UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORICAL TRUTH ABOUT PIUS XII

"At midday today (9/18/2008) in Castelgandolfo, the Pope met participants in a symposium on the life and the pastoral and humanitarian work of Pius XII. The symposium was promoted by the Pave the Way Foundation, the president of which is Gary Krupp.

Having mentioned the fact that 50 years have passed since the death, on 9 October 1958, of Servant of God Pius XII, the Holy Father pointed out that although "so much has been written and said of him during these last five decades, ... not all of the genuine facets of his diverse pastoral activity have been examined in a just light.

"The aim of your symposium", he added continuing his English-language talk, "has been precisely to address some of these deficiencies, conducting a careful and documented examination of many of his interventions, especially those in favour of the Jews who in those years were being targeted all over Europe, in accordance with the criminal plan of those who wanted to eliminate them from the face of the earth.

"When one draws close to this noble Pope, ... one can come to appreciate the human wisdom and pastoral intensity which guided him in his long years of ministry, especially in providing organized assistance to the Jewish people.

"Thanks to the vast quantity of documented material which you have gathered, supported by many authoritative testimonies, your symposium offers to the public forum the possibility of knowing more fully what Pius XII achieved for the Jews persecuted by the Nazi and fascist regimes", said the Holy Father.

He then highlighted how the work of the symposium had drawn attention to Pope Pius' "many interventions, made secretly and silently, precisely because, given the concrete situation of that difficult historical moment, only in this way was it possible to avoid the worst and save the greatest number of Jews. This courageous and paternal dedication was recognized and appreciated during and after the terrible world conflict by Jewish communities and individuals who showed their gratitude for what the Pope had done for them".

Pope Benedict thanked the Pave the Way Foundation "for its ongoing activity in promoting relationships and dialogue between religions, as witnesses of peace, charity and reconciliation.

"It is my great hope", he concluded, "that this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of my venerated predecessor's death, will provide the opportunity to promote in-depth studies of various aspects of his life and his works in order to come to know the historical truth, overcoming every remaining prejudice. VIS 080918 (440)"
Above Vatican News Release, Copyright © Vatican Information Service 00120 Vatican City

Fred Schaeffer's comments on the above report:

I'm glad that according to the above report, the Holy Father met with Mr. Gary Krupp, founder of the Pave the Way Foundation, in order to finally dispel negative information about Pope Pius XII, who perhaps more than any other pontiff helped Jews escape harm in the Second World War.

I feel a little qualified to make some comments about this, because of the experiences in the early years of my life. My mother was Jewish, and although I was raised a Roman Catholic, in Europe, my family and I experienced the awful treatment of the Nazis from 1941-1944 during World War II. My mother was incarcerated, as was I, as an infant. This incarceration did not last long (no longer than a week or two, the exact time is unknown to me) because of the actions of Pope Pius XII. Let me try to explain what happened.

 In May 1942, the Nazi leaders ordered Dutch Jews to wear the Star of David. In late July 1942, the Roman Catholic Church of the Netherlands publicly condemned the government’s action in a letter read at all Sunday parish services. Thereafter, the Nazi government treated the Dutch more harshly: notable socialists were imprisoned, and, later in the war, Roman Catholic priests, including Titus Brandsma, were deported to concentration camps. In 1942, a transit camp was built near Westerbork by converting an existing internment camp for immigrants; at Vught and Amersfoort the Germans built concentration camps as well.

Although the Bishops' letter was well-intentioned, the matter backfired because the Nazis retaliated by incarcerating a great number of Jews as a result. No one could have foreseen that. So in the evening of August 2, 1942, mother and I were "deported", that is, brought first to a concentration camp in the Dutch city of Amersfoort. It is believed that a total of 250 Dutch Jews were shipped to Kamp Amersfoort. According to mother (who passed away in 1983 in New York), a Carmelite nun was picked up the same day, and this turned out to be (Saint) Sr. Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein). It was also reported that the good sister helped take care of the infants, and thus it could be, she might have taken care of me, too. I don't recall. I recall many things from my early life, most of them very negative and painful, but I cannot recall that particular day or night. Maybe that is for the better.

We all know that Sr. Benedicta of the Cross was sent to her death, beginning with a train-ride from Amersfoort on August 7th to Westerbork and from there to Auschwitz in Poland, where she met her death, along with her sister, Rosa.  I believe that a few days after August 7th, mother and I were released, noting that she was married to an "Aryan" spouse. Dutch men were generally considered Aryan because they had blond hair and blue eyes, although I am not sure those were the precise criteria.

Why were Mother and I released, I often ask myself. She did tell me that only a few people were released but they could have been released in stages. She once showed me a certificate showing the reason why we were released... because, it said: that mother was living in a mixed marriage (spouse not Jewish), but this kind-hearted gesture on the part of the Nazi regime came to an abrupt halt rather soon. So the answer to my question is that it was God's will and through His Grace, I am still alive to tell this story.

I have read much about Pope Pius XII, also because he was the sitting Pontiff throughout my teenage years, until I was 18 and already living in the United States. I for one, admire him for his staunch defense of religious freedom all during those difficult years. I hope that some day he could at least be beatified.

Fred Schaeffer, SFO
September 24, 2008

Mother lost her mother at Camp Theresianstad, two of her sisters and one brother probably at Auschwitz/Treblinka. May they, and my parents, rest in peace!

 (1) "A Righteous Gentile: Pope Pius XII and the Jews " by  Rabbi David Dalin, Ph.D. 

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