ADSS 1.165, 166, 167 Cortesi - Maglione - Cortesi: last attempts to avoid war

 ADSS 1.165 Filippo Cortesi, Poland, to Luigi Maglione, Sec State.

Reference: Telegram number 37, (AES 5880/39)

Location and date: Warsaw, 31.08.1939

Summary statement: Hesitates to ask President for a declaration over Danzig and the opening of negotiations.

Language: Italian

Text:

Coded message Number 46 (1) received: I am prepared to follow order, but I think it my duty to say:

1) Audience with President of Republic (2) … following protocol must be asked for through Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating subject.

2) President of Republic only represents Poland nominally and cannot inspire confidence without embarrassing Government.

3) Audience of Apostolic Nuncio with President of Republic owing to extreme tension will be full of significance and will be interpreted as an attempt to obtain concessions in favour of Germany.

4) President of Republic has no effective direction of affairs and will submit all to Council of Ministers.

5) Owing to known categorical statements and almost complete army mobilisation my humble opinion Government will find impossible accept suggestion: only way could be mediation.

Will inform tomorrow morning Warsaw Cardinal Archbishop Poznan (3) and Archbishop Krakow (4).

Notes: 

(1) ADSS 1.153.

(2) Ignacy Moscicki (1867-1946), President of Poland 1926-39.

(3) August Hlond (1881-1948), Cardinal Archbishop of Poznan, Primate of Poland 1926-46.

(4) Adam Sapieha (1867-1951), Archbishop of Krakow 1911-51.

ADSS 1.166 Luigi Maglione, Sec State, to Filippo Cortesi, Poland.

Reference: Telegram number 47, (AES 5881/39)

Location and date: Vatican, 31.08.1939

Summary statement: Instructed to present the proposal to Polish president

Language: Italian

Text:

Coded message Number 36 received. (1) Your Excellency will urgently communicate my message Number 46 (2) to the Government instead of the President explaining clearly that only motive Holy See’s step is very high affection toward Poland and fear war danger.

Notes: 
(1) It seems that the reference should have been to Telegram number 37, ADSS 1.165, instead of 36, ADSS 1.143.

(2) ADSS 1.153.

ADSS 1.167 Luigi Maglione, Sec State, to Filippo Cortesi, Poland.

Reference: Telegram number 48, (AES 5882/39)

Location and date: Vatican, 31.08.1939

Summary statement: Suggested from many sources that Poland accepts an international control commission on the fate of German minorities; nuncio is requested to bring this to the attention of the Gov’t.

Language: Italian

Text:

From many sides comes the insistent suggestion that it would be advisable to induce Poland to accept international control regarding the alleged hardship of German minorities.

Your Excellency should arrange to submit this for the consideration of the Government.

Notes: