The Pope at War audiobook cover - The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler

The Pope at War

The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler

David I. Kertzer

★ 4.3 / 5(230 ratings)
Start ListeningDownload App
Categories:
HistoryReligion & Spirituality

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to The Pope at War — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from The Pope at War

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from The Pope at War

Mind Map

The Pope at War
Succession & Early Papacy+
Secret Negotiations+
Wartime Silence & Complicity+
Misplaced Priorities+
The Roman Roundup & Legacy+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
What action did Eugenio Pacelli (Pope Pius XII) take immediately following the death of his predecessor, Pope Pius XI?
  • A. He publicly delivered the anti-Nazi speech his predecessor had prepared.
  • B. He agreed to destroy existing copies of his predecessor's planned speech against Nazism.
  • C. He excommunicated Mussolini for his fascist regime's anti-Jewish laws.
  • D. He immediately formed a secret alliance with the Allied forces.
Question 2 of 7
What was the primary compromise reached during the secret negotiations between Pope Pius XII and Hitler's envoy, the 'Nazi Prince'?
  • A. The Vatican would fund the German war effort if Hitler protected Rome from bombings.
  • B. Hitler would convert to Catholicism if the pope excommunicated Allied leaders.
  • C. Hitler would ease the persecution of the Catholic Church in Germany if the pope remained silent on Germany's racial policies.
  • D. The pope would publicly endorse the Axis powers in exchange for total control over Italian schools.
Question 3 of 7
According to the text, why did Pope Pius XII primarily capitulate to the whims of Hitler and Mussolini early in the war?
  • A. He wrongly assumed they would win the war and wanted to protect the church's future relationship with their governments.
  • B. He shared their vision of global conquest and wanted the Vatican to share in the spoils of war.
  • C. He was actively being blackmailed by Mussolini regarding the Vatican's secret financial investments.
  • D. He believed the Allied nations were secretly planning to dismantle the Vatican.
Question 4 of 7
While remaining silent on the slaughter of innocent people during the war, what issues did Pope Pius XII actively and publicly focus on?
  • A. Economic inequality and the rights of factory workers.
  • B. The moral purity of young women and the lack of virtue in television programs.
  • C. The need for democratic elections across Europe.
  • D. The importance of military conscription for Italian youth.
Question 5 of 7
As the Allies advanced and the pope found himself in communication with their envoys, what specific request did he make regarding the potential occupation of Rome?
  • A. That the Allies rebuild the church bells Mussolini had melted down for artillery.
  • B. That the Vatican be given temporary administrative control over the Italian government.
  • C. That British forces exclusively occupy the city instead of American forces.
  • D. That no troops of color be stationed in Rome during the occupation.
Question 6 of 7
When the Nazis rounded up over 1,200 Jewish people right outside Vatican City, what was Pope Pius XII's response?
  • A. He secured the release of over 200 Jewish people who had converted to Catholicism, but remained silent about the rest.
  • B. He opened the doors of the Vatican to hide all 1,200 people from the German occupiers.
  • C. He publicly threatened to excommunicate the Nazi soldiers involved in the roundup.
  • D. He negotiated a ransom using Vatican funds to free the entire group from being sent to Auschwitz.
Question 7 of 7
What do the unsealed 2020 Vatican documents reveal about the pope's knowledge of the Holocaust?
  • A. He believed the reports of mass killings were merely Allied propaganda.
  • B. He was completely unaware of the death camps until after the war ended.
  • C. He had confirmed facts about Germany's wholesale killing of Jewish people but kept it secret.
  • D. He only knew about the persecution of Jewish people in Italy, not in Germany or Austria.

The Pope at War — Full Chapter Overview

The Pope at War Summary & Overview

The Pope at War (2022) follows the first years of Eugenio Pacelli’s papacy. Based on documents released by the Vatican in 2020, the book reveals the never-before-told story of the pope’s secret negotiations with Hitler.

Who Should Listen to The Pope at War?

  • World War II history buffs
  • Students of Catholic history
  • Anyone interested in why good people do bad things

About the Author: David I. Kertzer

David L. Kertzer is an award-winning author, anthropologist, and historian. His book The Pope and Mussolini won the Pulitzer Prize in 2015.

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App