Overview

Nothing Sacred is the first book to document the Nazi espionage campaign against the Vatican in the Second World War. Nazi Germany considered the Catholic Church to be a serious threat to its domestic security and its international ambitions. In Germany, Hitler's agents recruited informants to provide intelligence on Church finances, and on the political views and activities of bishops, priests and lay Catholics. In Rome, however, German attempts to penetrate the Papacy were less successful, with the efforts of the local Gestapo office proving largely futile. For example, a plan to use a Roman seminary as a secret radio station and cover for German intelligence officers masquerading as seminarians had to be abandoned, in part because the first group of officers proved more interested in women than the cloistered life. The German codebreaking operation on the other hand was highly successful: the Nazis systematically intercepted, decoded and read secret communications between the Pope and his representatives worldwide. Written by two leading authorities on Vatican history, this work will prove fascinating reading for those interested in Second World War history, intelligence studies and the history of the Catholic Church.

Full Product Details

Author:   David Alvarez ,  Revd Robert A., SJ Graham
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Dimensions:   Width: 13.80cm , Height: 1.30cm , Length: 21.60cm
Weight:   0.280kg
ISBN:  

9780714643021

ISBN 10:   0714643025
Pages:   208
Publication Date:   31 December 1997
Audience:   College/higher education ,  General/trade ,  General/trade ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

"Choice- ""a lucid and fascinating analysis of Nazi attempts to understand Vatican startegies in WW II...a valuable contribution to scholarly literature..."" Military and Bravo veterans Outlook Magazines ""Written by the leading authorities on Vatican history, David Alvarez and Robert A. Grahaam, SJ, Nothing Sacred: Nazi Espionage Against the Vastican 1939-1945 not only provides fascinating reading for those interested in World War II history, intelligence studies , and the history of the Roman Catholic Church but contributes to illuminating a ""missing dimension"" to the history of that conflict."" International Intelligence and History Study Group Newsletter - Reviewed by John S COnway - Uni of British Columbia -""the authors succeed very well in depicting vividly the turgid, claustrophobic, and conspiratorial atmosphere which prevailed during those fateful years."" Katholiek Dutch - in Dutch International History Review- March 99 American Historical Review - ""the book contributes to the growing body of literature demonstrating the Vatican""s importance in twentieth-century diplomatic affairs"" Catholic Historical Review, Vol 86, No 1, Jan 2000 ""An illuminating detective investigation through the halls of the Vatican during World War II."

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Alvarez, David; Graham, Revd Robert A., SJ

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