About the book
How Vatican officials aided Nazi war criminals and undermined Allied justice after World War II
In the aftermath of World War II, the Nuremberg Trials promised a new era of international justice, holding Nazi leaders to account for their crimes. Yet beyond the courtroom, a very different struggle was unfolding, one that played out behind the walls of the Vatican.
Provocative and meticulously researched, The Pope Against Nuremberg uncovers how the Vatican shielded war criminals, challenged the principles of postwar justice, and facilitated ratline networks in which Church leaders played a central role in spiriting perpetrators to safety—what its defenders called Christian mercy. Drawing on newly opened Vatican archives, as well as government and intelligence records from Europe and the Americas, Gerald J. Steinacher reveals a campaign that would ultimately benefit some of the most notorious Nazi perpetrators by helping them avoid prosecution.
From papal diplomats to individual bishops, Church figures petitioned the U.S. president and other Allied leaders, submitted statements for the defense, coordinated public relations campaigns, resisted extraditions, and, in some cases, sheltered Nazi war criminals on Church property. Meanwhile, Pope Pius XII, long criticized for his alleged public silence during the Holocaust, urged the world to forgive Germany. Steinacher places these actions within the turbulent politics of early Cold War Europe, when fear of communism increasingly outweighed the pursuit of accountability for mass crimes. Combining groundbreaking research and compelling storytelling, The Pope Against Nuremberg provides new answers to decades-old questions about the role and motivations of church officials in the networks that helped Nazis escape postwar justice.
Editions of The Pope Against Nuremberg
- AltFormat
- ISBN 9781479845248
Read an Excerpt
How Vatican officials aided Nazi war criminals and undermined Allied justice after World War II
In the aftermath of World War II, the Nuremberg Trials promised a new era of international justice, holding Nazi leaders to account for their crimes. Yet beyond the courtroom, a very different struggle was unfolding, one that played out behind the walls of the Vatican.
Provocative and meticulously researched, The Pope Against Nuremberg uncovers how the Vatican shielded war criminals, challenged the principles of postwar justice, and facilitated ratline networks in which Church leaders played a central role in spiriting perpetrators to safety—what its defenders called Christian mercy. Drawing on newly opened Vatican archives, as well as government and intelligence records from Europe and the Americas, Gerald J. Steinacher reveals a campaign that would ultimately benefit some of the most notorious Nazi perpetrators by helping them avoid prosecution.
From papal diplomats to individual bishops, Church figures petitioned the U.S. president and other Allied leaders, submitted statements for the defense, coordinated public relations campaigns, resisted extraditions, and, in some cases, sheltered Nazi war criminals on Church property. Meanwhile, Pope Pius XII, long criticized for his alleged public silence during the Holocaust, urged the world to forgive Germany. Steinacher places these actions within the turbulent politics of early Cold War Europe, when fear of communism increasingly outweighed the pursuit of accountability for mass crimes. Combining groundbreaking research and compelling storytelling, The Pope Against Nuremberg provides new answers to decades-old questions about the role and motivations of church officials in the networks that helped Nazis escape postwar justice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Pope Against Nuremberg about?
How Vatican officials aided Nazi war criminals and undermined Allied justice after World War II
In the aftermath of World War II, the Nuremberg Trials promised a new era of international justice, holding Nazi leaders to account for their crimes. Yet beyond the courtroom, a very different struggle was unfolding, one that played out behind the walls of the Vatican.
Provocative and meticulously researched, The Pope Against Nuremberg uncovers how the Vatican shielded war criminals, challenged the principles of postwar justice, and facilitated ratline networks in which Church leaders played a central role in spiriting perpetrators to safety—what its defenders called Christian mercy. Drawing on newly opened Vatican archives, as well as government and intelligence records from Europe and the Americas, Gerald J. Steinacher reveals a campaign that would ultimately benefit some of the most notorious Nazi perpetrators by helping them avoid prosecution.
From papal diplomats to individual bishops, Church figures petitioned the U.S. president and other Allied leaders, submitted statements for the defense, coordinated public relations campaigns, resisted extraditions, and, in some cases, sheltered Nazi war criminals on Church property. Meanwhile, Pope Pius XII, long criticized for his alleged public silence during the Holocaust, urged the world to forgive Germany. Steinacher places these actions within the turbulent politics of early Cold War Europe, when fear of communism increasingly outweighed the pursuit of accountability for mass crimes. Combining groundbreaking research and compelling storytelling, The Pope Against Nuremberg provides new answers to decades-old questions about the role and motivations of church officials in the networks that helped Nazis escape postwar justice.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Pope Against Nuremberg?
History and Archaeology > History > History: specific events and topics > Genocide and ethnic cleansing > The Holocaust
Where can I read a sample of The Pope Against Nuremberg?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781479845248
How long is The Pope Against Nuremberg and how many pages does it have?
The Pope Against Nuremberg has 368 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Pope Against Nuremberg?
Gerald J. Steinacher
Who is the Publisher of the book The Pope Against Nuremberg?
NYU Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Pope Against Nuremberg is available as altformat(ISBN 9781479845248)
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Where can I buy The Pope Against Nuremberg?