Pope Against Nuremberg

Gerald J. Steinacher is the James A. Rawley Professor of History at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He has published eighteen books, including Nazis on the Run, which won the National Jewish Book Award in the Holocaust category.

"Author of the most important work on the Nazi ratline, Nazis on the Run, Steinacher has now plumbed a multitude of archives in many countries, including the newly opened Vatican archives for these years, to document the Vatican's role in helping Nazi war criminals escape justice. No one matches Steinacher's mastery of this range of archives across multiple countries. The Pope Against Nuremberg is a true tour de force." - David I. Kertzer, author of The Pope and Mussolini and The Pope at War "The archives have finally spoken. What they reveal about the Vatican's postwar choices will unsettle believers and historians alike. A gripping, essential excavation of faith, power, and the dangerous cost of looking away." - Kevin P. Spicer, C.S.C., author of Hitler's Priests: Catholic Clergy and National Socialism "Spickard achieves something rare: comprehensiveness without sacrificing readability. Integrating canonical and recent scholarship, he evaluates each major approach with critical maturity, showing where each succeeds and where it falls short. An honest, well-grounded reckoning that rewards students, scholars, and serious readers alike. Highly recommended." - Gerardo Martí, co-author of The Church Must Grow or Perish: Robert H. Schuller and the Business of American Christianity "A masterpiece of archival scholarship, The Pope Against Nuremberg is a meticulously researched and morally thoughtful contribution to Holocaust studies. Drawing on newly opened Vatican archival sources and decades of transnational research, Steinacher illuminates one of postwar history's most significant and uncomfortable questions with rare intellectual depth, scholarly rigor—and courage. Much—too much, perhaps--has been written on Pius XII and the Holocaust, but this volume opens a fresh and fascinating chapter on his controversial pontificate." - Kevin Madigan, author of The Popes Against the Protestants "How did the Vatican respond when the world tried to hold Hitler's regime accountable? In The Pope Against Nuremberg, historian Gerald Steinacher uncovers an uncomfortable answer, drawing on newly opened Vatican Archive documents to reveal a sustained, coordinated campaign of obstruction. A fascinating, thought-provoking book, and an essential read for those interested in the history of the Holocaust, WWII, and the Catholic Church." - Jan Grabowski, author of Hunt for the Jews: Betrayal and Murder in German-Occupied Poland "This is a fascinating and powerful reinterpretation, based on newly accessible sources from the Vatican archives. Gerald Steinacher dispels older narratives about the Catholic Church's "resistance" or "ambiguity" towards National Socialism. After 1945, the Vatican deliberately and devotedly supported Nazi perpetrators and collaborators. A must-read for anyone interested in the topic." - Andreas Wirsching, Former Director, Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History