Two volumes published by the Friends of Hungary Foundation present the political reports of one of the Pope's most renowned ambassadors to Hungary.Continue reading
Papal nuncio Angelo Rotta was born 151 years ago. He served as the Vatican’s representative in Hungary for 15 years, from 1930 to 1945. His main task was to maintain and strengthen relations between the Holy See and the Catholic Church in Hungary. The nuncio’s reports during World War II are significant because they shed new light on the political events of that turbulent period from different perspectives.
Born on August 9, 1872, exactly 151 years ago, Angelo Rotta was appointed head of the Hungarian nunciature by the Holy See of Rome in February 1930, where he remained until his expulsion from the country in April 1945. During this time, he was in constant contact with the Hungarian heads of church and state, informing Rome about the situation in Hungary and the fate of people in distress and persecution, in many cases exceeding his own authority and circumventing or ignoring the diplomatic rules of the time and interfering in historical events.
After the German invasion in the spring of 1944, Angelo Rotta’s tasks changed fundamentally: the nunciature now focused on helping people fleeing the Soviet army from the East to the West, and on rescuing persecuted Jews.
Most (74) of his 168 reports dealt with the Jewish question and described his actions and those of the Hungarian Catholic Church in favor of the persecuted Jews. In addition to his sharp criticism of the Jewish laws passed in Parliament, the nuncio repeatedly protested to the Hungarian authorities against the deportations, although he did not hold out much hope himself for a significant change in the situation.
Rotta’s reports were summarized in the two books of the Friends of Hungary Foundation (Magyarország Barátai Alapítvány, MOBA, publisher of our portal) From the Political Reports of Nuncio Angelo Rotta 1930-1939, 1938-1945.
The nuncio reported about the inhuman conditions:
70-80 or more people are crammed into each boxcar, regardless of age, sex, or religion. The wagons are locked, people are given little or no food and water, and many die of thirst or death because of the conditions on the way.”
The inhumane treatment of the remaining Jews in Budapest increased even more after the Arrow Cross Party took power.
After being expelled from the country in the spring of 1945, Rotta returned to Rome via Romania and Turkey. Although it was repeatedly suggested in the press that he might return to Budapest at some point, this was no longer possible after the Communist takeover.
Rotta died in Rome in 1965 at the age of 92. After the fall of communism, his work to save humanity was officially recognized and he was declared Righteous Among the Nations in 1997.
Via: Mult-kor ; Featured image: Wikipedia