The Myth of Hitler's Pope
Encyclopedia
The Myth of Hitler's Pope: How Pope Pius XII Rescued Jews from the Nazis is a book written by American historian and Rabbi David G. Dalin
and published in 2005 by Regnery Publishing
.
, who was the centre of controversy in the wake of John Cornwell
's book "Hitler's Pope
." The latter received attention in the Weekly Standard.
Published in February 2001, Dalin's essay (later expanded into the book) concluded that Pius XII was a Righteous Gentile who saved hundreds of thousands of lives during the Holocaust. Bottum stated that the essay "went far beyond any claim I had been willing to make", though he did not say whether he disagreed with any of the claims in the essay, and also noted that one New York Times reviewer who "responded in the way I had supposed most would" had "grumbled a little but eventually concluded the claims about Pius XII were overwrought and Dalin was basically right: the Pope did 'more than most to shelter Jews.'"
Bottum said that at a Holocaust symposium the next summer, one conservative editor, who had previously supported Bottum's approach, declared he would never read another word David Dalin wrote. Bottum also said that in "conservative Catholic" circles it was generally well received, but noted that many in these circles have a "self-image as victims" and fear that attacks on Pius XII are signs of "rampant anti-Catholicism" in larger society, and that these sorts of fears drive them to an insular attitude of wanting to "flee to small fellowships of the saved and away from the corruption of the public square". When people like this endorse the book, Bottum says, then in the minds of others who completely disagree with Dalin and were "only angered" by his pro-Pius XII argument, these endorsements just serve to confirm "that David Dalin let himself be used as a Jew to advance a sectarian Catholic agenda".
.
Then he gets to the main part of the book: defending the reputation of the late Pope Pius XII
by presenting extensive documentation culled from Church and State archives throughout Europe. Rabbi Dalin suggests that Yad Vashem
should honor Pope Pius XII as a "Righteous Gentile", and documents that Pius was praised by many leading Jews of his day for his role in saving more Jews than Schindler
. Pius's admirers included Chief Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
of the Palestinian Mandate and Israel, Israeli Prime Ministers Golda Meir
and Moshe Sharett
, and Israel's first president Chaim Weizmann
.
Dalin also presents Albert Einstein
as one of the Jews who supposedly praised Pius XII, writing that Einstein "paid tribute to the 'courage' of Pope Pius and the Catholic Church". He references an article in Time Magazine (23 December 1940), and quotes Einstein as saying in the article that "Only the Catholic church stood squarely across the path of Hitler's campaign for suppressing the truth." (Technically the article quoted Einstein saying "only the church", not "only the Catholic church".) In a 1943 letter Einstein said he made a statement "which corresponds approximately" with Time article, but that it was made much earlier than 1940 "during the first years of the Nazi regime", and that his actual comments were "more moderate." In a 1950 letter Einstein said that his quoted remarks from the Time article had been "elaborated and exaggerated nearly beyond recognition" and that he was "predominantly critical" of the clergy. In a 1943 interview Einstein was extremely critical of the Catholic Church's behavior under the Nazis, and also singled out Pope Pius XII for criticism because of his Concordat with Hitler, saying "Since when can one make a pact with Christ and Satan at the same time?"
Dalin writes:
Dalin also argues that there really was a "Hitler's cleric", Hajj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti
of Jerusalem, who spent the war with Hitler, was a friend of Adolf Eichmann
, and later became the mentor of Yasser Arafat
.
In the July/August 2006 issue of The American Spectator
, Martin Gilbert
, a Holocaust historian, writes:
"Building on earlier, documented defenses of Pius XII...[ Dalin ] builds a powerful case for Pius XII, suggesting that the desire of Pope John Paul II to canonize Pius need not have been offensive -- or insensitive -- to Jews, as it was widely portrayed."
Gilbert asserts that "Professor Dalin's book is an essential contribution to our understanding of the reality of Pope Pius XII's support for Jews at their time of greatest danger."
David G. Dalin
David G. Dalin is an American Conservative rabbi and historian, is the author, co-author, or editor of ten books on American Jewish history and politics, and Jewish-Christian relations. He is currently a professor of history and politics at Ave Maria University, in Florida...
and published in 2005 by Regnery Publishing
Regnery Publishing
Regnery Publishing in Washington, D.C., is a publisher which specializes in conservative books characterized on their website as "contrary to those of 'mainstream' publishers in New York." Since 1993, Regnery Publishing has been a division of Eagle Publishing, which also owns the weekly magazine...
.
Background
In 2001 Joseph Bottum commissioned Dalin to write an omnibus review article on the books relating to Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
, who was the centre of controversy in the wake of John Cornwell
John Cornwell (writer)
John Cornwell is an English journalist and author, and a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge. He is best known for various books on the papacy, most notably Hitler's Pope; investigative journalism; memoir; and the public understanding of science and philosophy. More recently he has been concerned...
's book "Hitler's Pope
Hitler's Pope
Hitler's Pope is a book published in 1999 by the British journalist and author John Cornwell that examines the actions of Pope Pius XII during the Nazi era, and explores the charge that he assisted in the legitimization of Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime in Germany, through the pursuit of a...
." The latter received attention in the Weekly Standard.
Published in February 2001, Dalin's essay (later expanded into the book) concluded that Pius XII was a Righteous Gentile who saved hundreds of thousands of lives during the Holocaust. Bottum stated that the essay "went far beyond any claim I had been willing to make", though he did not say whether he disagreed with any of the claims in the essay, and also noted that one New York Times reviewer who "responded in the way I had supposed most would" had "grumbled a little but eventually concluded the claims about Pius XII were overwrought and Dalin was basically right: the Pope did 'more than most to shelter Jews.'"
Bottum said that at a Holocaust symposium the next summer, one conservative editor, who had previously supported Bottum's approach, declared he would never read another word David Dalin wrote. Bottum also said that in "conservative Catholic" circles it was generally well received, but noted that many in these circles have a "self-image as victims" and fear that attacks on Pius XII are signs of "rampant anti-Catholicism" in larger society, and that these sorts of fears drive them to an insular attitude of wanting to "flee to small fellowships of the saved and away from the corruption of the public square". When people like this endorse the book, Bottum says, then in the minds of others who completely disagree with Dalin and were "only angered" by his pro-Pius XII argument, these endorsements just serve to confirm "that David Dalin let himself be used as a Jew to advance a sectarian Catholic agenda".
Contents
Dalin first presents evidence to support his conclusion that popes through history have defended the Jews, and that they have refuted attacks like the blood libelBlood libel
Blood libel is a false accusation or claim that religious minorities, usually Jews, murder children to use their blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays...
.
Then he gets to the main part of the book: defending the reputation of the late Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
by presenting extensive documentation culled from Church and State archives throughout Europe. Rabbi Dalin suggests that Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
should honor Pope Pius XII as a "Righteous Gentile", and documents that Pius was praised by many leading Jews of his day for his role in saving more Jews than Schindler
Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler was an ethnic German industrialist born in Moravia. He is credited with saving over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories, which were located in what is now Poland and the Czech Republic respectively.He is the subject of the...
. Pius's admirers included Chief Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog
Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog , also known as Isaac Herzog, was the first Chief Rabbi of Ireland, his term lasting from 1921 to 1936...
of the Palestinian Mandate and Israel, Israeli Prime Ministers Golda Meir
Golda Meir
Golda Meir ; May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) was a teacher, kibbutznik and politician who became the fourth Prime Minister of the State of Israel....
and Moshe Sharett
Moshe Sharett
Moshe Sharett on 15 October 1894, died 7 July 1965) was the second Prime Minister of Israel , serving for a little under two years between David Ben-Gurion's two terms.-Early life:...
, and Israel's first president Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
.
Dalin also presents Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
as one of the Jews who supposedly praised Pius XII, writing that Einstein "paid tribute to the 'courage' of Pope Pius and the Catholic Church". He references an article in Time Magazine (23 December 1940), and quotes Einstein as saying in the article that "Only the Catholic church stood squarely across the path of Hitler's campaign for suppressing the truth." (Technically the article quoted Einstein saying "only the church", not "only the Catholic church".) In a 1943 letter Einstein said he made a statement "which corresponds approximately" with Time article, but that it was made much earlier than 1940 "during the first years of the Nazi regime", and that his actual comments were "more moderate." In a 1950 letter Einstein said that his quoted remarks from the Time article had been "elaborated and exaggerated nearly beyond recognition" and that he was "predominantly critical" of the clergy. In a 1943 interview Einstein was extremely critical of the Catholic Church's behavior under the Nazis, and also singled out Pope Pius XII for criticism because of his Concordat with Hitler, saying "Since when can one make a pact with Christ and Satan at the same time?"
Dalin writes:
- "anti-papal polemics of ex-seminarians like Garry WillsGarry WillsGarry Wills is a Pulitzer Prize-winning and prolific author, journalist, and historian, specializing in American politics, American political history and ideology and the Roman Catholic Church. Classically trained at a Jesuit high school and two universities, he is proficient in Greek and Latin...
and John CornwellJohn Cornwell (writer)John Cornwell is an English journalist and author, and a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge. He is best known for various books on the papacy, most notably Hitler's Pope; investigative journalism; memoir; and the public understanding of science and philosophy. More recently he has been concerned...
(author of Hitler's PopeHitler's PopeHitler's Pope is a book published in 1999 by the British journalist and author John Cornwell that examines the actions of Pope Pius XII during the Nazi era, and explores the charge that he assisted in the legitimization of Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime in Germany, through the pursuit of a...
), of ex-priests like James CarrollJames P. CarrollJames Carroll is a noted author, historian and journalist and Roman Catholic dissident.-Youth, education, and service as a priest:...
, and or other lapsed or angry liberal Catholics exploit the tragedy of the Jewish people during the Holocaust to foster their own political agenda of forcing changes on the Catholic Church today."
Dalin also argues that there really was a "Hitler's cleric", Hajj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti
Grand Mufti
The title of Grand Mufti refers to the highest official of religious law in a Sunni or Ibadi Muslim country. The Grand Mufti issues legal opinions and edicts, fatwā, on interpretations of Islamic law for private clients or to assist judges in deciding cases...
of Jerusalem, who spent the war with Hitler, was a friend of Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Eichmann
Adolf Otto Eichmann was a German Nazi and SS-Obersturmbannführer and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust...
, and later became the mentor of Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
.
Reviews
Rittner and Roth review Dalin's arguments in the preface of Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust, which they edited from the "face-to-face dialogue involving all of the 15 contributors". They conclude that "a generalization as inaccurate as Dalin's will not bear scrutiny" and that "such a simplistically polemical description scarcely makes recognizable the critics Dalin most has in mind". They find that "Dalin's claims are as dubious as they are sweeping" and "require more inquiry and discussion than the likes of Dalin want to give them".In the July/August 2006 issue of The American Spectator
The American Spectator
The American Spectator is a conservative U.S. monthly magazine covering news and politics, edited by R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. and published by the non-profit American Spectator Foundation. From its founding in 1967 until the late 1980s, the small-circulation magazine featured the writings of authors...
, Martin Gilbert
Martin Gilbert
Sir Martin John Gilbert, CBE, PC is a British historian and Fellow of Merton College, University of Oxford. He is the author of over eighty books, including works on the Holocaust and Jewish history...
, a Holocaust historian, writes:
"Building on earlier, documented defenses of Pius XII...[ Dalin ] builds a powerful case for Pius XII, suggesting that the desire of Pope John Paul II to canonize Pius need not have been offensive -- or insensitive -- to Jews, as it was widely portrayed."
Gilbert asserts that "Professor Dalin's book is an essential contribution to our understanding of the reality of Pope Pius XII's support for Jews at their time of greatest danger."