ADSS 1.229 Maglione notes: Germany is considering Christmas truce

 ADSS 1.229 Luigi Maglione, notes.

Reference: AES 9331/39

Location and date: Vatican, 17.12.1939

Summary statement: German embassy reply to Christmas truce proposal.  Subject is under consideration.  Also protested reports in La Croix about alleged German atrocities in Poland, Bohemia and Moravia.

Language: Italian

Text:

The Counsellor of the German Embassy (1) informs me (16.00hrs) that his Government is studying the Holy See’s proposals for a Christmas truce.

He adds that the Ministry has informed the Embassy that the Nuncio (2), who has advanced another proposal regarding air bombardments, has not been informed or at least does not seem to have been informed about the present true proposal for Christmas.  The Counsellor says it is natural that the Nuncio was not informed about the latest proposals of the Holy See, as this proposal was communicated confidentially.  The Holy See wanted to sound the belligerent Governments.

I replied to the Counsellor that things were just as he thought.  The Nuncio was not informed about the proposal of the Holy See for a Christmas truce because the step taken by me was confidential.

I also reminded the Counsellor that the other proposal (abstention from air bombardment of locations near churches at least during the hours of divine service) was about two months old; (that too is under consideration).

P.S. The Counsellor complained about La Croix, the main Catholic newspaper in France, concerning charges of German cruelties in Poland, cruelties in Bohemia, Moravia and even of the imprisonment of Cardinal Kaspar (said to have been in prison for fifteen days) (3). He left me an extract of a letter from von Neurath to von Bergen on this subject.

I replied that I was not aware that Cardinal Kaspar had been detained in prison.

Notes: 

(1) Fritz Menhausen (1885-1958), Counsellor to the German Embassy to the Holy See 1936-45.

(2) Cesare Orsenigo (1873-1946), Nuncio to Germany 1930-45.

(3) Karel Kaspar (1870-1941), Abp Prague 1931-41.  Kaspar was repeatedly arrested and harassed by the German occupation forces for refusing to implement anti-Catholic decrees.

(4) Konstantin von Neurath (1873-1956), Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, 1939-43.

ADSS 1.225 Maglione to Ambassadors of Germany, France and UK - Christmas truce proposal

ADSS 1.225 Luigi Maglione, Sec State, to Ambassadors of Germany and France, and Minister of Great Britain (1)

Reference: AES 9119/39

Location and date: Vatican 13.12.1939

Summary statement: Papal appeal for a Christmas truce.

Language: Italian and French

Text:

[Italian]

As I had the honour to verbally inform Your Excellency (a) on 7 December (2) it is the Holy Father’s great wish that a truce, with complete suspension of hostilities, be proclaimed at Christmas.  On that occasion (b) I appealed for your kind assistance asking Your Excellency to sound your Government on this subject beforehand (3).

Because the date is drawing near, and in order to carry out the august direction of His Holiness I beg Your Excellency to give your help so that the truce suggested by His Holiness, interpreting the heartfelt wish of the peoples and confiding in the humane and generous feelings of their rulers, may be approved.

For the German Ambassador:

(a) verbal communication to the Counsellor of the Embassy (4)

(b) the occasion that I asked the Counsellor to kindly sound out the German Government on the subject

Attachments:

Draft of note [French]

As Christmas approaches the Holy Father feels most grieved at the thought that the belligerents as well as the civil population, should be forced to live, especially during these holy days under the fear of attacks on land, air raids and battles at sea.

His Holiness, certain of interpreting the deep aspirations of the people and trusting in the feeling of humanity and charity of those who rule their destinies, addresses a very ardent appeal to the Governments of the belligerent nations to welcome His appeal to suspend every kind of hostility on land, sea and in the air as from midnight of the 23^rd until midnight on 26 December.

Draft of Telegram [Italian]

Being certain of interpreting the deep wish of the peoples We appeal to the feelings of humanity and Christian charity of Your Majesty (Your Excellency) begging you to accept Our proposal that during Christmas festivities hostilities be completely suspended.

Notes: 

(1) Diego von Bergen (1872-1944) German Ambassador to the Holy See 1920-43; Francios Charles-Roux (1879-1961) French Ambassador to the Holy See 1932-40; D’Arcy Osborne (1884-1964) UK Minister to the Holy See 1936-47.

(2) ADSS 1.223

(3) Domenico Tardini had informed the Secretary of the Italian Embassy about his approach to the three Ambassadors.  See DDI, Series 9, Vol 2, n589, p450.

(4) Fritz Menshausen (1885-1958), Counsellor to the German Embassy to the Holy See 1936-45.

ADSS 1.30 Notes from Sec State: German complaints against L'Osservatore

 ADSS 1.30. Notes of the Secretariat of State

Reference: AES 2368/39

Location and date: Vatican, 06.05.1939

Summary statement: German Embassy complaint against L’Osservatore Romano

Language: Italian

Text:

M. Menshausen (1), Counsellor of the German Embassy at the Holy See, has complained to the Secretariat of Ste (05.05.1939) “the Osservatore Romano (page 6 – 29 April 1939, at the end of the article) had incorrectly reported Chancellor’s Hitler’s speech and had wrongly stated that the Treat with Poland had been denounced on account of the refusal of the offer made to Poland. It is not right.  See speech.  It was denounced because Poland had made other agreements. A correction would be appreciated”. (2)

On this subject we note:

It is true that, according to the German text of the speech, Hitler said that the treaty with Poland had been denounced on account of the new pact of mutual assistance signed by Poland with Great Britain.

But it is not true to affirm that L’Osservatore Romano in the above-mentioned article said that “the treaty with Poland had been denounced on account of the refusal of the offers made to Poland (under Nos. 1,2,3,4,5, that is “to acknowledge all economical rights of Poland in Danzig …”)

To convince oneself of this, one must read the passage of the Osservatore Romano (underlined in red).  It says that the denunciation of the Treaty with Poland is the consequence of the conclusion of the new pact of mutual assistance between Poland and Great Britain.  This is the obvious meaning of the article, and only by stretching the text would it be possible to make the Osservatore Romano say (which would not conform with the Chancellor’s statement on the subject) that the Treaty was denounced also because” the Polish Government not only rejected the proposal, but, under pressure of a deceitful campaign of world excitement, they had felt compelled to call men to arms, which Germany has not recalled one soldier.

We may point out that the Osservatore Romano uses quotation marks when reporting the Führer’s words regarding the causes of the denunciation of the Treaty with Poland.

M. Menhausen’s complaint against Osservatore Romano is therefore unjustified and the paper does not have to publish a correction.

This should be mentioned to M. Menhausen at the first opportunity.

Notes: 

(1) Fritz Menhausen (1885-1958), Counsellor of the German Embassy to the Holy See 1936-45.

(2) L’Osservatore Romano (29.04.1939) reported in the late news under the heading “Hitler’s speech at the Reichstag today” a summary of Hitler’s speech on 28.04.1939.