Pius XII: The Pope Who Stayed Silent or a Righteous Among the Nations?
On Monday, January 27, for International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Wiener Library hosted Mr. Oren David, Israeli Ambassador to the Vatican from 2017 to 2021, for a lecture on the topic of Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust.
The actions of Pope Pius XII and the Vatican during the Holocaust remain a deeply contentious issue, sparking complex questions about his decisions and the motivations behind them. On one hand, critics accuse him of silence in the face of atrocities, while on the other, supporters defend his conduct, some even hailing him as a moral figure who saved lives. This lecture will explore this sensitive topic, examining the nature of his actions, the factors and circumstances that influenced him, and the arguments presented by both his detractors and defenders.
Mr. Oren David is a diplomat with an extensive career at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served as Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican from 2017 to 2021, and previously as ambassador to Romania (2010–2017), Malta, and Moldova (2007–2010). Mr. David holds a master’s degree with honors in European Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
