The Pope and the War. The Unknown Story of the Relationship between Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler

The fierce debates about Pope Pius XII's relations with the German Nazi and Italian Fascist regimes and his activities during World War II have not yet subsided. Critics accuse the pope of having a weakness for dictatorships and a bias against Jews. However, defenders of Pius XII consider this church figure worthy of canonization. Many studies have been dedicated to World War II, but for a long time, one of the key elements was missing. The Vatican archives were sealed after Pius XII's death in 1958. Fortunately, since March 2020, they have become available to researchers. This book offers the first comprehensive account of those events, based on the materials from the recently opened archives. It is possible that it will provide lessons useful to the modern world.