Myth of Hitler's Pope: How Pope Pius XII Rescued Jews from the Nazis

I received this book on Thursday and I work full time, have two kids and finished it by Sunday evening. It was that riveting. This is a book every Catholic, and anyone interested in the history of the war and the holocaust should read. Amazing detail, thorough research, meaningful historical context. A tribute to a man of god under the worst of circumstances, literally walking a tightrope, and yet he persevered in doing all he and the church could do to rescue countless Jews from the Nazi's. 80+% of Roman Jews were saved by the efforts of the vatican, Jews in Poland, Hungary and in Germany were sheltered, provided for financially, and smuggled out of hostile territory. From the opening of Castel Gandalfo to shelter 3,000 Jews and the papal apartment there functioning as a maternity ward, to monasteries printing false baptismal records for jewish refugees so they could travel, to relieving convents of their vow of "cloister" so that they might shelter all comers and not just women & girls, to vast diplomatic efforts, and on and on. It was particularly important for me to understand the frequently criticized "concordat", which was initiated by the third reich, the church was given a week to respond, and during that week Hitler kidnapped 92 priests, shuttered catholic publications and raided over a dozen catholic youth group assemblies - a preview of what would happen if the church declined. Understanding the historical background of other concordats the church entered throughout history was also enlightening. People misunderstand what a "concordat" is, compared to other political treaties - they are different - just like non-catholics often mis-understand the doctrine of papal infallibility. Also history points to Eugenio Pacelli's denouncement of national socializm and the nazi regime long before he became pontiff. Thank you Rabbi Dalin!!!

I normally am not a fan of hardbacks, but after reading reviews of this book, I couldn't wait for the paperback. And I'm glad I didn't. I stayed up all night reading this absolutely gripping book which shows truth is stranger than fiction.Rabbi Dalin drops one bombshell after another, exceeding, for sheer intrigue, any conspiracy theory, and debunking along the way a legion of myths that are everywhere parrotted and nearly universally believed.The pogroms that for 800 years have been directed against the Jews largely resulted from a weird superstition called blood libel, in which it was held that the Passover feast involved murder and cannibalism, the same charge levelled against the early Christians' communion in the Roman empire. Kings and emperors allowed and encouraged mob violence against the Jews, and it was often the popes who protected them, even excommunicating any Christian who took part in the riots.After World War II, many Jewish leaders openly thanked Pope Pius XII for helping save Jews, among them Albert Einstein. How then did he ever get tarred as "Hitler's Pope"? The charge that Pope Pius XII was complicit with the Nazis was first levelled in a play in the '60s by a former Hitler Youth, but amazingly that charge was revived in a recent film called "Amen".The myth caught press in a book tellingly titled "Hitler's Pope", although the author, in light of new evidence to the contrary, has since withdrawn the thesis. To the contrary, argues Dalin, Pius XII was the driving force behind the rescue efforts and deserves to be called a "rightous gentile".The next bombshell concerns a forged anti-Jewish conspiracy theory from Czarist Russia called "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," which was widely circulated in Europe since Victorian times and is still reprinted, along with Hitler's biography, Mein Kampf, in Arab countries. The modern-day terrorism, Dalin contends, is an extension of the Nazi ideology and an attempt to carry out their "final solution" against the Jews. The myth of "blood libel" is still taught by these terrorists as a warrant for their jihad (holy war) against Israel.Somehow Dalin gets all this across in 200 pages, including copious notes in an easy read so engrossing you forget it's not fiction. This is the definitive book that Garry Wills and the other self-proclaimed enemies of JPII and Pius XII need to answer, if they can, and if not, wake up. Thanks to Rabbi Dalin, the Day of Disinformation is over, and the truth shall make you free.

I really enjoyed this book, it was well researched and I found it very informative. I certainly was impressed with the author's deep understanding of a very complex story and the defence of the Pope and Church from a Jewish perspective. It contains a well- argued defence of the efforts of Pope Pius XII and the Catholic Church to save as many members of the Jewish faith as possible from the Nazi Extermination camps.I though it contained a very thought provoking insight into the Liberal Media and its roll in the contemporary Cultural War currently being fought for Western Civilization.I must say I was very surprised to read the chapter dealing with 'Hitler's Mufti; Muslim Anti-Semitism and the Continueing War against the Jews'. It has certainly increased my understanding of the forces currently ingaged in the struggle to undermine our way of life. I would highly recommend this book for others to read, I am sure it will be a book I will repeatidly lend to others and I am equally sure it will be a book I will re-read many times and use to counter the comtempory liberal bias in our current society.I am left with a feeling of gratitude for the author for his efforts in righting the terrible erroneous injustice done to both Pope Pius XII and the Church during this bleak period of world history.