Vatican Archivesthe Holocaust

1 Credit · Level: Undergraduate

The Opening of the Pius XII Archive and Holocaust Research. On March 2, 2020, one of the most important Holocaust-related archives in the world opened - the multiple archives relating to the pontificate of Pius XII (1939 to 1958). This course consists of reading primary source and documents, watching films and reviewing key secondary literature from/based on these new archives. Announced by Pope Francis on March 4, 2019 and marking 80 years since the election of Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (Pope Pius XII) to the office of pope, the Pius XII archives are accessible in multiple locations across Vatican City and Rome. When announcing the opening of these archives, His Holiness Pope Francis said, “the Church is not afraid of history; rather, she loves it, and would like to love it more and better, as God does! So, with the same trust of my predecessors, I open and entrust to researchers this documentary heritage.” For historians of the churches during World War II, the Holocaust, and the postwar period, we are witnessing an exciting moment. Networks of scholars from Europe, Israel and the United States are already forming to be best prepared for these sizable archives and to share future findings. During the course, students will be exposed to recently released films, never-before-seen primary source documents, and key readings.