the vatican role in the ustasha genocide in the independent state of croatia

8/13/2019 The Vatican Role in the Ustasha Genocide in the Independent State of Croatia

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The Vatican Role in the Ustasha Genocide in theIndependent State of Croatia

Roman Catholic Croatian guards at the Jasenovac concentration camp prepare to execute an inmate.Source: US Holocaust Memorial Museum.

By Carl Savich Nov 11, 2011

hat role, if any, did the Vatican play in the !enocide co""itted in the Independent State of Croatia, aRo"an Catholic state sponsored #y the Vatican$ This has #een a controversial topic re!ardin! orldar II historio!raphy% Rene&ed de#ate &as stirred in 1''' &ith the p(#lication ofHitlers Pope: TheSecret Histor o! Pius "##)Ne& *or+ Vi+in!, 1'''- #y .ohn Corn&ell%

Vatican /no&led!e

The nat(re of the Ustasha N re!i"e &as &ell+no&n #y the Vatican and #y the US !overn"ent asearly as 1'31% It &as no secret that the Ustasha !overn"ent so(!ht to e4ter"inate the entire Ser#ian,.e&ish, and Ro"a pop(lations of Croatia and Bosniaerce!ovina% There &as never any intention todeny or to hide this policy #y the N !overn"ent itself% In fact, the Ustasha doc("ented the

!enocide &ith photo!raphs and even fil"% 5d(cation 6inister in the N re!i"e 6ile B(da+ openlyanno(nced that the policy &as to +ill a third, deport a third, and forcef(lly convert a third of theSer#ian pop(lation of Croatia and Bosnia% )1- B(da+ stated in 1'31 7Th(s, o(r ne& Croatia &ill !etrid of all Ser#s in o(r "idst in order to #eco"e one h(ndred per cent Catholic &ithin ten years%8 9

policy of "ass "(rder and !enocide &as openly declared% In a speech "ade in :a!re#, N leader or;o!lavni+ 9nte ;avelic stated 79 !ood Ustase is one &ho can (se his +nife to c(t a child fro" the&o"# of its "other%8 )2-

;ope ;i(s


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%nte Pavelic& center& 'ith (atican )uncio or

legate Ramiro Marcone& le!t& and (atican

Secretar to the )uncio *iuseppe Masucci& at

a ceremon in +apresic& a to'n north'est o!

+agre,.

The Vatican did, ho&ever, de !actoreco!ni?ethe N% The co(ntries &hich reco!ni?ed de

$urethe N, le!ally, diplo"atically, andofficially, &ere @inland ).(ly 2, 1'31-A(n!ary )9pril 10, 1'31-A Ger"any, Italy andSlova+ia )9pril 1>, 1'31-A B(l!aria )9pril 21,1'31-A Ro"ania )6ay , 1'31-A .apan ).(ne, 1'31-A Spain ).(ne 2, 1'31-A .apaneseocc(pied China ).(ly >, 1'31-A en"ar+ ).(ly10, 1'31-A .apaneseocc(pied 6anch(ria inChina, 6anch(+(o )9(!(st 2, 1'31-A.apaneseocc(pied B(r"a, .apaneseocc(pied

;hilippines, the 7@ree Indian8 !overn"ent,and, Thailand )9pril 2, 1'3D-% )D- Vichy@rance did not de $urereco!ni?e the Nstate #(t sent a trade representative, 9ndreGailliard, to :a!re#% Vichy ne!otiated a tradea!ree"ent &ith the N on 6arch 1, 1'32,th(s esta#lishin! de !actoreco!nition%S&it?erland esta#lished a trade a!ree"ent&ith the N on Septe"#er 10, 1'31 thro(!htrade representative @riedrich /aestli% The

Vatican esta#lished i""ediate and direct diplo"atic relations &ith the N Ustasha re!i"e in 1'31%hat prevented the Vatican fro" le!ally reco!ni?in! its p(ppet and pro4y N state &as the potential

#ac+lash fro" the 9llies, partic(larly Great Britain and the US%The Vatican also had (nofficial diplo"atic relations &ith the N !overn"ent thro(!h contacts &ithCroat representatives of the N re!i"e Nicola R(sinovic and 5r&in Eo#+o&ic?% 7Thesearran!e"ents &ere se"isecret8% )3- B(t 7#y 6arch 1'32, despite the a#(ndance of evidence pointin!to "ass +illin!s, the oly See &as nevertheless dra&in! the Croatian representatives to&ard officialrelations%8 )>- ith Ger"any and Italy poised to &in the &ar in 1'32, the Vatican &as "ovin! closerto esta#lishin! official diplo"atic relations &ith the N%

id the Vatican +no& of the "ass "(rders and !enocide #ein! co""itted in the N$ The threeheads of the Vatican Secretariat of State, o"enico Tardini, Giovanni Battista 6ontini, later ;ope;a(l VI, and E(i!i 6a!lione, +ne& of the atrocities in the N #(t did nothin! to stop the",re"ainin! passive%

5(!ene Tisserant, a @rench cardinal pro"inent in the Vatican hierarchy, told R(sinovic on 6arch ,1'32 that he &as a&are of Croatian Ro"an Catholic clerical involve"ent in the "ass "(rders

7I +no& for a fact that it is the @ranciscans the"selves, as for e4a"ple @ather FVe+oslavH Si"ic of/nin, &ho have ta+en part in attac+s a!ainst the rthodo4 pop(lations so as to destroy the rthodo4Ch(rch% In the sa"e &ay yo( destroyed the rthodo4 Ch(rch in Bana E(+a% I +no& for s(re that the@ranciscans in Bosnia and er?e!ovina have acted a#o"ina#ly, and this pains "e% S(ch acts sho(ldnot #e co""itted #y ed(cated, c(lt(red, civili?ed people, let alone #y priests%8 )-

In a "eetin! of 6ay 2, 1'32, Tisserant infor"ed R(sinovic that #ased on Ger"an fi!(res, 7D>0,000Ser#s had disappeared8 in the N and that 7in one sin!le concentration ca"p there are 20,000Ser#s%8 )-

The f(ll e4tent and nat(re of the !enocide co""itted in the N &as f(lly +no&n #y the Vatican #yearly 1'32% The role and co"plicity of the Ro"an Catholic Ch(rch in Croatia and Bosnia in the

!enocide &as also f(lly +no&n% 9nd yet 5(!enio ;acelli, ;ope ;i(s


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re!i"e%8 )=- 9s late as 1'3D, he e4pressed to Eo#+o&ic? 7his pleas(re at the personal letter he hadreceived fro" o(r ;o!lavni+%8 )'- 9nd 9nte ;avelic &as ;acelliJs ;o!lavni+ or @(ehrer in the N%;acelli &as not only itlerJs ;ope% e &as also ;avelicJs ;ope%

(atican legate& or personal

representative !rom the Pope to the )-H

!rom /0 to /01& Ramiro Marcone&

right& 'ith Ustasha leader %nte Pavelic&

center. The (atican Secretar to the

(atican legate is *iuseppe Masucci on

le!t. The (atican de !acto recogni2ed the

#ndependent State o! Croatia and

esta,lished diplomatic relations.

The o#ectives of the Ustasha re!i"e&ere +no&n #y the Italian !overn"entand #y the Vatican% Corn&ell descri#ed7the ca"pai!n of terror ande4ter"ination cond(cted #y the Ustashe

of Croatia a!ainst t&o "illion Ser#rthodo4 Christians8 that occ(rred in the

Na?i p(ppet state of Greater Croatia,&hich incl(ded Bosniaerce!ovina,fro" 1'311'3>

79n act of Kethnic cleansin!J #efore thathideo(s ter" ca"e into vo!(e, it &as anatte"pt to create a Kp(reJ Catholic

Croatia #y enforced conversions, deportations, and "ass e4ter"ination% So dreadf(l &ere the acts oftort(re and "(rder that even hardened Ger"an troops re!istered their horror% L ;avelicJs onsla(!hta!ainst the rthodo4 Ser#s re"ains one of the "ost appallin! civilian "assacres +no&n to history%8)10-

hat +no&led!e did the Vatican have of these atrocities$ Co(ld it have intervened to lessen or to stopthe"$ hat actions did the Vatican ta+e after the &ar$

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)-H Poglavni3 %nte Pavelic& le!t& 'ith the Papal 4missar Ramiro Marcone.

hat did ;ope ;i(s +no& a#o(t the Ustasha$ In 1'D', 7;acelli had &ar"ly endorsed Croatnationalis" and confir"ed the Ustashe perception of history8 accordin! to Corn&ell &hen in

Nove"#er, 1'D', 9lo?ie Stepinac ca"e to Ro"e to "eet &ith the ;ope in an atte"pt to pro"ote the

canoni?ation of Nicola Tavelic% Tavelic &as a Croat "artyr &ho had #een +illed in 1>'1 in .er(sale"and &ho &as canoni?ed #y ;ope VI in 1'0% 9t that ti"e, ;acelli reiterated a ter" that ;ope Eeo , 1'31, theN pro"(l!ated le!islation #annin! the Cyrillic script% By .(ne, Ser#ian rthodo4 pri"ary and preschools &ere sh(t do&n% In 6ay, anti.e&ish la&s &ere passed definin! .e&s in racial ter"s,

prohi#itin! the "arria!e of .e&s and 9ryans, and sendin! .e&s to the Croat concentration ca"p ofanica% The Croat Ro"an Catholic Ch(rch i""ediately so(!ht to convert the rthodo4 Ser#s toRo"an Catholicis"% fficial state"ents fro" the N !overn"ent, ho&ever, sho&ed that the policy&as to #e e4cl(sion, deportation, and e4ter"ination, !enocide, rather than assi"ilation% id theVatican +no& of these o#ectives$

Corn&ell &rote that the nat(re of the Ustasha re!i"e &as &ell+no&n to the Vatican fro" the#e!innin!

7@ro" the o(tset, the p(#lic acts and state"ents concernin! ethnic cleansin! and the antiSe"iticpro!ra"s &ere &ell+no&n to the Catholic episcopate and Catholic 9ctionL These racist and antiSe"itic pro!ra"s &ere therefore also +no&n #y the oly See, and th(s #y ;acelli, at the point &henhe !reeted ;avelic at the Vatican% These acts &ere +no&n, "oreover, at the very point &henclandestine diplo"atic lin+s &ere #ein! for!ed #et&een Croatia and the oly See%8 )11-

n 6ay 1=, 1'31, ;avelic "et ;ope ;i(s


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pop(lar &ill #(t #y "ilitary force% 6oreover, 9##ot Ra"iro 6arcone &as appointed the apostolicle!ate or N(ncio to :a!re#, the personal representative of the ;ope to the N% 6arcone &as a priestof the Benedictine 6onastery of 6ontever!ine% e &as the personal e"issary or a"#assador of the;ope to the N re!i"e% 6arcone and his Secretary, Gi(seppe 6as(cci, &o(ld visit the N and #e

photo!raphed &ith 9nte ;avelic, 9ndria 9rt(+ovic, 9lo?ie Stepinac, and Ger"an and Italian"ilitary officers% e &as photo!raphed &ith ;avelic in the to&n of :apresic north&est of :a!re# &ithhis secretary Gi(seppe 6as(cci% e &as also photo!raphed &ith Stepinac to!ether &ith Ro"anCatholic priests and fascist "ilitary officers &ho are sho&n !ivin! a fascist sal(te%

Gi(seppe Ra"iro 6arcone &as #orn in 1==2 in Italy% e &as ordained a priest of the rder of St%Benedict in 1'0% In 1'1=, he &as appointed the 9##ot of 6ontever!ine "onastery in Italy% elect(red in philosophy at the colle!e of San 9nsel"o in Ro"e% 9ccordin! to Corn&ell, 6arcone 7hadclearly #een selected to soothe and enco(ra!e8 the Ustasha leaders #y ;acelli hi"self% 6arcone died in1'>2%

9t the ti"e the Vatican de !acto reco!ni?ed the Ustasha N state, did it +no& of the "assacresa!ainst Ser#s$ The atrocities &ere descri#ed #y Carlo @alconi in his doc("entation of the cri"esinThe Silence o! Pius "##)Eondon @a#er, 1'0-% n 9pril 2=, 1'31, Ustasha troops attac+ed theBelovar district &here 2>0 Ser#s &ere +illed #y #ein! #(ried alive% In tocac, several days later, DD1

Ser#s &ere "(rdered% n 6ay 13, in Glina, h(ndreds of Ser#s &ere "(rdered in the rthodo4 Ch(rchafter #ein! forcef(lly converted to Ro"an Catholicis"% There is no evidence that the Vatican or ;ope;i(s +ne& of these "ass "(rders%

hat did the Vatican +no& and &hen$ The Vatican +ne& that 9nte ;avelic &as 7a totalitariandictator8, a fanatical Croat (ltranationalist ?ealot and Ro"an Catholic &ho &as sponsored andinstalled in po&er #y 9dolf itler and Benito 6(ssolini% They +ne& ;avelic &as a hardcore fascist&ho s(pported and endorsed Na?i Ger"any and fascist Italy% They +ne& a#o(t the antiSer#ian, anti.e&ish, and antiRo"a la&s that the N had passed% They +ne& ;avelic &as co""itted to the policyof forcef(l conversions of rthodo4 Ser#s to Ro"an Catholicis"% 6oreover, the Vatican +ne& that the

N &as a Na?i p(ppet state created #y Na?i Ger"any that &as (nder Ger"an "ilitary occ(pationand control% The N &as not reco!ni?ed #y the US, Great Britain, or the Soviet Union% The Ndeclared &ar a!ainst the Soviet Union and sent Croatian vol(nteers to participate in peration

Bar#arossa% The N had even declared &ar on the 9llies, declarin! &ar a!ainst the US and Britainon ece"#er 12, 1'31, and had sent =,000 troops to the R(ssian @ront, even sendin! troops toStalin!rad% The 9llies did not reco!ni?e the N, an 94is #elli!erent or ene"y state% The Vatican,ho&ever, did, even if de !acto%

The !enocide co""itted in the N &as open and co""on +no&led!e% In The Catholic Church andthe Holocaust& /567/81)Indianapolis Indiana University ;ress, 2000-, historian 6ichael ;hayerconcl(ded that 7it is i"possi#le to #elieve that Stepinac and the Vatican did not +no& that the Ustasha"(rders a"o(nted to !enocide8% )12-

The "assacres and atrocities, indeed, the planned and syste"atic !enocide, &ere +no&n to theCroatian Catholic cler!y and to the episcopate% 9s Corn&ell noted, 7the cler!y often too+ a leadin!

part%8 Not only did the Croatian Ch(rch and cler!y +no&, they &ere at the forefront of the !enocide%

The Croatian Ro"an Catholic priests or!ani?ed and led the "ass "(rders% 9s Corn&ell noted, priests&ere in "any instances the insti!ators and leaders of the !enocide 7;riests, invaria#ly @ranciscans,too+ a leadin! part in the "assacres% L Individ(al @ranciscans +illed, set fire to ho"es, sac+edvilla!es, and laid &aste the Bosnian co(ntryside at the head of Ustashe #ands%8 )1D- e cited an Italianreporter &ho descri#ed an attac+ in Septe"#er, 1'31 so(th of Bana E(+a in northern Bosnia% 9@ranciscan priest &as e4hortin! Ustashe troops &ith a cr(cifi4% It &as the intervention of Italian troopsthat prevented a lar!er #lood#ath% The Italian 9r"y provided protection to Ser#s, .e&s, and Ro"a,savin! tho(sands of lives%

The Vatican co(ld plead i!norance &ith &hat &as occ(rrin! in ;oland and else&here in 5(rope, #(tnot in Croatia% 9ccordin! to Corn&ell, ;acelli &as 7#etter infor"ed of the sit(ation in Croatia8 than he&as of any&here else in 5(rope other than Italy% is le!ate 6arcone "ade repeated visits to Croatiaand #ro(!ht #ac+ eye&itness acco(nts% Croatian #ishops, so"e of &ho sat in the Ustasha parlia"ent,

co""(nicated &ith the ;ope and the Vatican on a re!(lar #asis% ;acelli also had access to the BBC,&hich &as "onitored and translated for the Vatican #y @rancis s#orne, the British "inister to the

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Vatican% The BBC #roadcast ne&s reports on the atrocities in Croatia &hich no one co(ld "iss% n@e#r(ary 1, 1'32, the BBC #roadcast the follo&in! report attac+in! :a!re# arch#ishop Stepinac forhis co"plicity in the "ass "(rders

7The &orst atrocities are #ein! co""itted in the environs of the arch#ishop of :a!re#% The #lood of#rothers is flo&in! in strea"s% The rthodo4 are #ein! forci#ly converted to Catholicis" and &e donot hear the arch#ishopJs voice preachin! revolt% Instead it is reported that he is ta+in! part in Na?i and@ascist parades%8 )13-

o& &as it possi#le for the Vatican not to +no& of these "ass "(rders and forcef(l conversions &henthe Ro"an Catholic Ch(rch &as hierarchical in or!ani?ation$ 9s Corn&ell as+ed 7o& &as it thatdespite the strictly a(thoritarian po&er relationship #et&een the papacy and the local Ch(rchMa

po&er relationship that ;acelli had done so "(ch to esta#lishMno atte"pt &as "ade fro" the Vaticancenter to halt the +illin!s, the forced conversions, the appropriation of rthodo4 property$8 hydidnJt ;acelli 7dissociate8 the Vatican fro" the Ustasha !enocidal policies$ hy didnJt ;acelli7conde"n the perpetrators8, attac+in! the !enocide$ If the Vatican too+ a "ore forcef(l stance, co(ldlives have #een saved$ The ans&er to this (estion can #e fo(nd in the actions of the Vatican, #efore,d(rin!, and after the Ro"an Catholicsponsored !enocide in the N% hat is "ost revealin! is the

position of the Ch(rch after the &ar, &hen the f(ll e4tent of the !enocide &as f(lly +no&n%

hat &as the e4tent of the !enocide in the N$ Corn&ell re"ar+ed 7The tally al"ost defies#elief%8 e offered these n("#ers fro" The 9inal Solution: rigins and #mplementation, edited #yavid Cesarini )Eondon Ro(tled!e, 1''- 3=,000 rthodo4 Ser#s and 2,000 Gypsies &ere"(rdered #et&een 1'31 and 1'3> in the N% )1>- (t of a pop(lation of 3>,000 .e&s,appro4i"ately D0,000 &ere "(rdered d(rin! the sa"e period% 20,0002>,000 &ere "(rdered in theCroatian death ca"ps, s(ch as .asenovac and Nova Gradis+a, &hile ,000 &ere sent to the !ascha"#ers% 5ven if &e ass("e these fi!(res are inflated and s(#ect to de#ate, the e4tent of the!enocide &as not "ini"al or insi!nificant% This &as a !enocide%

(atican )uncio or

legate RamiroMarcone& center& 'ith

Poglavni3 %nte

Pavelic& right& and

(atican Secretar to

the )uncio *iuseppe

Masucci.

peration Bar#arossaand the Tisserant ;lan

The Vatican re!ardedthe Soviet Union and

the spread of Co""(nis" as their !reatest threats% )1- The Bal+ans &ere seen as a #(ffer #et&een theVatican and Soviet R(ssia, 5astern rthodo4 R(ssia% 9s Corn&ell noted, Benito 6(ssoliniJs invasionand occ(pation of Greece and *(!oslavia &as s(pported% The Italian &ar a!ainst Greece &as seen &ith7a "eas(re of opti"is"8 #y the Vatican% Benito 6(ssolini had provided #ases and trainin! ca"ps to9nte ;avelic #efore the &ar% Croat and Bosnian 6(sli" troops fro" the N &o(ld oin Italian andGer"an troops on the 5astern @ront, in the Soviet Union%

The Vatican sa& the con(est and destr(ction of *(!oslavia and R(ssia #y Na?i Ger"any and fascistItaly as opport(nities for the e4pansion of Ro"an Catholicis" into the 5ast% )1- 5(!ene Tisserant

&as appointed in 1'D the Vatican Secretary of the Con!re!ation for the 5astern Ch(rches, holdin! thepost (ntil 1'>'% e &as a @rench priest &ho held several pro"inent hi!h level positions at the Vatican%

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e &as infa"o(s for the socalled Tisserant ;lan &hich &as a plan to convert 5astern rthodo4 toRo"an Catholicis"%

The Tisserant ;lan &as doc("ented #y Reinhard eydrich, head of the RS9, in his report 7Ne&Tactics in Vatican R(ssia or+8% @or the Vatican, the destr(ction and dis"e"#er"ent of *(!oslavia&as an opport(nity to e4pand Ro"an Catholicis" in the Bal+ans and 5astern 5(rope% The &ea+enin!,and even o(tri!ht destr(ction, of the rival rthodo4 Ch(rch &as planned and e4pected% The Vaticanhad its si!hts on R(ssia and 5astern 5(rope as &ell% In The 4ntit: 9ive Centuries o! Secret (atican

4spionage )Ne& *or+ St% 6artinJs ;ress, 200=- #y 5ric @rattini, translated #y ic+ Cl(ster, theTisserant ;lan is analy?ed% Tisserant and @ather Ro#ert Eei#er devised the plan to (se the Ger"ancon(est and occ(pation of the Soviet Union to e4pand Ro"an Catholic infl(ence% Testifyin! at the

N(re"#er! Trials on cto#er 12, 1'3>, @ran? von ;apen stated 7The reevan!eli?ation of the Soviet(nion &as a Vatican operation, &hether carried o(t thro(!h its "issionary depart"ent or its secretservice%8 In the Soviet Union, the plan &as led #y Niccolo 5stor?i and oly 9lliance a!ents% eydrich&rote in his report 7The popeJs a!ents are ta+in! advanta!e of the sit(ation, and this "(st #estopped%8 Vatican a!ents &ere infiltratin! Na?iocc(pied areas of R(ssia to convert the" toCatholicis"%

The decisive #attle of orld ar II &as on the 5astern @ront in 1'3D at /(rs+% This #attle #ro+e the

#ac+ of the Ger"an 9r"y and forced it into a strate!ic retreat for the re"ainder of the &ar% Ger"any&o(ld lose the &ar% hat the Vatican did &as to prepare for the "ilitary defeat of Ger"any% TheVatican #e!an to disassociate itself fro" the "ore e4tre"e ele"ents of fascis"% It &as at this ti"e that/r(noslav ra!anovic settled at the Vatican, leavin! his position in the N re!i"e, and preparin!the &ay for the escape of the leaders of the N re!i"e and the pl(ndered property and assets theyhad sei?ed fro" "(rdered Ser#s, .e&s, and Ro"a% Investi!ators after the &ar deter"ined that O=0"illion &as s"(!!led o(t of the N% )1=- The Vatican provided help in storin! the proceeds and inallo&in! it to #e la(ndered%

9"erican /no&led!e

hen did the US !overn"ent learn of the "assacres and syste"atic !enocide in the N$ The US+ne& of the "ass "(rders and !enocide in the N in 1'31% *(!oslav a"#assador to the US/onstantin @otich "et &ith @R on ece"#er 20, 1'31 and infor"ed hi" of the "assacres in the

N% @otich had sent a "e"orand(" to @R on ece"#er > &hich descri#ed the "assacres &ith are(est that he #e allo&ed to present f(rther doc("entation and s(pport% 9ccordin! to @otich, on9(!(st 1', 1'31, the chief of the Bal+ans des+ of the US State epart"ent had !iven hi" a report onthe NJs 7co"prehensive policy of e4ter"ination of the Ser#ian race in the Independent State ofCroatia8% )1'- @R &as 7deeply shoc+ed #y the atrocities perpetrated a!ainst the Ser#s8% e e4pressedto @otich 7his !reat sy"pathy8 for the Ser#s% @R 7spo+e &ith ad"iration of the resistance8% e toldhi" after the &ar 7the Ser#s &ill rise a!ain as a !reat people%8 )20-

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9rom le!t& %ndri$a %rtu3ovic& the #nterior Minister o! the )-H& (atican ;egate Ramiro Marcone& and

+agre, %rch,ishop %lo$2i$e Stepinac& at an Ustasha ceremon.

5leanor Roosevelt had also learned of the "ass "(rders and atrocities in the N in 1'3132% )21-The a(thor 9vro 6anhattan "et 5leanor Roosevelt at a private dinner party in Upper Broo+ Street,6ayfair, Eondon in the late 1'30s% 9t the ti"e he &as researchin! and &ritin! his #oo+ on the Ustasha

"assacres in the N% In 1'>D, he p(#lished Terror ver


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U/ C%9% atts, 1'>D-% In 1'=, he p(#lished The (aticans Holocaust: The sensational account o! themost horri!ing religious massacre o! the =6th centur)Sprin!field, 6 ?ar+ Boo+s, 1'=-%

e as+ed her if she had ever heard of the "assacres and atrocities in the N% She replied 7ne ofthe &orst, if not the &orst, cri"es of the &ar% I heard of the" in the &inter of 1'312% Neither I nor "yh(s#and F@RH at first #elieved the" to #e tr(e%8

7I did not #elieve the" either,8 6anhattan told her% 7I ass("ed the" to #e propa!anda%87e tho(!ht the sa"e,8 replied 6rs% Roosevelt% 7The Catholic lo##y &as the "ost s(ccessf(l at thehite o(se for years%8

e as+ed her if she &as fa"iliar &ith Slovenian Ro"an Catholic a(thor Eo(is 9da"ic% She repliedthat she &as% 9da"ic had #een one of the "any &ho had pers(aded her h(s#and that the atrocitystories fro" Croatia had #een concocted #y the Na?i propa!anda "achine%

e in(ired if she co(ld e4plain &hy the Catholic atrocities &ere not as &ell +no&n as the Na?i ones$

7Na?i Ger"any is no "ore,8 replied 6rs% Roosevelt% 7The Catholic Ch(rch is still here &ith (s% 6orepo&erf(l than ever% ith her o&n ;ress and the orld ;ress at her #iddin!% 9nythin! p(#lished a#o(tthe atrocities in the f(t(re &ill not #e #elieved% % %8

6anhattan then infor"ed her that he &as &ritin! a #oo+ on the Vatican role in the atrocities in theN%

7*o(r #oo+ "i!ht convince a fe&,8 she co""ented% 7B(t &hat a#o(t the h(ndreds of "illions already#rain&ashed #y Catholic propa!anda$8

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6anhattan recalled 79 fe& years later, in 1'>D, &hen the #oo+ &as event(ally p(#lished, altho(!ht&o editions &ere sold &ithin &ee+s, no part of the British or 9"erican ;ress dared even to "entionit%8 9da"ic &rote that 7the atrocities &ere all propa!anda L to stir (p antiCatholicis"L8

@R +ne& of the !enocide in Croatia and Bosnia and &as appalled to the point that he did not thin+ itpossi#le for Ser#s and Croats to live in the sa"e co(ntry% InRoosevelt and Hop3ins: %n #ntimate>iograph)Ne& *or+ arper P Brothers, 1'3=- #y Ro#ert 5% Sher&ood, arry E% op+ins, one of@RJs closest advisers, too+ notes on the "eetin! held on 6arch 1>, 1'3D #et&een @R and 9nthony5den, the British @orei!n Secretary% They disc(ssed the post&ar 5(ropean landscape% Re!ardin!Ser#ia, @R &as ada"ant that Ser#s and Croats sho(ld not #e in the sa"e co(ntry

7The ;resident e4pressed his oft repeated opinion that the Croats and Ser#s had nothin! in co""onand that it is ridic(lo(s to try to force t&o s(ch anta!onistic peoples to live to!ether (nder one!overn"ent% e, the ;resident, tho(!ht that Ser#ia, itself, sho(ld #e esta#lished #y itself and theCroats p(t (nder a tr(steeship% 9t this point 5den indicated his first o#vio(s o#ection to the Tr(stee"ethod &hich the ;resident is !oin! to propose for "any states% 5den did not p(sh it #(t it &as clearto "e that the British Govern"ent have "ade (p their "inds that they are !oin! to oppose this% 5dentho(!ht the ;residentJs opinion a#o(t the ina#ility of the Croats and the Ser#s to live to!ether a little

pessi"istic and he, 5den, #elieved it co(ld #e done%8 )22-

Vatican Reaction

o& did the Vatican react to the !enocide co""itted in the N$ Not only did the Vatican deny andi!nore it, #(t too+ an active part to hide and s(ppress it and to protect the perpetrators fro"

prosec(tion and (stice% 9fter the &ar, the "aor planners of the !enocide, 9nte ;avelic and 9ndria

9rt(+ovic, &ere helped to escape #y the Vatican thro(!h the Ratlines% in+o Sa+ic and Ve+oslav6a+s E(#(ric also escaped% 9 Croatian Ro"an Catholic priest, /r(noslav ra!anovic, &ho hi"selfhad #een a part of the Ustasha N re!i"e, or!ani?ed and "aster"inded the escapes% In addition, he&as a#le to la(nder the assets that &ere sei?ed fro" Ser#s, .e&s, and Ro"a in the N% The Vaticanhas never ac+no&led!ed its role in the !enocide co""itted in the N% This is !enocide denial% It isdenial of the oloca(st%

The Vatican protected the acc(sed Ustasha &ar cri"inals and assisted the" in escapin! prosec(tion for&ar cri"es% InPius "##& The Holocaust& and the Cold ?ar)Indianapolis Indiana University ;ress,200=-, ;hayer sho&ed that the Vatican p(t diplo"atic press(re on the US and the U/ not to apprehend9nte ;avelic or any other &anted Ustasha &ar cri"inals% )2D- US intelli!ence had located ;avelic #(t&as prevented fro" arrestin! hi"% hy &o(ld the US not arrest ar!(a#ly one of the "ost notorio(s"ass "(rderers of orld ar II$ hy &o(ld the US help to shield an acc(sed &ar cri"inal s(spectedof co""ittin! !enocide$ hy and ho& co(ld s(ch a fanatical fascist acc(sed of !enocide escapearrest and prosec(tion$ hy &as 9nte ;avelic allo&ed to escape to 9r!entina #y the US !overn"ent$

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The ans&er is that the Vatican orchestrated his escape% hy$ ;hayer (oted US Co(nter Intelli!enceCorps a!ent illia" Go&en )the son of @ran+lin Go&en, a US diplo"at in the Vatican-, &ho reportedin 1'3 that ;avelicJs 7contacts are so hi!h and his present position is so co"pro"isin! to the Vatican,that any e4tradition of the s(#ect &o(ld #e a sta!!erin! #lo& to the Ro"an Catholic Ch(rch8% ;avelicand the other Ustasha &ar cri"inals !(ilty of !enocide &ere allo&ed to escape to protect the Vatican%

Both Britain and the US co(ld have arrested ;avelic and the other Ustasha &ar cri"e s(spects #(tchose not to, ena#lin! the" to escape and to el(de prosec(tion for &ar cri"es and for !enocide%InHunting 4vil: The )a2i ?ar Criminals ?ho 4scaped and the @uest to >ring Them to Justice)Ne&*or+ Broad&ay Boo+s, a division of Rando" o(se, 200'-, G(y alters doc("ented a US CICreport that stated that the British had allo&ed 9nte ;avelic to escape% In cto#er, 1'3, a CIC reportstated that 7there can no lon!er #e any do(#t that the British aided the escape of r% 9nte ;avelich%8The US also +ne& of ;avelicJs location #(t ref(sed to arrest hi"% )23- alters sho&ed that the US+ne& &here ;avelicJs da(!hter lived as she reported re!(larly to US occ(pation a(thorities% 9ccordin!to alters, the British reported that 7ItJs no (se tryin! to !et ;avelic, the *an+s are #ac+in! hi"%8)2>- In 9(!(st, 1'3, US CIC a!ent illia" Go&en reported that ;avelic &as 7receivin! the

protection of the Vatican%8 )2- hy &ere Britain, the US, and the Vatican all helpin! ;avelic to el(decapt(re$ Go&en &rote that the Vatican opposed the e4tradition of ;avelic #eca(se his capt(re &o(ld

only 7&ea+en the forces fi!htin! a!ainst atheis" and Co""(nis" in its fi!ht a!ainst the Ch(rch%8)2- In other &ords, the Ser#s &o(ld only #enefit% The rthodo4 &o(ld #enefit% The R(ssians &o(ld

#enefit% 9nd (lti"ately Co""(nis" and the USSR &o(ld #e the #eneficiaries% It &as a ?ero s("!a"e%

Cui ,ono$ ho #enefits$ ho &o(ld !ain if ;avelic &as arrested and prosec(ted for &ar cri"es and!enocide$ Certainly not the Vatican% nly the rthodo4 &o(ld #enefit% nly the Ser#s &o(ld #enefit%nly Co""(nis" &o(ld #enefit% nly the USSR &o(ld #enefit% This is ho& the Vatican sold the ideato the US !overn"ent% 9rrestin! ;avelic &o(ld #e detri"ental in the Cold ar a!ainst the USSR% Thishad "(ch &ider political i"plications% If the Vatican &ere discredited, the Co""(nist ;arty in Italy&o(ld #enefit, &hich "i!ht allo& it to &in the elections% The US s(pported de"ocracy in Italy only ifa nonCo""(nist party &on the elections% Beca(se the Italian Co""(nist ;arty &as poised forvictory in Italy, the US did everythin! it co(ld to ri! the elections, to deny de"ocracy%

6oreover, this had the potential to set off a chain reaction for other parts of estern 5(rope% 6orei"portantly, it &o(ld reveal the tr(e core of Ro"an Catholicis" to the "ass p(#lic% ;eople &o(ld seethat the Vatican &as corr(pt and hollo& at its center, o#sessed &ith po&er at any price, even !enocide%It &o(ld sho& the "oral #an+r(ptcy of the Vatican, or the Ro"an Catholic Ch(rch% 9nd this co(ld not

#e allo&ed to happen% 5specially not d(rin! the ideolo!ical conflict of the Cold ar, &hich &as(lti"ately a contest for the hearts and "inds of the people%

The Vatican co(ld never ac+no&led!e that it &as co"plicit in !enocide, even tho(!h the evidence isa#(ndantly clear that it &as% The lar!est reli!io(s deno"ination in the US is Ro"an Catholicis" at2DQ of the pop(lation% There are over a #illion Ro"an Catholics !lo#ally% The decision &as an easyone for the US% 9s a res(lt, ;avelic &as allo&ed to settle in 9r!entina and live a co"forta#le life there,&hile 9rt(+ovic &as allo&ed to settle in the US itself, livin! in Seal Beach, California as a "odel

9"erican citi?en%The Vatican contin(es to s(ppress infor"ation on its role in the N% .ohn Corn&ell noted that 7"orethan half a cent(ry after the &ar, the Vatican has still failed to "a+e a clean #reast of &hat it +ne&a#o(t the Croatian atrocities and the early sta!es of the @inal Sol(tion, and &hen it +ne& it%8

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(atican ;egate Ramiro Marcone& third !rom right& %lo$2i$e Stepinac& !irst on right& and %nte Pavelic&

partiall o,scured& !ar le!t& at the /00 !uneral !or Mar3o -osen& the President o! the Ustasha

Parliament.

Concl(sion

The Vatican denied and i!nored the role it played in the !enocide co""itted in Croatia and Bosniad(rin! orld ar II% 6oreover, it too+ an active part in concealin! and s(ppressin! not only the!enocide itself, #(t its role in that !enocide% @inally, it acted to protect the perpetrators and to shieldthe" fro" prosec(tion and (stice% The Vatican has never addressed these iss(es%

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the vatican role in the ustasha genocide in the independent state of croatia

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