CONSULTATION OF THE VATICAN ARCHIVES UP TO 1939

VATICAN CITY, DEC 28, 2002 (VIS) - Today, a notice was made public stating that from February 15, 2003 researchers will be allowed to consult the documents of the Vatican Secret Archive pertaining to the relations between the Holy See and Germany between 1922-1939, during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI.

The catalogues that may be viewed are the following: Extraordinary Ecclesiastic Affairs, Bavaria (1922-1939), Germany (1922-1939), Vatican Secret Archive, Archive of the Apostolic Nunciature of Berlin (1922-1930). This last archive was severely damaged in 1945 because of the Berlin bombings and the fire at the Palace of the Apostolic Nunciature. For this reason, the documents relative to the years from 1931 to 1934 were practically completely destroyed or disappeared.

The notice ends by mentioning that the documents pertaining to National Socialism and the condemnation of racism may be found in the Archive of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

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