(386)   Wed 22 Oct 97  5:29
By: Jan deBoer
To: John Jancewicz
Re: Rome & Hitler
St:
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"Meanwhile von Papen had begun negotiations in Rome for the signing of a
Concordat between Hitler and the Holy See.
Besides von Papen, another leader of the Catholic Party who had accepted
the view of the Vatican on political Catholicism in Germany went to
Rome, where ways and means were discussed by which to carry out the
Vatican sentence with as little shock as possible to the German
Catholics. During his stay in rome, Prelate Kaas, in a public
delaration, described Hitler as, "the bearer of high ideals who will do
all that is necessary to save the nation from catastrophe."
Hitler himself, seeing the Vatican on his side, kept his promise about
the Concordat, and stated on March 23, 1933: "Just as we see in
Christianity the unshaken foundation of the moral life, so it is our
duty to cultivate friendly relations with the Holy see and to develop
them."
By this time the Vatican wholeheartedly favoured the Nazis.
the Pope sent orders to the German Bishops, who were assembled at Fulda,
that they were to instruct their clergy to support Hitler.
[...]
Hitler strucj another bargain with the Vatican before signing the
Concordat.
The Vatican was not to protest against his internal policy in dealing
roughly with the "Communists, Socialists, and Jews, or even with some
Catholic organizations" (presumably of the Left). The Vatican agreed.
Hitler then commenced to deal with his enemies, who, incidentally, were
the enemies of the Catholic Church. The most appalling persecution of
Jews, Communists, and Socialists began.  By Martch 1933 Hitler had
suppressed practically the whole of the Opposition Press; all Communist
papers were banned, and 175 of the 200 Socialist papers were banned.
This move was welcomed with undisguised rejoicing by the Vatican,
especially as it had been agreed beforehand that the Catholic Party
alone would be allowed to exist, at least for the time being. The
pogroms which took plave all over Germany shocked the civilized world
and brought protests from many countries.

THE "AUTHORITY" WHICH CLAIMS TO BE THE MORAL AUTHORITY OF THE WORLD WAS
PRACTICALLY THE ONLY ONE WHICH DID NOT UTTER A SINGLE WORD IN DEFENCE OF
THE PERSECUTED, OR OF REPROACH TO THE NAZIS!"

JdB

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