David Kertzer won the Pulitzer Prize for this vastly informative and groundbreaking book. I remember going to school as a child and seeing a picture of Pius XII on the wall in every classroom. Little did we know what scheming and nefarious actions this man was responsible for during the time leading up to the Second World War. Yet, even today when newly opened archives point to the truth, people are still in denial about the role of the Popes and the Church in the betrayal of the Jewish Italian population. We grew up with the notion that the Catholic Church leaders were enemies of Mussolini and fought bravely against Fascism. What really happened is recounted in Kertzer's fascinating and well-written history, the subtitle of which is: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe. It is the story of two men who came to power in Italy in the same year, 1922, and though they met only once, they ruled together for 17 years, largely through a series of go-between emissaries, most notably an unpleasant Jesuit named Tacci Venturi and Cardinal Pacelli who became Pius XII upon the death of Acille Ratti who was Pius XI.
The Vatican and Mussolini had many differences, but antisemitism was not one of them. The Church used it as a way to advance the faith; Mussolini used it to garner praise and respect from Hitler. This was odd because the Duce was originally Hitler's role model. While the Church did not actively campaign against the Italian Jews, it did turn a blind eye to both Hitler's and the Duce's increasing racial discrimination, in some cases facilitating it through editorials in the Catholic press. Though Ratti and Mussolini were frequently angry and frustrated with each other, they had more in common than not. Both were feared by their underlings, and both ruled absolutely, often displaying temper tantrums when they faced opposition. Both the Vatican and Rome were riddled with corruption which extended down the ranks of each organization.
The crowning achievement of cooperation between the two men was the passing of the Lateran Accords in 1929 which returned power to the Church which had been lost in 1870 when Italy became a a Kingdom. Once again Catholicism became the state religion. In return, the Duce received the support of the Vatican for his programs and most importantly when he invaded Abyssinia and claimed territory which gave him a base in Africa. The Catholic clergy in Italy willingly added to the cult of Mussolini mixing up Fascist and Catholic ritual, legitimizing the thugs the Duce set upon the Jewish population.
Eventually Pius XI saw the handwriting on the wall, but it was too late. He was on his deathbed and had abrogated power to Cardinal Pacelli who pandered to both Hitler and Mussolini, even going so far as to change the wording of the Pope's final speeches. After the death of Mussolini, Pacelli as Pius XII destroyed many incriminating paper and documents and initiated a cover-up that had lasted into the 21st century when the archives were finally opened on this shameful period in the history of the Catholic Church.
There is so much valuable material in this book, which took Kertzer seven years to write, that the reader must judge for him/herself. I highly recommend it to all readers. It would be an excellent book for reading groups; no doubt, it would spark discussion and in some cases disagreement. "The Pope and Mussolini" is a valuable read which deserved the Puilitzer Prize. It was also listed as one of the 10 best books of the NY Times for 2014.
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