ADSS 6 Hungary from May 1939 to December 1940

In the last set of post I set out Angelo Rotta's reports to Rome on the progress and passing of the May 1939 anti-Jewish legislation.  It is a valuable insight into not only what happened in Hungarian politics and the growing fear of an even more right-wing government taking power after the elections to be held in late-May, but to the hope that the laws would be the end of the process.  Of particular note are the actions of Cardinal Justinian Seredi, the Primate of Hungary, who fought for exemptions for converted Jews and for the application of Catholic teaching on what we would call 'human rights' today for all Hungarian Jews.  

What is not present is any argument that the laws themselves were fundamentally unjust and reduced over 850,000 Hungarian citizens to a second-class status with profound social and economic implications.  Seredi and many of the other Hungarian bishops appeared not to have seen a problem with the promulgation of anti-Jewish laws nor was their any evidence in the posted texts that Cardinal Seredi and Bishop Gyula Glattfelder disagreed with the underpinning belief that there was a "Jewish problem" in Hungary that needed "solving".  In this regard the Catholic bishops of Hungary were not particularly different from many other Catholic bishops in other places, such as Slovakia, as we have seen in earlier posts.

The historian must be careful to avoid hindsight.  Seredi, Glattfelder and their episcopal brothers were shaped by the Tridentine theology in general and traditional Judeophobia in particular.  

After ADSS 6.21 most of the documents relate to attempts to provide relief for refugees.  Documents related to Hungarian Jews appear after the announcement in October that a new anti-Jewish law was in preparation.  Some documents will be translated and posted.

ADSS 6.76: 26.09.1939: Cardinal Maglione wrote to nuncios Andrea Cassulo (1869-1952) (Romania 1936-1947), Angelo Rotta (1872-1965) (Hungary 1930-1945), Antonio Arata (1882-1948) (Latvia 1935-1948) and Louis Centoz (1883-1969) (Lithuania 1940-41) advising them of the establishment of the Vatican Information Service (VIS).  The VIS was commissioned by Pius XII to provide assistance to refugees, prisoners of war and others displaced by the war.  (See ADSS 6.73 - 22.09.1939)  This document was followed with instructions explaining the operation of the VIS (ADSS 6.78)

ADSS 6.84: 07.10.1939: Maglione to Rotta.  The nuncio was asked to get material to help the estimated 30,000 Polish refugees in Romania.  

ADSS 6.127: 04.01.1940: Bishop Karol Radoński (1883-1951), (Włocławek 1929-1951) exiled in Budapest to Pius XII: Information on the situation of Polish refugees in Hungary and their spiritual needs.

ADSS 6.171: Maglione to Rotta: Nuncio is to make contact with Count Adam Roniker (1881-1952) of the Polish Help Committee in Budapest. Roniker was President of the Polish National Welfare Council 1940-1943.  He left Poland in 1945 and went into exile in the USA.

ADSS 6.174: Valerio Valeri (1883-1963), nuncio to France (1936-1944) to Maglione: a request to help Czech refugees in Hungary.  Maglione passed on the request to Rotta - ADSS 6.188: 11.04.1940.  Rotta replied on 18.04.1940 advising Maglione to make a formal request from the Holy See on behalf of the Czech refugees. ADSS 6.194; see too ADSS 6.197, 207, 224, 228, 249.

ADSS 6.180: Rotta to Maglione: 02.04.1940: Information on help given to Polish refugees in Hungary.  See also ADSS 6.311.

ADSS 6.295: 30.08.1940: Rotta to Maglione: Steps take for Poles in Russia; news from Hungarian diplomats.

ADSS 6.318: 24.09.1940: Andrea Cassulo, nuncio to Romania to Maglione: Information on the persecution of Romanians in Transylvania now under Hungarian occupation.  Requests intervention by the Holy See.  (Pius XII had already raised the matter with Gabriel Apor (1889-1969), Hungarian minister to the Holy See (1939-1944) on 23.09.1940).  Maglione sent a reply to Cassulo on 04.10.1940.  See ADSS 6.325, 386.

ADSS 6.350: 23.10.1940: Maglione to Rotta: The Vatican asked the nuncio to intervene against the new race laws under preparation in Budapest.  Rotta responded on 02.11.1940 with news of the new antisemitic laws.  See ADSS 6.362.

ADSS 6.388: Maglione to Rotta: Information on Italian POWs in Greece relayed from Switzerland. See ADSS 6.382.

ADSS 6.398: Rotta to Maglione: News on antisemitism in Hungary.

ADSS 6.412: Maglione to Francesco Cherubini, counsellor at the Hungarian nunciature: $US 2000 has been sent to refugees in Hungary from the pope.

ADSS 6.21 Angelo Rotta to Maglione: anti-Jewish law passed.

 ADSS 6.21 Angelo Rotta, Hungary to Cardinal Maglione

Reference: report number 2264/39; AES 2481/39

Location and date: Budapest, 02.05.1939

Summary statement: Continuation of the discussion over the Hungarian anti-Jewish race laws and the attitude of the bishops in the Upper House.

Language: Italian

Text:

The now famous project of the laws regarding the Jews, which has dragged on for months in lengthy discussions that were not always serene and with passionate and strong public opinion, has finally arrived in port.

Between the Upper House and the Chamber of Deputies, after long debates between both houses, the respective committees have joined together and agreed to a compromise formula as I wrote in my report Nr. 2242/1939 of 22 April (1).

The modification of Article 1 introduced by the Upper House, the main cause of conflict, was accepted.  However, converted Jews, who are no longer regarded as Jews under the Law, which was discussed in the mentioned modification, are not granted full equality with other Christians.  They will continue with some but not all of the restrictions imposed on Jews, such as the right of ownership, participation in public office and certain careers of a cultural nature, printing etc.

It then made an important addition to the article that, with the limitations set out above, the children, baptized at birth of Jews who had converted before January 1939 will be considered as Christians provided the family has resided in Hungary since at least January 1849.

The House of Deputies rejected the amendment the Upper House had introduced, to the effect that is was necessary to appoint a jury to grant no more than 150 Jews exemptions from the law, if the said jury considered them worthy of exemptions on their own merits or for their activities.  It would authorise a Government or parliamentary hearing in order to grant exemptions in special cases.

The Upper House approved the final text the day before yesterday, and the Chamber of Deputies will in all likelihood to do the same tomorrow because it seems almost certain that the current Chamber will be dissolved on Thursday 4 (May).

In the committee meeting during the lively discussion, his Excellency Bishop Glattfelder of Csanád (2) advocated the amendments strongly and with brilliance, because they represent a tribute, however ever tenuous, of the efficacy of the sacrament of baptism.  His Eminence, the Cardinal Primate (3) with calm but convincing words added the weight of his teaching and authority.  He drew on the principles that had already been presented to the Upper House, and from which nothing had to be removed: if the compromised formula was accepted, it was so as to avoid more trouble and even a possible crisis in the government, and turning his thoughts and words to his brother in faith he said that if he had not gotten more it was not through lack of good will on his part nor of the Upper House, but because of circumstances.

As he then went on to tell me, a government crisis was not a far-fetched danger, but real with the outcome of a more radically anti-Jewish government. (4)  But, he added, the law was flawed for several reasons, and at certain points, illogical:  time will show its deficiencies and the need to correct them.  Now in the present environment at present and with the approaching elections, it was impossible to get more.

One positive outcome I point out to your Eminence is that the other day the newspapers here have reported that Slovak, published in Pressburg [Bratislava], has issued a denial of Monsignor Tiso’s next trip to Rome (5).  It is to be postponed until next September.  I do not know how much is true.

Note of Tardini:

05.05.1939.  With thanks.

Notes:

(1) See ADSS 6.19.

(2) See ADSS 6.10 n3.

(3) Justinian Seredi

(4) In fact, the Teleki government maintained the laws until 02.04.1941.

(5) The nuncio had written on 27.04.1939 (Nr 2253/39; AES 2455/39) that the press had published news of Tiso’s trip to Rome.

ADSS 6.16 Angelo to Rotta to Maglione

ADSS 6.16 Angelo Rotta, Hungary to Cardinal Maglione

Reference:  report number 2223/39; AES 2151/39

Location and date: Budapest, 15.04.1939

Summary statement: After several new developments, the nuncio provides information on the race laws and public attitude towards the “Jewish question”.

Language: Italian

Text:

The most salient fact of Hungarian political life these days was its exit from the League of Nations, which has been widely reported in the newspapers (1).  It did not come unexpectedly, as you see in my report number 1888/1938 of 9 January of that year (2) I had previously announced the news of that event which is reported in today’s news.  Count Csáky (3) from the ministry of Foreign Affairs has given extensive explanations on the Government’s conduct in this regard to both houses of Parliament.  These explanations were accepted as fully explained in both houses.  He brought the usual arguments against the League of Nations, such as they are, adding later a special topic such as the hostility or lack of consideration afforded by the League to Hungarian minorities in neighbouring countries.

The exit from the League of Nations also serves as part of the preparation for the trip of the Prime Minister, Count Teleki and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Csáky to Rome and Berlin. As your Eminence knows, they will depart for Rome on 17 April (4)

While the general political atmosphere is increasingly “red hot”, here in Hungary life here is relatively – very relative – calm, because foreign politics does not steer them from the current line of conduct, which results from Hungary’s accommodation in the Rome-Berlin axis: it is not possible then to accept invitations to alliances or positions that are contrary to the axis.

The Slovakian question, with the fixing of the border, is final, at least for the moment; with Yugoslavia relations are good; with Romania relations are tense, although this government does not intend to push things too far.  Indeed the National Socialist journal, “Magyaság” has been suspended for three months, apparently because it published a violent article against Romania and the province of Transylvania.  We must not, however, believe that their love for the Romanian government has led to this measure, but in reality, putting the newspaper out of action in recent months has more to do with taking away the main spokesman for the National Socialists or the Arrow Cross during a political election campaign. Now that they are a little weakened, the can give less trouble to the Government (5).

In view of the political elections, which will take place in all probability towards the end of may, the Government wishes to hasten the approval of the anti-Jewish laws and, if at all possible, to also approve agrarian reform.  They wish to present to the people, a concrete action, not only promises.

Today the Upper House, in full session, commenced the discussion of the anti-Jewish laws, after which the Commission will, at long last, present the modifications for the law in question. (6) The mood in the Upper House is largely favourable to the laws: there has been much discussion: taking part in the discussion for the Catholics were His Eminence the Cardinal Primate (7) and the bishop of Csanád, Glattfelder (8).  They were not able to obtain very much, because the Government does not feel confident that the Chamber of Deputies will approve modifications made by the Upper House, if they were too radical, leading to the possibility of a crisis, particularly dangerous in the current circumstances, and risk a new and more extreme Government, that would enact a harder law: in fact because of the long history of propaganda by the parties of the extreme right, it arousal of the public mind against the Jews would be too strong.  So today in the Upper House, His Eminence, Cardinal Seredi, opening the discussion of the proposal, took to the floor to declare among other things that the law as conceived does not match Catholic doctrine; but given the circumstances, in order to avoid a greater evil, by choosing the lesser evil, he would not oppose approval of the law. (See attachment) (9).

Then the law passed without a long discussion.  The principal amendment introduced considered who should not be considered a Jew in the sense of the law, and those who have been baptised at least twenty years and have been faithful in the observance of the Christian Religion and whose ancestors or parents have lived in Hungary from 1848 onwards (10).

The law is very confusing, it has been written by too many and it lacks a logical harmony as well as an accurately determined foundation.

The latest events in Albania (11) have had a positive press here; even if it has not been warmly received it has been understood.

Here in Hungary there are no shortages of concerns, and of the serious dangers that threaten peace in Europe and also by the necessity of being tied itself, to closely tied, to Germany.

Oh! If the wise words of the Holy Father pronounced in his Easter homily (12) are heard and accepted from high to low, you could really talk about peace, but …

Note of Tardini.

22.04.1939.  Look carefully at what he said of Cardinal Seredi.  Did he vote for or against? (13)

Notes:

(1) Hungary quit the League of Nations on 15.04.1939 having given notice of its intent to leave two years previously.

(2) Not published in ADSS.

(3) István Csaky (1894-1941), Foreign Minister 1938-1941.

(4) They were received by Pius XII on 21.04.1939.

(5) Hungarian Parliamentary elections were held on 28-29.05.1939.  The Arrow Cross party won 14.4% (29 / 260 seats) of the vote; the Hungarian National Socialist won 0.3% (no seats) of the vote.

(6) See ADSS 6.10.

(7) Justinian Seredi (1884-1945), bishop of Ezstergom 1927-1945.

(8) See ADSS 6.10 n3.

(9) The nuncio attached a copy of the 15.04.1939 edition of Pester Lloyd.

(10) According to the 1941 census there were 846,000 people (6.2%) considered Jewish according to the 1939 law.  Of that number 62,000 were Christian by religion although the real figure could have been as high as 100,000. See http://www.ksh.hu/statszemle_archive/viewer.html?ev=1944&szam=01-03&old=1&lap=20 

(11) The Italian military occupation of Albania began on 07.04.1939.

(12) ADSS 1.7.

(13) Both Seredi and Glattfelder voted in favour of the law.