Using newly available material from the U.S. National Archives, Michael Phayer sheds new light on the actions of the Vatican and of the man whom some have mistakenly called "Hitler's Pope." As a new world war loomed, the Vatican believed it had to make a choice between communism and Nazism. Reluctantly, both Pius XII and his predecessor chose the Nazis as the lesser of two evils. In the balance rested the genocide of European Jews. As difficult as his wartime behavior is to accept, perhaps nothing demonstrates Pius's fear of communism more than his misguided and unethical attempt to thwart its growth in South America by abetting the escape of Nazis and Ustaši war criminals. The story of these Vatican "ratlines" adds another facet to the complex picture of Pius XII and the Holocaust.
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"Phayer's text reads like a riveting suspense novel—filled with intrigue, conspiracy, and money laundering.... The so-called Pius Wars will not end with this book, but Phayer makes a welcome addition to the debate.... Recommended." —Choice
(Choice 2009)"This is an impressive study, which uses the new documentation in a judicious manner to develop credible reinterpretations of papal policy during the war and after.... The book makes a particularly valuable and original contribution..." —The International History Review, March 2009
(The International History Review 2009)"The new material that Phayer has brought to light from the National Archives offers a useful contribution to our understanding of the controversial relationship between the Vatican and the perpetrators of the Holocaust, expecially in the postwar period." —American Historical Review, April 2009
(American Historical Review 2009)"Michael Phayer has made excellent use of newly released archival material in his study of Pope Pius XII." —German Studies Review, May 2009
(German Studies Review 2010)"Diligently researched and documented, judicious in its conclusions... compassionate and humane in its outlook." —Richard L. Rubenstein, author of After Auschwitz: History, Theology, and Contemporary Judaism
(Richard L. Rubenstein, author of After Auschwitz: History, Theology, and Contemporary Judaism )"Unlike several passionate recent studies of Pius XII... Phayer makes every effort at scholarly restraint and caution. But, in the end, his careful effort produces powerful evidence that will likely add significantly to the controversy surrounding the pope... Certainly anyone interested in this fascinating, important, and disturbing topic must read this book." —Central European History, Volume 43, 2010
(Central European History )From the Publisher
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14 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The definitive Book on the Pius XII Controversy,
By Dr. Jonathan Levy (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pius XII, the Holocaust, and the Cold War (Hardcover)
Dr. Phayer has written the definitive book on Pius XII and the controversy surrounding his rule as Pope. This book is meticulously researched to the highest standards and contains no soapbox opinion, only well supported fact. In an understated way, this book is more of a bombshell than previous works by Loftus (Unholy Trinity) or Cornwall (Hitler's Pope). Expect no grandstanding by the author, just the facts in a highly organized and understandable format.
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