ADSS 10.375 Amleto Cicognani, USA to Sec State - Slovak and Hungarian Jews

For ease of reading I have set out note 3 with more space.  It is a time line of action and reaction as the Vatican attempted to find out what had happened to Jews holding American (USA & Latin America) passports and citizenship.  For more details see the USHMM, Holocaust Research Project and Dachau KZ.

10.375 Amleto Cicognani, Ap Del USA to Secretariat of State

Reference: Telegram nr 2434 (AES 7047/44)

Location and date: Washington, 25.10.1944 @ 17.00, received Rome 26.10.1944 @ 13.00.

Summary statement: Request for information from USA War Refugee Board on the Jews of Slovakia and intervention for the Jews of Hungary.

Language: Italian

Text:

The Director of the official government agency for refugees (1) requests the Holy See to pass on any relevant information about 400 Jews holding Latin American citizenship or passports (Salvador, Paraguay), arrested in Bratislava interned in Mariathal who were transferred from that city to Germany around the 08.10.1944. (2) The Director would be grateful if the Holy See would make this information available to the representatives of the United States in Berne and Madrid. (3)

We continue to hear news of unceasing massacres of Non-Aryans in Hungary.  The Jewish Committees beg the Holy See to proclaim that churches in Hungary are shelters with the law of asylum and bishops and priests are to receive Jews to save them from death. (4)

Notes:

(1) John William Pehle (1910-1990). A memorandum from Myron Taylor (1863-1959), personal representative of President Roosevelt to the Holy See, dated 28.10.1944, recounting the news was sent by the War Refugee Board, and passed to the Pope on the same day. (AES 7093/44)

(2) Giuseppe Burzio (1901-1966), Charge D’affaires, Bratislava (1941-1945) telegraphed the nunciature in Berne on 30.10.1944 (telegram nr 740/102; AES 7047/44).  Burzio said the Jews in question had been transferred to an unknown destination in Germany.

(3) This document has not been found. 

Taylor urged the Holy See to intervene. (Memorandum, 15.11.1944, nr 267; AES 7627/44; nr 396).

Domenico Tardini (1888-1961) asked for more information from Burzio (telegram nr 110, 16.11.1944; AES 7300/44).

On the 16.11.1944 Amleto Cicognani (1883-1973), Apostolic Delegate to the USA (1933-1959) asked for the intervention of the Holy See on behalf of the Red Cross to send parcels to 250 Non-Aryans holding South American passports and resident in Bergen Belsen (telegram nr 2466; AES 7694/44).

Tardini asked Cesare Orsenigo (1873-1946), nuncio to Germany (1933-1945), for help on 21.11.1944 (telegram nr 1019; AES 7694/44).

Tardini then informed Cicognani on 29.11.1944 that the Slovak government did not know the destination of the Jews deported to Germany (telegram nr 2013; AES 7700/44).

On 05.12.1944 Burzio telegraphed that a census of the deportees was underway and that only 13 had been recognised as United States citizens; they were possibly resident in Bergen Belsen, Hanover (telegram nr 122; AES 8087/44). 

At the same time Orsenigo replied to the Secretariat of State: “The Government notes that the Jews referred to in telegram 1019, and who hold passports of South American republics, are citizens of those republics and as such come under the care of the protecting power” (telegram nr 367, 05.12.1944; AES 8100/44). 

Burzio sent a list of the deported people in a letter shortly after (letter nr 2434, 16.12.1944, AES 934/45). He pointed out that for the most part American – USA and Latin America – citizenship or passports, had for the most part, not been taken into consideration.  He confirmed that the thirteen US citizens were in Bergen Belson camp, near Celle, Hanover.

(4) See ADSS 10.376.

ADSS 10.241 Harold Tittmann to Luigi Maglione - Hungarian Jews

Between 1940 and 1946 Harold Tittmann (1893-1981) was assistant to Myron Taylor, President Roosevelt's personal representative to the Holy See.  While Taylor was more often than not absent from Rome, Tittmann remained in the Vatican throughout the war years.  His account of that time, Inside the Vatican of Pius XII is a valuable insight into life "on the inside."  

Harold Tittmann and Pius XII

ADSS 10.241 Chargé d’affaires Harold Tittmann to Cardinal Maglione

Reference: AES 3980/44

Location and date: Vatican, 24.06.1944

Summary statement: The War Refugee Board reports on the imminent massacre of the Jews of Hungary and requests papal intervention.

Language: English

Text:

I have been instructed by my Government in a telegram dated June 13,1944 to deliver the following message to Your Eminence form the War Refugee Board, Washington.

“We know His Holiness has been sorely grieved by the wave of hate which has engulfed Europe and the consequent mass enslavement, persecution and slaughter of helpless man [sic] women and children. His Holiness, we also know, has laboured unceasingly to reinculcate a decent regard for the dignity of man activated by great compassion for the sufferings of a large portion of mankind.  The tireless efforts of His Holiness to alleviate the lot of the persecuted, the hunted and the outcast are also know to us.  We are certain His Holiness is aware of the deep feeling of abhorrence around in the American people by the mass deportations, persecutions, enslavement and slaughter in the Balkans, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Norway, Poland and elsewhere.  We are confident that His Holiness is also aware of the deep concern of the Government of the United States relative to these reversions to usages of ancient barbarism and of the constant effort to prevent their recurrence which it has made.

We believe it is appropriate, because of the common concern of the Holy See and the government and people of the United States with such matters, to call to the Holy See’s attention the apparently authentic reports that the present authorities in Hungary have undertaken to persecute the 800,000 Jews in Hungary and are planning their mass slaughter both in Hungary and after deportation to Poland merely because they are Jews.  The authorities and people of Hungary have been warned by the government of the United States of the material consequences that the perpetration of such inhuman acts of barbarism will entail.  It is both timely and fitting we believe that the moral values involved and the spiritual consequences that must flow from indulgence in the persecutions and mass murder of helpless men, women and children be brought to the attention of the Hungarian authorities and people.  We earnestly hope, therefore, that His Holiness may find it appropriate to express Himself on this subject to the authorities and people of Hungary, great numbers of whom profess spiritual adherence to the holy See personally by radio through the Nuncio and clergy in Hungary as well as through a representative of the Holy See who might for that purpose be specially dispatched to Hungary”. (1)

Note of Domenico Tardini:

25.06.1944.  Seen by the Holy Father.

Notes:

(1) See FRUS 1944, I, pp 1068-69.

ADSS 10.196 Amleto Cicognani (USA) to Luigi Maglione

On 15 May 1944 the first deportations of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz-Birkenau commenced.   The first gassings took place the following day.  A week earlier, Rudolf Hoess had been sent back to Auschwitz to oversee final preparations for the murder of an expected 800,000 Hungarian Jews.

ADSS 10.196 Amleto Cicognani to Cardinal Maglione

Reference: Telegram 1975, (AES 3190/44)

Location and date: Washington, 16.05.1944 @ 05.58 (arrived Rome 17.05.1944 @ 17.00)

Summary statement: Request for intervention for Hungarian Jews and Jews interned in Vittel.  Hungarian Jews are being deported from Russian Sub-Carpathia.  Numbers 24,000 to date.

Language: Italian

Text:

The Office of the President of the United States for war refugees has started receiving reports of the deportations of the Jews of Hungary from Russian Sub-Carpathia, in addition to general deportation of Polish refugees known to the Hungarian police. (1) It also affirms that those who presented themselves at the Turkish Consulate suspected of asking for visas to that country have been arrested and transported to unknown places.  The same office trusts in the intervention of the Holy See. (2) Referring to telegram 1527 (3) the same office greatly appreciates the action of the Holy See, but points out that recognition by some of the Latin American republics, does not necessarily imply immigration to those countries. Once out of German occupied territory, the Government hopes you will find a place to send them.  The committee for Jewish refugees asks the Holy See to intervene with the Spanish government so that 238 Israelites, who have South American passports and who have been transferred from Vittel camp to an unknown place … return to that concentration camp  since it appears that the documents only grant them permission to leave German occupied territory. (4)

Notes:

(1) This may be an inaccurate communication.  In a similar telegram sent at the same time we read: “ … from Hungary and Hungarian controlled areas has begun and 24,000 deported from Sub-Carpatho-Russia to date, in addition to general deportation of Polish refugees whose names are known to Hungarian police …” (FRUS 1944, I General, p 1043).

(2) Telegram sent to Angelo Rotta on 20.05.1944 (Telegram 238, AES 3190/44).  See too ADSS 10.209.  Amleto Cicognani was informed (Telegram 1596, 2994/44).

(3) See ADSS 10.158.

(4) See ADSS 10.200

ADSS 10.117 Amleto Cicognani (USA) to Luigi Maglione

ADSS 10.117 Amleto Cicognani to Cardinal Maglione

Reference: Telegram number 1818 (AES 1754/44)

Location and date: Washington, DC, 25.03.1944

Summary statement: Request help for the Jews of Hungary and Romania

Language: Italian

Text:

The head of the War Refugee Board has asked me, in the name of the Government, to intercede with the Holy See for urgent measures to be taken for the protection of nearly two million Jews in Hungary and Romania, who live under terror of persecution and extermination with the German invasion. (2) It calls for cooperation with the Apostolic Nuncio and the local bishops with different civilian authorities.  The President of the United States has declared with … that their persecutors, executors and all officials involved, will be severely punished by the United Nations if they have been involved in extermination. (3)

Note of Tardini

We must, I believe, make a strong response.  Unfortunately, I do not think you can communicate with the Nuncio.  Is there any evidence? (4)

Cross references: 

(1) President Roosevelt created The War Refugee Board on 22.01.1944.  Its mission to help Jews and other persecuted people forced to flee Axis occupied territories.  The director was John W Pehle (02.02.1909-24.03.1999) The Board often contact with the Apostolic Delegate in Washington, as seen throughout ADSS 10.  Its representatives in neutral countries also had contact with the representatives of the Holy See, as seen with Ira Hirschmann (1901-1989) in Istanbul with Apostolic Delegate Angelo Roncalli.  Pehle summarised the collaboration: “The Holy See and the Vatican hierarchy throughout Europe were solicited time and again for special assistance both as a channel of communication to the leaders and people of enemy territory and as a means of rendering direct aid to the suffering victims of Hitler.  The Catholic clergy saved and protected many thousands and the Vatican rendered invaluable assistance to the Board and to the persecuted in Nazi hands”. (Final Summary Report of the Executive Director, War Refugee Board, Washington, 15.09.1945).

(2) German troops occupied Hungary on 19.03.1944.

(3) Declaration of President Roosevelt, 24.03.1944 (FRUS 1944, I, pp 1230-1231)

(4) Telegrams were sent to Angelo Rotta, Hungarian Nuncio (Telegram 217, AES 1756/44) and Andrea Cassulo, Romanian Nuncio (Telegram 218, AES 1757/44): Your Excellencies are asked to take further steps in this regard as deemed appropriate and possible”. The Apostolic Delegate in Washington was informed on 28.03.1944 recalling the steps mentioned above and promising that “new attention will be made in this regard although, unfortunately, we cannot nourish vain hopes”.