VATICAN ARCHIVES UP TO 1939 TO BE OPENED

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2002 (VIS) - The Pope has decreed that, as from the beginning of 2003, it will be possible to consult documents concerning Germany and relative to the period 1922-1939 contained in the archives of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State and in the Secret Vatican Archives.

At present, by order of John Paul II in 1984, consultation of documents in the Vatican archives extends up to 1922, the end of the pontificate of Benedict XV.

A note on the subject made public by Fr. Sergio Pagano B., prefect of the Secret Vatican Archives, and Fr. Marcel Chappin S.J., keeper of the Historical Archives of the Secretariat of State, states that this is an "exceptional" move on the part of John Paul II through which he aims "to put an end to unjust and thoughtless speculation."

"The Holy Father's decision," reads the note, "thus aims to meet the many requests for access to Vatican documentation on a pontificate as important as was that of Pius XI (1922-1939) during which, among other things, ... totalitarian States and despotic governments came into being, in prelude to the Second World War."

Once the Vatican Archives for the period of the pontificate of Pius XI are fully opened (in 2005), the Holy Father also wishes to open access "to Vatican-German documentary sources for the pontificate of Pius XII (1939-1958), ... bearing in mind that during Pius XII's pontificate the Second World War took place and with it the deportation of the Jews and the tragedy of the Shoah." The note furthermore announces the publication of information concerning prisoners of the last world war (1939-1945). Thus, the note concludes, historians may become aware as soon as possible of "the great works of charity and assistance undertaken by Pius XII for the many prisoners and other victims of war, irrespective of their nationality, religion or race."

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