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Title: Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII by John Cornwell ISBN: 0-14-029627-1 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 03 October, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.03 (219 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Hitler's Pope ...yes..that he was!
Comment: A long-debated issue in recent history is whether Pope Pius X11, by taking a more forceful stand against the Nazis, could have saved many Jewish people from the Holocaust. Defenders have argued that bold opposition to Hitler would have brought serious reprisals; critics say the pope lacked moral leadership and courage to oppose evil. Cornwell (Jesus College, Cambridge) adds to the debate with a book highly critical of the pope's inaction. He describes Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli) as an ambitious, authoritarian churchman who sought to secure the advantage of the church throughout his career. Cornwell traces Pacelli's entire life, with emphasis on his many years of representing the papacy in Germany and his political policies as pope (1939-58). In Cornwell's view, Pacelli's negotiations with Germany allowed Hitler to neutralize the influence of the church during the Third Reich (1933-45). Hitler allowed the German church its religious practices but insisted that it cease all political activity; Pacelli responded with appeasement. Cornwell says that the pope was asked repeatedly by national representatives and Jewish spokespersons to condemn Nazi atrocities but that he only delivered platitudes that failed even to mention Jews or Nazis--hence the sensational title, Hitler's Pope.
Rating: 4
Summary: Very thought provoking
Comment: John Cornwell's Hitler's Pope: the secret history of Pius XII is an engaging and thought-provoking read. Contrary to the somewhat sensationalist National Enquirer-esque tone of the title this book is a serious albeit non-academic study of Piux XII's culpability in both the rise of National Socialist Germany and Hitler's policy attempted extermination of the Jewish Race. This is evidenced by the fact that a leading Church historian such as Eamon Duffy have provided both critical comment and endorsement (of the book rather than the argument). The book asks to what extent Pacelli (Pope Piux XII) was aware of Hitler's mass-murder of Jews is one which is never fully and conclusively answered in the book (although that Pacelli was aware of the gas chambers although maybe not the true extent of their use does seem likely). Cornwell never claims that Pacelli supported the extermination of the Jewish community (although in common with much Christianity both Catholic and Protestant Pacelli does seem to have held quite strong anti-semitic or more accurately anti-judaic views). Pacelli's sin was in Cornwell's view his policy of acquiescence. Pacelli drawing on his background in temporal diplomacy to the full made every effort to maintain a position of neutrality within the world conflict so as he could act as a peace mediator in the future to aid a peace resolution. Further as the Holy Father to over one billion followers any militant stand could result in reprisals against thousands of those in his care. Whether this was justified is, of course, a point of argument.
Hitler's Pope is not however just a historical telling of the Vatican's role within the international politics of the time; it is also a book with a theological/ecclesiastical governmental point. Pivotal to the argument (just how pivotal does not become apparent until the book's conclusion) is the work of Pacelli while still Papal nuncio in Berlin and later Secretariat of State for the Vatican pursued the policy of Piux XI searching for a Reich Concordant. The reason being not so much for the benefit of German Catholicism but in order to cement the autocracy implemented in 1870 at Vatican I of the papacy. In order to ensure this the Pope was willing to concede the right of Catholics to engage in political endeavours and the Centre Party under the leadership of Ludwig Kaas was disbanded. The Centre Party was both decidedly anti-Nazi and held significant public support. Thus in the pursuit of papal power a significant alternative and obstacle to the success of the National Socialist ideal was decimated and as such a chance to avert the death of millions of innocent people was sidestepped. Thus Cornwell concludes (p 370-371): "papal autocracy, carried to the extreme, can only de-moralize and weaken Christian communities ... It has been the urgent thesis of this book that where the papacy waxes strong at the expense of the people of God, the Catholic Church declines in moral and spiritual influence to the detriment of us all"
And thus the emphasis that this book is not a mere historical study; Cornwell concludes stating that even in this post-Vatican II era John Paul II continues to `wax strong' to this day.
Rating: 1
Summary: This book does not let facts interfere with a good story!
Comment: If you like to read books that spread lies then this one is for you. The author is not concerned with facts and just wants to make a buck by spreading lies. I wish I could give this book negative stars! Oh well, Mr. Cornwell will have to face Jesus and account for his lies.
In this book the statements by the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church are constantly taken out of context. Based on this as a guidline for Mr. Cornwell's bias - and he is bias in all his books - he could easily write a book proving that Hitler was saving the Jews from the Americans and the other Allies who sought to exterminate them in WWII. It is rare to see an author who can manipulate facts and misquote whith such ease.
For the truth just read other books on the subject or look up the information from the sources he listed and 'see' the truth he overlooked on purpose.
I hope you pray for Mr. Cornwell, I will.
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Title: The Catholic Church and Nazi Germany by Guenter Lewy ISBN: 0306809311 Publisher: Da Capo Press Pub. Date: 01 February, 2000 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: The Popes Against the Jews: The Vatican's Role in the Rise of Modern Anti-Semitism by David I. Kertzer ISBN: 0375406239 Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Pub. Date: 18 September, 2001 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Hitler's Scientists: Science, War, and the Devil's Pact by John Cornwell ISBN: 0670030759 Publisher: Viking Books Pub. Date: 09 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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Title: A Thief in the Night: Life and Death in the Vatican by John Cornwell ISBN: 0141001836 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 May, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Hitler, the War, and the Pope by Ronald J. Rychlak ISBN: 0879732172 Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor Pub. Date: 01 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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