The Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum deals
with the issue of the Vatican’s actions during the Holocaust in an
exhibition currently open in Jerusalem.
After ending the heated
historiographical debate surrounding Pius XII’s actions towards Jews
during the Holocaust, by modifying a contested panel dedicated to the
former pope, the museum has stressed that sometimes the Vatican was aware of the fact that convents and monasteries opened their doors to Jewish people.
The exhibition marks the 50th year of honouring
the Righteous Among Nations – the honorific used by Jerusalem to
describe those who put their lives at risk to save Jews from Nazi
extermination. The exhibition was inaugurated about a week ago and is
called: “I am my brother’s keeper”.
The phrase alludes to
the question Cain asks in the Bible but the question mark has been
deliberately removed from the exhibition title. The exhibition is based
on some controversies and emblematic stories surrounding the efforts of
various people to help Jews during the Holocaust.
The Yad Vashem lists as many as
25 thousand people as Righteous. One of the sections of the exhibition
is dedicated to men from all Christian Churches who performed acts of
heroism.
This part of the exhibition highlights the point
of view expressed in Jewish historiography but also refers to the
objections raised by the controversial panel on Pius XII. “Christian
conduct during the Holocaust continues to challenge the Christian world
well into the 21st century.
Confronted with the murder of the Jews, many
church leaders and clergy remained silent, and some even collaborated.
A
few – from all Christian denominations – risked their lives to save
Jews or spoke out loudly against the murder of the Jews,” the online
version of the exhibition’s introductory note reads.
Regarding the relationship between anti-Jewish
prejudices and Nazi anti-Semitism, the exhibition claims that “even
though Nazi racial anti-Semitism differed from Christian traditional
anti-Judaism, it strongly built on existing prejudices.”
It also
comments on the Catholic Church’s attitude during the Holocaust: “The
lack of overt and unequivocal guidance by the Vatican left the decision
to initiate rescue of Jews to the heads of Catholic institutions. Some
superiors of convents, monasteries and other intuitions opened their
doors to Jewish fugitives, sometimes with the knowledge of the Vatican.
In some cases Bishops and other Catholic leaders called on their clergy
and believers to help the Jews.”
“Some of these Righteous Among the Nations even
manifested profound respect for the faith of their protégées; they not
only saved their lives, but also helped them adhere to their religious
teaching – celebrating holidays, praying and following Jewish religious
rules - while in hiding,” the note adds.
Although the exhibition in memory of the Righteous
shows that opinions are divided over Pius XII’s efforts to help the
Jews, it does offer new elements which may help visitors to Yad Vashem
understand what has so far been a purely verbal debate.