Jewish Affairs - South African Jewish Board of Deputies

JEWISH AFFAIRS ROSH HASHANAH 2012He assisted in searching for news of the missingand the dead and managed funds for the reliefwork provided by the Holy See.Pacelli’s concern for the POWs certainly atteststo his humanity and compassion. In his regularreports to Gaspari, however, he never neglectedto reflect his activities in the best possible light(in which regard he was eminently skilled andexperienced). His skill in taking care of his owninterests extended to his arrangements when heleft Rome’s Stazione Termini en route to Munichto commence his term of duty in Germany in theinterests of the POWs. He commandeered hisown railway compartment plus an additionalsealed carriage containing sixty cases of groceriespressing four ministries into service at a cost of80 000 lire to the Holy See. This contained anenormous quantity of embargoed goods and allstation masters were placed on alert from Rome tothe Swiss border to ensure the safe and unhinderedprogress of his war rations.Following the sudden death of ArchbishopAversa of Munich in May 1917, Pacelli wasconsecrated as Archbishop of Sardi by BenedictXV in the Sistine Chapel. It was a privateceremony, attended by, amongst others, AchilleRatti, the Vatican Diplomat and librarian whowould become Pius XI five years later. DuringPacelli’s time in Germany, he vigorously setabout promoting Benedict XV’s peace plan. TheHoly Father was indeed tormented by Christianswaging war against each other and by Catholicskilling Catholics.On 30 June 1920, Pacelli presented hiscredentials to the Reich, as ambassador of theHoly See. He was the first diplomat to do so underthe Weimar Republican Government andperformed his duties with both charm anddistinction.Pacelli came to a Germany shamed andembarrassed by military defeat and whoseeconomy was on the brink of collapse. It wasinflation ridden and leaderless, and vulnerable torevolution and civil war. Here was an opportunityfor a cunning strategist to wring out a benefit forthe Vatican. It could appeal for moderate demands,lower compensation rates and lower interestcharges. It could encourage re-establishment ofdiplomatic links between former enemies andrecommend more agreeable borders for Germany.Before the war, Germany had donated morefunds to the Holy See than all the other Catholiccommunities of the world put together. The soonerGermany re-established its economy, the greaterthe fiscal benefit would be to the Church. TheCatholic population in Germany had reached 23million by 1930. This was approximately 35% ofthe nation, and was despite the fact that Germanyhad lost a considerable portion of its territory asa result of the war that had been heavily populatedby Catholics. The German Catholic communitywas energetic and creative. During the 1920s, forexample, monastic foundations increased from366 to 640, members of religious orders from7000 to 14 000 and members of women’s religiousorders from 60 000 to 77 000. There were some400 daily Catholic newspapers and 420periodicals. Two Catholic news and featureservices syndicated material nationwide and aCatholic cinema review Film-Rundschau. Ralliesof Catholic workers, scouts and other groupswere frequently held. Catholicism was by far thelargest single social group in the country. TheCatholic Centre Party had much to do with thestrength and unprecedented growth of Catholicismin Germany, and during the 1920s, provided fiveout of the country’s ten Chancellors.Adolf Hitler recognized at an early stage thepotential for Catholic resistance to NationalSocialism. In Mein Kampf, he stated that aconfrontation with the Catholic Church would bedisastrous, and knew he could never succeedwithout the Church’s cooperation.There was considerable antagonism towardsthe Nazis. How was it, then, that the much-fearedconfrontation between the Church and Nazismnever materialized? Hitler was cunning enough torealize that what the Catholic Church had incommon with the Nazi philosophy of dictatorshipwas its Code of Canon Law. Skillfully structuredby Gaspari and Pacelli in the years 1904-1917, iteffectively accorded the Pope total control, withthe power to make decisions over the heads ofboth clergy and laity without consultation. Thetrick was to establish common cause with thePapacy; this would create co-operation andeliminate resistance.Pacelli’s Role in Hitler’s Rise to PowerPacelli took up his position as CardinalSecretary of State on 7 February 1930. The powerof decision in the Church then rested with PopePius XI. However, the Pope was plagued byillness and increasingly entrusted more and moreof his major decisions to the Cardinal Secretary ofState in matters concerning international relations.This was perfectly natural as the portfolio ofCardinal Secretary of State is equivalent to that ofa Minister of Foreign Affairs.The crux of the whole discussion was whatwould be benefit to the Church. What, in otherwords, was to be the price of the latter’s silence?The terms of Article 21 of the Reichskonkordatsigned between the Roman Catholic Church andthe National Socialist Party on 20 July 1933included the concordat’s provision on Catholiceducation. This was the most important area ofthe treaty for the Church. Hitler was to protectand underwrite the cost of educating Catholicpupils and students in every kind of institutionfrom the commencement of primary level to theend of the secondary level. The Catholic diocesanauthorities were granted the right to examinereligious instruction in schools and to appoint anddismiss teachers. The Church therefore gained38