grew more uncertain despite the cessation of the deportations in July, pressure increased on the Vatican to get the Pope to make more public announcements.  The June open letter to Regent Horthy gave many Jewish organisations hope that Pius might become more publicly active.  What these organisations could not know was the level of internal debate within the Vatican over the growing certainty that not only would Germany be defeated, but the Soviet Union would extend its control over much of eastern and middle-Europe.  It was becoming a matter of priority of engagement between the Vatican and the Allies over end-of-war objectives and post-war settlements.  Pius, I believe, was beginning to wonder if the Allies would be a reliable bulwark against the encroachments of the Soviet Union.  The Jews would not be forgotten or ignored, but the pope's attention was more and more divided. 

Domenico Tardini to William Godfrey, Ap Del UK

Reference: Telegram 582 (AES 5962/44)

Location and date: Vatican, 09.09.1944

Summary statement: The Holy See is doing all it can for the Jews of Hungary,

Language: Italian

Text:

The World Jewish Congress has sent a request by telegram imploring the intervention of the Holy Father in favour of non-Aryans of Hungary who are threatened with renewed deportation. (1)

Notes:

(1) The telegram from the World Jewish Congress in London was received on 06.09.1944.