Document Names Pius XII as Co-Conspirator Against Hitler

Foundation to Publish New Evidence from Germany

NEW YORK, JUNE 22, 2009 - A foundation that promotes interreligious dialogue is publishing new documents from Germany that gives evidence of Pope Pius XII's work against Hitler during World War II.

Gary Krupp, president of the New York-based Pave the Way Foundation, affirmed this Sunday in a statement to ZENIT that despite accusations of being "pro-Hitler," the Pontiff was actively opposing the Nazi leader.

The foundation acknowledged the controversy surrounding the Pope's actions during Hitler's regime, and asserted that this is a "continued source of discord between Jews and Catholics."

Thus the organization launched a "thorough investigation to uncover documentary evidence and record eyewitness testimony" about the real story of Pius XII.

The president, himself a Jew, stated, "In the furtherance of our mission we are continuously working hard to locate and post as many documents possible of the war years in order to clarify the papacy of Pope Pius XII."

He added, "During a recent mission to Germany, along with our [foundation's] representative in Germany, Michael Hesemann, we discovered and posted many new unseen original documents on our Web site that may change the face of this entire controversy."

This evidence, the statement asserted, "seems to confirm that Pope Pius XII was an active enemy of Adolph Hitler."

Krupp explained that the Pope was "named as a co-conspirator in the assassination attempt on Hitler's life of July 20, 1944."

On the foundation's Web site, he added, is posted the image of the Kaltenbrunner Report to Adolf Hitler dated Nov. 29, 1944 on the background of the plot.

"The report specifically names Eugenio Pacelli, Pope Pius XII, as being a party in the attempt," he said.

The president also noted the online posting of the actual affidavit of Heinrich Himmler's deputy and German commander in Italy, General Karl Wolff.

He reported: "Wolff testifies that he was ordered by Hitler to plan an invasion of the Vatican to kidnap Pius XII and seize the Vatican. This kidnapping plan has been discounted by many historians because of a lack of documented proof."

7,000 saved

Krupp said that another event that added to the controversy concerns the deportation of over 1,000 Jews who were taken from Rome and killed at the Auschwitz concentration camp.

He stated that the foundation posted the "original cable from German command in Berlin to SS headquarters in Rome, ordering the arrest of 8,000 Roman Jews to be taken, not to Auschwitz, but to the labor camp of Mauthausen."

Krupp continued: "Only a little over 1,000 were arrested after a successful papal intervention.

"We have confirmed the personal and direct action of Pope Pius XII to stop the arrests of the Jews in Rome Oct. 16, 1943. No evidence has yet turned up about why those arrested were taken to the death camp of Auschwitz rather than the labor camp."

He speculated, however, that "because of the successful papal intervention to stop arrests, the order to Mauthausen was countermanded by persons unknown and over 1,000 Jews were sent to Auschwitz to their death in retribution."

After the arrests, Krupp noted, Pius XII sent a representative to appeal for the release of the 1,000 Jews, but "he was refused admittance."

The cable suggests the possibility that "the Church believed they could rescue these 1,000 victims and negotiate their release," he affirmed.

The president reported that the Pontiff "ordered that Jews of Rome were to be given sanctuary in Church properties and Catholic homes, suspending cloister rules so that men could be admitted to convents and women to monasteries throughout Europe."

"He literally hid over 7,000 Jews in one day," Krupp added.

He encouraged people to visit the foundation's Web site, to view the documents in order to "learn the truth and draw your own conclusions of the actions of the Holy See during the war."

--- --- ---

On the Net:

Pave the Way Foundation: www.ptwf.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------------