The historical works and the documentary sources referred to in this work clearly refer to a determined and broad humanitarian measures of Nuncio Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in favor of Jewish refugees persecuted by the Nazi regime, in different countries of the occupied Europe.
Nuncio Roncalli made written requests, exerted personal influence and mobilized ecclesiastical dignitaries (even the Pope Pious XII), leaders and officials from different nations to achieve the rescue and salvation of Jewish lives threatened by Nazism.
Likewise, Nuncio Roncalli played an active role in the collaboration with the Delegation of the Jewish Agency of Palestine in Istanbul, in the undercover delivery of immigration certificates to Palestine for Jewish refugees in Europe.
A special recognition deserves Nuncio Roncalli’s decision of sending priests from different countries ”temporary baptismal certificates”, religious documents that allowed thousands of Jews to save their lives.
The historical and documentary sources brought together in this work clearly prove that Nuncio Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli acted in his humanitarian actions by his own initiative, without following express orders of any Vatican hierarchy, in an uninterested and altruist way.
We hope that this work of historical investigation and compilation carried out by the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation collaborates with the acknowledgement and universal evaluation of the humanitarian actions of Vatican Nuncio Angelo Roncalli in favor of all of those who were persecuted by Nazism, many of them Jews. Nuncio Roncalli is a hero of modern times, a religious leader who gave testimony of his moral commitment in dark hours of human history. He is an example for future generations.
