The Pope at War

The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler

By: David I. Kertzer

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

Length: 17 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER •
“The most important book ever written about the Catholic Church and its conduct during World War II.”—Daniel Silva

“Kertzer brings all of his usual detective and narrative skills to [The Pope at War] . . . the most comprehensive account of the Vatican’s relations to the Nazi and fascist regimes before and during the war.”—The Washington Post

“Tolstoyan.”—Cynthia Ozick

Based on newly opened Vatican archives, a groundbreaking, explosive, and riveting book about Pope Pius XII and his actions during World War II, including how he responded to the Holocaust, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Pope and Mussolini

WINNER OF THE JULIA WARD HOWE AWARD • LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/JACQUELINE BOGRAD WELD AWARD • A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

When Pope Pius XII died in 1958, his papers were sealed in the Vatican Secret Archives, leaving unanswered questions about what he knew and did during World War II. Those questions have only grown and festered, making Pius XII one of the most controversial popes in Church history, especially now as the Vatican prepares to canonize him.

In 2020, Pius XII’s archives were finally opened, and David I. Kertzer—widely recognized as one of the world’s leading Vatican scholars—has been mining this new material ever since, revealing how the pope came to set aside moral leadership in order to preserve his church’s power.

Based on thousands of never-before-seen documents not only from the Vatican, but from archives in Italy, Germany, France, Britain, and the United States, The Pope at War paints a new, dramatic portrait of what the pope did and did not do as war enveloped the continent and as the Nazis began their systematic mass murder of Europe’s Jews. The book clears away the myths and sheer falsehoods surrounding the pope’s actions from 1939 to 1945, showing why the pope repeatedly bent to the wills of Hitler and Mussolini.

Just as Kertzer’s Pulitzer Prize–winning The Pope and Mussolini became the definitive book on Pope Pius XI and the Fascist regime, The Pope at War is destined to become the most influential account of his successor, Pius XII, and his relations with Mussolini and Hitler. Kertzer shows why no full understanding of the course of World War II is complete without knowledge of the dramatic, behind-the-scenes role played by the pope. “This remarkably researched book is replete with revelations that deserve the adjective ‘explosive,’” says Kevin Madigan, Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard University. “The Pope at War is a masterpiece.”

©2022 David I. Kertzer (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A masterly character study of a flawed, tormented leader and a cautionary tale about the perils of both-sides-ism.”—The New Yorker

“Kertzer brings all of his usual detective and narrative skills to [The Pope at War] . . . the most comprehensive account of the Vatican’s relations to the Nazi and fascist regimes before and during the war.”—The Washington Post

“Kertzer has spent decades excavating the Vatican’s hidden history . . . [His] new book . . . documents the private decision-making that led Pope Pius XII to stay essentially silent about Hitler’s genocide and argues that the pontiff’s impact on the war is underestimated. And not in a good way.”—The New York Times

Interesting history

This is about Pope Pius XII during WW2. It’s based on a lot of new material. The Vatican had sealed Pius XII’s papers from this period until Pope Francis released them in 2020.

Pope Pius XI was very much against the racism and Anti Semitism of Hitler and Mussolini. He was prepared to release an encyclical saying so in 1939, but died just before delivering it. His top assistant was selected to be the new Pope and in honor of his boss took the name Pius XII. He did not however take his former boss’s stance against the Fascists.

Throughout WW2, Pius XII would never denounce Hitler or Mussolini or their actions even after it became known that Hitler was exterminating the Jews. The question is why? The book does not have a smoking gun, definitive answer. The reader is allowed to look at the actions of Pope Pius XII and come to his or her own conclusions. Did Pius XII agree with the Hitler? Doubtful. Was he afraid for his own safety? Maybe. Was he afraid for the fate of the Catholic Church? Possibly. Was he hoping by staying neutral to broker a peace at the end of the war and increase his own power as a result? That’s an option. In fact there are numerous potential reasons and the true reason probably consisted of several of them. The only thing that is certain is that Pius XII’s silence was noticeable to all and history has judged him harshly for it.

I picked this one because of my recent visit to the Vatican. WW2 buffs would probably find it more enjoyable than I did. For me it was a little more detail than I wanted, but I did learn a lot.

I didin't LOVE it

Excellent commentary on the Popes. Too bad some of them are not as kind as their religion purports them to be!

Important book

This was absolutely fantastic book. Last thoughts however were somewhat odd given the clear and detailed account

Excelente

Un libro muy interesante. Permite entender las presiones políticas y los cuidados que debió tomar Pio XII para cuidar la religión católica aun a cambio de no tomar partido con ningún país en la segunda Guerra mundial.

Excellent book!

The book was well written and thoroughly researched. In addition to revealing new details on the church during WWII, it provides immersive details on the impact of the war on Italy and the world.

Captivating

I loved this book. It was so well written that it was entertaining. The subject was disturbing, but it was presented in a balanced way.

Read this book before...

This is a well written book with more information recently released. Nothing shocking for those that have been paying attention for decades. A must read for all, especially catholics. Read or better yet, buy a physical copy before the Vatican buys the rights to this book and buries it alongside Penn and Teller's B.S. two episodes "Holier-than-thou" and "The Vatican".

A remarkable book. Incredibly important. Should be read by every Catholic and everyone

The material presented in the book is very uncomfortable but so important. Pope pious the 12th, is exposed on the basis of facts that have been hidden in the archives for 70 years. Silence was a misnomer for moral bankruptcy.
Thousands of lives could have been saved but for the silence of the Pope and church.

Newly published - glad I got it early as it is worth the listen!

Very thoroughly researched and evenly presented, without undue prejudice or premature judgments posited before parsing all evidence. In short, not a pro/anti-catholic diatribe but a beautifully laid-out story of a pope in a giant quandary, caught between fears for his institution after whichever side in the war might come out on top. I especially appreciated the final words in the book, which sum up the uncomfortable choices which confronted Pius XII, assuring that he would fail at some part of his leadership role no matter which way he went.

Now I know more and understand less

Pius XII is the primer example of a man in the wrong place and of the fact that not doing anything results always in doing the wrong thing.
The story also points to the fact that for the (catholic) church there are/were baptized humans and others. The ignorance of the fait of the Jewes is mind numbing.