ADSS 1.243 Giobbe to Maglione: Holland fears German invasion

ADSS 1.243 Paolo Giobbe, Netherlands, to Luigi Maglione, Sec State.

Reference: Telegram 25 (AES 496/40)

Location and date: The Hagues, 14.01.1940

Summary statement: Holland fears German invasion.

Language: Italian

Text:

Minister Foreign Affairs (1) here informs me that he has received communication from Diplomat to Holy See that the Vatican is aware of an imminent invasion of Dutch territory by German troops.  Dutch government would be obliged if you could obtain prompt confirmation of news of other information (2).

Notes: 

(1) Eelco Nikolaus van Kleffens (1894-1983), Dutch Foreign Minister 1939-46.

(2) ADSS 1.239

ADSS 1.242 Maglione notes: rumours

ADSS 1.242 Luigi Maglione, Sec State, notes

Reference: AES Germany 774

Location and date: Vatican, 10.01.1940

Summary statement: Hungarian ambassador reported UK and French gov’ts are anxious over Holy See and secret dealings with Germany.

Language: Italian

Text:

I received the visit of His Excellency the Minister of Hungary (1).  He tells me that Great Britain and France are anxious because the Holy See is dealing secretly with the Germans.  To my query he replies he was informed about his by the French Ambassador to the Holy See (2).

Notes: 

(1) Gabriel Apor (1889-1969) Hungarian Ambassador to the Holy See, 1939-44.

(2) Added by hand: “Sent note immediately to the Holy Father who called the British Minister in the next day.”  There were secret negotiations in progress for the visit of German Foreign Minister, Joachim Ribbentrop, to the Holy See.  See ADSS 1.254 n1.

ADSS 1.241 Maglione to Micara: German invasion expected

ADSS 1.241 Luigi Maglione, Sec State, to Clemente Micara, Belgium

Reference: Telegram 23 (AES 495/40)

Location and date: Vatican, 09.01.1940

Summary statement: German invasion of Holland expected for mid-February.

Language: Italian

Text:

Following coded telegram 64 (1) I inform Your Excellency that news from sources which seem reliable (2), give mid-February or even before as highly probable date of offensive against Holland.

Your Excellency is requested to use this information very cautiously and eventually in turn request extreme caution.

Notes: 

(1) ADSS 1.239

(2) See for example Llwellyn Woodward (1962) British Foreign Policy in the Second World War, HSMO, London, p34.

ADSS 1.240 Pius XII to FDR: awaits the arrival of Myron Taylor

ADSS 1.240 Pius XII to President Roosevelt

Reference: AES 172/40; FRUS 1940, Volume 1, pp123-25.

Location and date: Vatican, 07.01.1940

Summary statement: Pope thanks FDR for his message and awaits the arrival of Myron Taylor.

Language: English

Text: The complete text can be found in Wartime Correspondence. 

ADSS 1.239 Micara to Maglione: Belgium fears German invasion

ADSS 1.239 Clemente Micara, Belgium, to Luigi Maglione, Sec State

Reference: Telegram 64 (AES 495/40)

Location and date: 05.01.1940

Summary statement: Belgium fears a possible German invasion and asks the Vatican for information.

Language: Italian

Text:

Belgian Government received serious information according to which Belgium and Holland could in very near future be exposed to German attacks.  Government here would be extremely grateful to receive confidential and secret information as to whether the Holy See has received any intimation of this kind (1). 

Notes: 

(1) Several days later on 10.01.1940, Joseph Berryer (1897-1978), Counsellor of the Belgian Embassy in Berlin (1937-40), handed a verbal note of protest the Head of Political Division II at the Foreign Office, Emil von Rintelen (1897-1981), against German reconnaissance flights over Belgium by the Luftwaffe. DGFP, Series D, Volume 8, n528, pp514-15. At the same time Hitler ordered suspension of invasion plans for the Low Countries and France because sensitive information had been seized in Belgium after a Luftwaffe plan crashed landed.  Belgium formally notified Germany that it had the invasion plans on 17.01.1940.

NB: ADSS records the recipient of the Belgian complaint as Ernst von Weizsäcker.