Title

Protective Pass issued to Hungarian Jew by Papal Nuncio Cardinal Rotta in Budapest

Authors

Object ID

2015.2.212

Object Name

Pass

Date

11-15-1944

Files

Description

White paper with black printed text and dotted lines, as well as typewritten text. Includes a signature on the bottom right and a blue circular hand stamp.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Monsignor Angelo Rotta spearheaded diplomatic protests against the Nazi persecution of Jews in Hungary, and issued Vatican passes that saved the lives of thousands of Jews. He appealed to authorities against the deportation of Jews, and at his request a pastoral letter denouncing the deportations was eventually issued by Cardinal Seredi at the end of June 1944, by which time only the Jews of Budapest had not been deported. Cardinal Rotta obtained permission from the fascist Szalasi government to issue Vatican protective passes to Jewish converts to Catholicism. He issued more than 15,000 such passes, asking his staff not to examine the recipients' documents too closely. He was influential in persuading other church leaders to hide Jews in convents and monasteries. He set up safe houses for the recipients of the Vatican passes. For his efforts in saving thousands of Jews from certain death, Cardinal Rotta was honored as one of the Righteous Among Nations by Yad Vashem in 1997.

Dimensions

11 1/2 x 8 1/4"

Keywords

Papal, Nuncio Angelo Rotta, Budapest, Monsignor Angelo Rotta, Hungary, Vatican, Budapest, Convert, Catholicism, Righteous among Nations, Guylane, Sandor Rotta, Angelo Cardinal Seredi

Subcollection

Diplomats

Recommended Citation

"Protective Pass issued to Hungarian Jew by Papal Nuncio Cardinal Rotta in Budapest" (1944). Bulmash Family Holocaust Collection. 2015.2.212.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/bulmash/295