Rotta´s Protest Against Measures Taken Against Jews
Angelo Rotta was Papal Nuncio in Budapest. By March 1944 he had urgently requested the prime minister to make a statement. In the following months Rotta, under Vatican direction, protested against the merciless measures carried out on the Jews. On the 24th of April, Rotta got in contact with the special ambassador Arnóthy Jungerth and notified him: … „The Holy Father deeply regrets the occurrances. He recognizes that also Hungary, a land in which he has always been proud of, which belongs to the „Christian“ countries, has taken another direction, thus creating conflict with Evangelist teachings.“On the 15th of May the Hungarian government was presented with a very significant written protest. Rotta explained in his statement, the whole world knew what deportation really means. This was the first official protest from a representative of the Vatican against deportation.
Protection For Jew
s
After Wallenberg´s arrival in Budapest, Rotta relaxed his prerequist of Baptism in return for help. Rotta distributed „Protection Papers“ and placed houses under his protection. Up to 3.000 Jews were accommodated in these houses. A lot of his efforts to help were successful because of collaboration with Wallenberg and the other neutral diplomats. Rotta supported the „Red Cross“ in their activities during the „Death Marches“.
Angelo Rotta
Angelo Rotta was born in Milan on the 9th of August 1872. In 1895 he was ordained a priest. In October 1922 he was appointed Titular Archibishop of Theben in Greece. In the same year he was appointed Bishop. Since May 1930 Angelo Rotta was „Papal Nuncio“ and spokesman for the diplomatic corp. in Budapest. In April 1945, following instructions from Russia, he left Hungary. He died on the 1st of February 1965 in Rome.