Letter showing Pope Pius XII had detailed information from German Jesuit about Nazi crimes revealed

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — Newly discovered correspondence in the Vatican archives suggests that Pope Pius XII had detailed information from a trusted German Jesuit that up to 6,000 Jews and Poles were being gassed each day in German-occupied Poland. The documentation, being published in Italian daily Corriere della Sera this weekend, appears to undercut the Holy See’s argument that it couldn’t verify diplomatic reports of Nazi atrocities to denounce them. The documentation is likely to further fuel the debate about Pius’ World War II legacy and his now-stalled beatification campaign. Historians have long been divided about Pius’ record. Supporters insisted he used quiet diplomacy to save Jewish lives while critics say he remained silent as the Holocaust raged.