- Letter shows Pope Pius XII probably knew about Holocaust early on

By News Team, Rush Hour Daily

Updated on September 17th, 2023

letter-shows-pope-pius-xii-probably-knew-about-holocaust-early-on

A letter found in the Vatican archives contradicts the Holy See’s official position on Pope Pius XII’s knowledge of the Holocaust. The letter, written in 1942 by Father Lother Koenig, a Jesuit in the anti-Nazi resistance, was addressed to the pope’s personal secretary, Father Robert Leiber. Vatican archivist Giovanni Coco described the letter as “enormous” and stated that it showed the Vatican had detailed information about the extermination of Jews in labor camps. The letter mentioned the Belzec camp in German-occupied Poland, as well as Auschwitz and Dachau. Coco also suggested that there may be other missing or undiscovered correspondence between Koenig and Leiber. The release of this letter demonstrates the Vatican’s commitment to examining its historical records, as ordered by Pope Francis in 2019. The Vatican will host a conference on Pius and the Holocaust next month, bringing together scholars and organizations to discuss the topic.