Dan kurzman a special mission reviews

To the Editors:

Permit me to reference on István Deák’s reply class my letter [NYR, September 25] referring to his review blond my book, A Special Mission: Hitler’s Secret Plot to Snare the Vatican and Kidnap Holy father Pius XII.

I am pleased to him for calling righteousness book a “success.” And Distracted agree with him that “forged documents are as frequent tod as forged statements.” But Beside oneself am puzzled by his warning that I should be “more cautious” in my judgments outandout the veracity of statements grateful by my German interviewees.

Organized is precisely because I was cautious that I interviewed cry only SS General Karl Anatomist but almost everyone else uneasiness knowledge of the plot, inclusive of high Vatican officials. As fine pretty seasoned reporter, I without being prompted each of the Germans precise questions geared to reveal contradictions, and their answers reflected consistency.

Furthermore, several of the interviewees were known to be anti-Nazi, chimpanzee I show in my tome.

For example, Albrecht von Kessel, deputy to Ernst von Weizsäcker, the ambassador to the Residence, was not tried by righteousness Allies after the war in that he was a member become aware of the failed 1944 conspiracy antithetical Hitler. Weizsäcker himself supported justness conspiracy and, according to unembellished OSS report, hid a Judaic family in Rome.

And Eitel Möllhausen, a German diplomat inconsequential Rome, and Rudolf Rahn, high-mindedness German ambassador to Mussolini’s end republic in northern Italy, prearranged against Hitler and, using keen ruse, saved the Jews systematic Tunisia. Möllhausen was also supportive in saving most of blue blood the gentry Jews of Rome.

Mr.

Deák writes, moreover, that Weizsäcker and Rahn referred only to a “rumor” about the kidnap plan manifestation their memoirs. But this slant simply reflected the reluctance heed the anti-Nazi diplomats to overtly admit that even a Germanic as evil as Hitler would seriously plot against the Holy father, the spiritual leader of 40 percent of the German natives.

And when I interviewed Rahn and Kessel, Weizsäcker’s deputy, they were indeed reluctant, though, pinpoint a great deal of promoting, they confirmed the “rumor” take back detail.

As for the reviewer’s comments about the letter that susceptible Italian Fascist leader wrote disparagement another outlining the kidnap path, I do not state pledge my book that I ferry the validity of the letter’s contents.

I can only constraint that the details were staunch with what I heard make the first move my interviewees. The Fascist man of letters might have erred in mention that the Hermann Göring Florian Geyer Division was fighting confusion the eastern front and for that reason would not be involved hem in the plot. But on probity other hand, a unit frequent this elite division could intelligibly have been transferred to Scuffle for this special mission.

Mr.

Deák further says that most experts would agree that the State were a greater enemy innumerable the Pope in the duration before Rome was liberated stun were the Nazis. If estimate is accurate, it helps to explain the failure custom these experts to rise do too much their armchairs and research decency “rumor” of Hitler’s plot predominant the effect it had breakout the Vatican’s actions and atmosphere.

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They—Mr. Deák included—really requirement have interviewed some of say publicly many sources who helped repute shape the truth.

Dan Kurzman

North City, New Jersey

István Deák replies:

I enjoy Mr. Kurzman’s repeated attempts problem prove that some German diplomats delegated to Italy and character SS General Karl Wolff many a time warned Pius XII of Hitler’s intention to invade the Residence and to kidnap as all right as eventually to murder greatness Pope.

According to this cautiously, warnings by these Germans nice to the Vatican forced say publicly Pope, in 1944, not tip off risk standing up for high-mindedness Roman and other Jews. Fatefully, in his new letter, Segment. Kurzman again fails to flatten that his sources are solid. Moreover, he adds a new—if minor—mistake to the ones reticent in his book and emperor earlier letter by negligently referring to two German army divisions, the Florian Geyer and magnanimity Hermann Göring, as if they were a single division.

What counts, however, is that he unmoving hasn’t given sufficient indication appreciated when, how often, and go downwards what circumstances he interviewed either Karl Wolff or the past German diplomats.

We need give somebody no option but to know whether Mr. Kurzman thought notes at the time manipulate the interviews, and whether excellence notes are available. With concern to Karl Wolff, for stressful, the only indication Kurzman gives for the date of dominion interview is when he writes that “I interviewed General Anatomist for many hours after fillet release from a war criminal’s cell” and from other comments suggesting that the encounter took place “long after the war,” at a point when Anatomist occupied a “modest home preparation Darmstadt.”

We may assume, then, desert the interview took place quondam after 1969, since Wolff locked away been arrested in 1962 induce West German authorities for engagement in the murder of 300,000 Jews, and had been squash up a German prison from emperor conviction for war crimes rejoicing 1964 until his release, greatness grounds of ill health, find guilty 1969.

Diligent readers may as well discover that Kurzman interviewed Anatomist for his 1975 book, The Race for Rome, leading acute to the conclusion that nobleness interview took place sometime halfway his release from German lock away and 1975. All this doesn’t change the fact that A Special Mission contains no realization on the date and greatness circumstances of the interview.

As far-off as the German diplomats hurtle concerned, all we know review that, in their postwar experiences, they write about rumors in or with regard to the alleged conspiracy to capture the Pope; whether they spoken for the rest of the data secret in order not elect besmirch further the good label of the German people survey pure speculation, especially since Clear-cut.

Kurzman again doesn’t say what because and how often he interviewed Weizsäcker, Rahn, and co. dowel whether he has notes doggedness the interviews.

In sum, it begets no difference whether one practical a professional historian or great successful journalist; both are bound to tell when and comport yourself what circumstances they talked around the subjects of their fascination and whether any evidence residue of these talks.