Pope Pius XII: Uncovering His Role in Protecting Jewish Lives

Who was Pope Pius XII, and why does his role in World War II generate controversy? Leading the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958, Pius XII has faced sharp criticism. While some accuse him unfairly of remaining silent during the Holocaust and of being connected to Nazism, others have strongly defended him. Under the direction of Pope Francis, the Vatican Archives recently published a documentary series titled Ebrei on its website, which gathers all the requests for help sent to Pius XII by Jews across Europe during the Nazi occupation. Spanning 170 volumes, these records show how, under the leadership of Pius XII, the Vatican activated every possible diplomatic channel, carefully navigating the complex global politics of the time to save thousands of lives (Vatican Secretariat of State, n.d.). This new archival release not only confirms the Pope’s efforts to protect and assist Jewish communities but also allows for a more just and in-depth examination of his role during one of the darkest periods of the 20th century.

Biography of Pope Pius XII

Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli, who would become pope under the name Pius XII, was born on March 2, 1876, in Rome, Italy, into a deeply religious family devoted to the service of the Catholic Church. His father, Filippo Pacelli, was dean of the consistorial lawyers; his mother, Virginia Graziosi, came from a family of Italian nobility; and his brother Francesco was a jurist of the Holy See and a member of the Vatican Commission that prepared the drafting of the Lateran Pacts (The Holy See, n.d.).

From a young age, Eugenio showed a deep interest in ecclesiastical life. He received a solid and deeply religious education both at home and in Catholic institutions, standing out for his intelligence, devotion, and academic discipline. These early years of formation paved the way for his path to the priesthood and, eventually, to the Papacy during one of the most turbulent periods in history.

Figure 1: Pitcairn, M. (1951). Pius XII with tabard.

A student of the Gregorian University and the Pontifical Athenaeum of the Roman Seminary of Apollinaris, he graduated with honors in theology and utroque iure, a doctorate in both civil and canon law. He later entered the Roman Seminary in 1894, where he dedicated himself deeply to the study of Sacred Scripture, theology, and philosophy. This formative period was key to shaping his skills in ecclesiastical diplomacy, which later played a vital role in defending religious freedom on the international stage amid growing global threats (The Holy See, n.d.).

He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1899, and shortly thereafter began his service in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. In 1917, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio in Munich and titular Archbishop of the See of Sardis, Anatolia, marking the formal beginning of his diplomatic career during the tumultuous years of World War I (The Holy See, n.d.). This position allowed him to closely observe the rise of Nazism in Germany while assisting prisoners and the German population, worn down by the hardships of the conflict and military defeat (Marchione, 2000). In 1920, he was appointed nuncio to the new Weimar Republic, where he worked to conclude agreements between the Holy See and Bavaria in 1925 and Prussia in 1929 (The Holy See, n.d.).

His designation as cardinal on December 16, 1929, by Pope Pius XI, and his return to Rome on February 7, 1930, culminated in his election as Secretary of State, replacing Cardinal Gasparri, thus consolidating his position as a respected leader within the Church. During his years in Italy, Pius XII focused on social justice and the defense of the most vulnerable, demonstrating an unwavering stance against the rise of totalitarianism in Europe. A clear example of this was his involvement in the negotiation of the Concordat between the Holy See and Hitler’s Germany in 1933, made possible by his deep knowledge of the German language and culture. Although Cardinal Pacelli feared the failure of the agreement, it served to protect, to some extent, the Catholic world from the Third Reich (Marchione, 2000). This was a period that laid the foundation for his future work as Pope of the Catholic Church.

Figure 2: Getty Images. (1933). The signing of the Reichskonkordat.

Following the death of Pius XI on February 10, 1939, he was elected Pope on March 2, 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II. Thus began his long papacy of 19 years as Pope Pius XII, one of the most difficult and dramatic of many that the Church remembers (Marchione, 2000). As Europe descended into war, Pope Pius XII faced the immense responsibility of navigating the Church through a time of unprecedented crisis. At the same time, his papacy was challenged from the very beginning by the global conflict and the persecution of Jews along with other groups during the Holocaust. His leadership was tested not only by the violent spread of totalitarian regimes but also by the plight of millions suffering under Nazi and fascist occupation.

Pacelli's path in the world of the priesthood and diplomacy was always guided by deep faith and religious conviction, a sharp intellect, and a firm dedication to the principles of the Catholic Church. His education provided him with the key tools to face the challenges of his time, leaving an indelible mark both on history and the Church. Although he has been the subject of countless accusations for not speaking out against the Holocaust, it is undeniable that his role in the war saved countless lives through his discreet and diplomatic actions. For many, his silence was the safeguard that allowed the salvation of thousands of Jews.

Figure 3: Anderson, J. (1860). St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Pius XII's Direct Intervention in World War II

Despite the controversy stirred up by his detractors, Pius XII was not only unsympathetic to Nazism, but his opposition began well before the war, when he was still Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, Secretary of State of the Vatican under Pius XI. Among the clearest demonstrations of his anti-Nazi stance is a speech delivered on April 28, 1935, before 250,000 pilgrims in Lourdes. Pacelli publicly denounced Nazism as an ideology rooted in racial and ethnic supremacy (Marchione, 2000). 

His opposition to the Nazi regime was also evident in his key role in the drafting of Mit brennender Sorge (The Holy See, 1937), the encyclical of Pius XI, which strongly condemned Nazi ideology. This effort, along with numerous diplomatic communications and both public and private statements, reinforced his reputation as a staunch opponent of the regime. Indeed, after he was elected Pope, the official German press expressed its discontent, stating that the election of Eugenio Pacelli was not well received in Germany, as he had always opposed Nazism and shaped Vatican policy under his predecessor (Coppa, 2013).

Unfortunately, the war broke out on September 1, 1939, with the Nazi invasion of Poland. Shortly afterward, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany (Morris, 1997). In an attempt to neutralize the new Pope’s anti-Nazi stance, Hitler sent his Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, to the Vatican in March 1940. During the audience, Ribbentrop defended the supposed invincibility of the Third Reich and tried to dissuade the Pope from aligning with its enemies. Pius XII, unfazed, responded by opening a record book and, in perfect German, meticulously listed the Nazi persecutions in Poland. His position was clear: he would not yield to the regime (Bottum & Dalin, 2010).

Figure 4: Alamy. (1941). Adolf Hitler with Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop.

During the early years of his pontificate, Pius XII worked tirelessly to save as many Jewish lives as possible, carrying out a subversive and clandestine war against the Nazis. However, he avoided making strong public statements, aware that such declarations could have fatal consequences. A tragic example occurred in the Netherlands in 1942. Despite Nazi warnings, the Archbishop of Utrecht protested the deportation of Jews, which led to immediate reprisals, including the death of Catholic Jews such as Edith Stein (Lehner, 2009). Pius XII was horrified. What happened was devastating, and the Pope realized he had to avoid going down that path again.

In this context, Mother Pascalina, assistant and counselor to Pius XII for more than 40 years, recalled the true story of Cardinal von Faulhaber, a German Catholic priest who served as Archbishop of Munich for 35 years. The account highlights the grave consequences of speaking out during that time: ‘From the Munich catedral pulpit, every single time Cardinal von Faulhaber criticized the Nazis for having committed another atrocity -and believe me, he spoke courageously and selflessly, risking his own life each time he did- the following morning five or more of his priests would be arrested and taken to prison camps, never to be seen or heard form again… His Eminence carried that very heavy cross on his shoulders every day of his life until he died’ (Murr, 2017). She also mentioned that a Polish bishop, after receiving a letter from the Pope, decided to burn it to avoid a greater massacre, thanking the intention but refusing to put more lives at risk (Murr, 2017).

Figure 5: Archiv Redaktion Mariannhill. (n.d.). Dachau martyrs. Fr Richard Henkes, Father Engelmar Unzeitig, Fr Gerhard Hirschfelder.

It was not until late 1943, after Mussolini's fall and Hitler's fear of a peace between Italy and the Allies, that the Jews of Rome were directly threatened. It was then that Pius XII demonstrated his strength. Jewish chroniclers estimate that the Vatican allocated millions of dollars in aid, which was crucial in helping the Jewish community survive the Nazi threats (Bottum & Dalin, 2010). On September 27, 1943, the Nazis demanded that the Jewish community of Rome provide 100 pounds of gold within 36 hours, under the threat of deporting 300 people. After gathering only 70, Chief Rabbi Zolli went to the Vatican — disguised as an engineer to avoid the Gestapo — where he was received by the treasurer and the Secretary of State. Both confirmed that the Pope himself had ordered the remainder to be covered from the Vatican Treasury (Zolli, 2008).

During the Nazi occupation of Rome, Pius XII intensified his efforts to protect the Jews. With his knowledge and under his explicit orders, bishops and priests across Europe forged baptismal certificates and other documents to save lives. Anticipating the arrival of Nazi troops, the Pope ordered that convents, monasteries, and other religious buildings offer refuge, even lifting the cloister rule that prohibited the entry of outsiders. Rabbi Lapide records that between 4,000 and 7,000 Jews were hidden, fed, and protected in numerous locations, including the Vatican City, Castel Gandolfo, the Jesuit Gregorian University, the Pontifical Biblical Institute, basilicas, churches, and monasteries, most of them Vatican property. The Holy See even placed signs to warn the Gestapo that these places were Vatican territory (Lapide, 1967). After the war, it was determined that the Nazis deported 8,000 Jews from Italy, much fewer than in other European countries (Zimmerman, 2008). The Pope's and the Church's efforts to save Jewish lives were among the most successful in Europe during the war (Lapide, 1967).

Figure 6: Courtesy of Gary Krupp. (n.d.). Jewish refugees photographed in Castel Gandolfo.

In addition to offering refuge, Pius XII also took on the responsibility of feeding the protected Jews. According to the memoirs of Mother Pascalina, the Pope sent an emissary to negotiate with Franco. Since Spain remained neutral, it allowed the shipment of grain to the Vatican port of Civitavecchia under the Lateran Treaty. The grain arrived by ship through Civitavecchia, was transported by land, and was received at the Vatican train station. Thanks to this agreement, thousands of people were able to be fed (Murr, 2017).

Pius XII's efforts to save the Jews during World War II were widely recognized by the Jewish community. When the war ended, the Jews of Rome were the first to proclaim the Holy Father Defensor Civitatis (Murr, 2017). The Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Isaac Herzog, sent a message on February 28, 1944, thanking the Pope for his support during the tragedy faced by the Jewish people, emphasizing that his intervention was a sign of Divine Providence. Similarly, Rabbi Safran of Bucharest expressed his gratitude in April 1944, stressing that the Jews of Romania would never forget the help provided by the Pope (Marchione, 2007). The Chief Rabbi of Rome, Israel Zolli, also publicly thanked the Vatican, stating that their actions would be eternally engraved in the hearts of the Jewish people. After the war, he converted to Catholicism, adopting the name Eugenio in honor of Pius XII (Zolli, 2008). According to Rabbi Lapide, the efforts of Pope Pius XII and the Catholic Church saved at least 700,000 Jews during World War II, although this number could be higher, with estimates approaching 860,000. This figure exceeds the number of lives saved by all Jewish aid organizations in Europe during the war. Lapide emphasized that the Church, led by Pius XII, was the most successful assistance organization in all of Europe, surpassing even the Red Cross and other humanitarian entities (Lapide 1967).

Figure 7: Vatican News. 1943. Pio XII e il bombardamento di Roma [Pius XII and the bombardment of Rome].

Conclusion

Pius XII, Supreme Pontiff during World War II, remains one of the most debated figures in contemporary history. Although critics have long questioned his response to the Holocaust, suggesting silence or even complicity with Nazi Germany, extensive testimonies and investigations have shown that, rather than being indifferent, he pursued a deliberate, quiet strategy to save lives. His decision not to openly condemn Nazi atrocities was a carefully measured tactic to prevent greater reprisals, as he secretly orchestrated a humanitarian effort from the Vatican that rescued thousands of Jews, including sheltering many within Vatican properties under his direct authorization. His careful silence was not a sign of weakness, but a courageous choice grounded in a strong respect for human dignity. Far from being the Pope of Hitler, the Holy Father’s prudent silence ultimately saved countless lives during one of the darkest chapters in history.

Biographical References

Bottum, J., & G. Dalin, D. (Ed.). (2010). The Pius War. Responses to the Critics of Pius XII. Lexington Books

Coppa, F. (2013). The Life and Pontificate of Pope Pius XII. Between History & Controversy. Catholic University of America Press

Lapide, P. (1967). Three Popes and the Jews. Hawthorn Books

Lehner, U.L. (2009, July 17). The Bishops Who Defied the Nazis. National Catholic Register. Site name: https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/the-bishops-who-defied-the-nazis

Marchione, M. (2000). Pope Pius XII. Architect for Peace. Paulist Press

Marchione, M. (2007). Did Pope Pius XII help the Jews?. Paulist Press

Morris Roberts, J. (1997). A Short History of the World. Oxford University Press

Murr, C.T. (2017). The Godmother: Madre Pascalina, A Feminine Tour de Force. Independent Publishing Platform

The Holy See. (1937, March 14). Encyclical Letter Mit Brennender Sorge of the Supreme Pontiff Pius XI on the Situation of the Catholic Church in the German Reich. Libreria Editrice Vaticana

The Holy See. (n.d.). Pio XII (1876-1958) [Pius XII (1876-1958)]. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Site name: Biografia di Sua Santità Pio XII | PIO XII

Vatican Secretariat of State. (n.d.). La serie ‘Ebrei’ del fondo congregazione degli affari ecclesiastici straordinari [The Ebrei archival series of the fondo congregazione degli affari ecclesiastici straordinari]. Site name: Serie Ebrei - Archivio Storico della Sezione per i Rapporti con gli Stati, Fondo Affari Ecclesiastici Straordinari - Segreteria di Stato

Zimmerman, J.D. (Ed.). (2008). Jews in Italy Under Fascist and Nazi Rule, 1922-1945. Cambridge University Press

Zolli, E. (2008). Before the Dawn: Autobiographical Reflections by Eugenio Zolli, Former Chief Rabbi of Rome. Ignatius Press

Visual Sources