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librarianonparade's review against another edition
5.0
I've read a number of books on the Vatican's actions, or lack thereof, during the Second World War, and most are fairly damning. Many neutral organisations and states failed to speak out against the Nazis, but somehow that failure from the Catholic Church, from men of God, committed to humanity and peace, seems especially reprehensible. However, as this book shows, whilst the Vatican as a collective institution may have failed to act, many individuals within it did, often with the tacit complicity of senior figures within the Church's hierarchy.
This book follows Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, an Irish priest at the Vatican, who, with the assistance of the British Ambassador and a number of escaped Allied officers, established the Escape Line. They sheltered escape Allied offices within the neutral sanctity of the Vatican, provided them with food, clothing and false papers, hid them in safe houses with willing Italian families, and helped them escape to Allied lines.
Opposing him, always trying to find evidence on the Escape Line and catch O'Flaherty in the act, was Herbert Keppler, the Gestapo Chief in Rome. Whilst within the Vatican O'Flaherty was untouchable, but there were many close shaves when Keppler attempted to have him kidnapped or arrested when out and about within Rome, particularly after Italy had surrendered and Rome was occupied by the Nazis.
This is a real classic espionage story, with two such strongly-drawn opposing characters and a host of escapades almost too tall to be true. Indeed, it would be hard to make up a scene such as that of Keppler converting to Catholicism whilst on trial for war crimes and O'Flaherty serving as the priest who receives him into the Catholic Church! I could hardly put this book down, and I'd definitely recommend it.
This book follows Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, an Irish priest at the Vatican, who, with the assistance of the British Ambassador and a number of escaped Allied officers, established the Escape Line. They sheltered escape Allied offices within the neutral sanctity of the Vatican, provided them with food, clothing and false papers, hid them in safe houses with willing Italian families, and helped them escape to Allied lines.
Opposing him, always trying to find evidence on the Escape Line and catch O'Flaherty in the act, was Herbert Keppler, the Gestapo Chief in Rome. Whilst within the Vatican O'Flaherty was untouchable, but there were many close shaves when Keppler attempted to have him kidnapped or arrested when out and about within Rome, particularly after Italy had surrendered and Rome was occupied by the Nazis.
This is a real classic espionage story, with two such strongly-drawn opposing characters and a host of escapades almost too tall to be true. Indeed, it would be hard to make up a scene such as that of Keppler converting to Catholicism whilst on trial for war crimes and O'Flaherty serving as the priest who receives him into the Catholic Church! I could hardly put this book down, and I'd definitely recommend it.
librarianonparade's review
5.0
I've read a number of books on the Vatican's actions, or lack thereof, during the Second World War, and most are fairly damning. Many neutral organisations and states failed to speak out against the Nazis, but somehow that failure from the Catholic Church, from men of God, committed to humanity and peace, seems especially reprehensible. However, as this book shows, whilst the Vatican as a collective institution may have failed to act, many individuals within it did, often with the tacit complicity of senior figures within the Church's hierarchy.
This book follows Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, an Irish priest at the Vatican, who, with the assistance of the British Ambassador and a number of escaped Allied officers, established the Escape Line. They sheltered escape Allied offices within the neutral sanctity of the Vatican, provided them with food, clothing and false papers, hid them in safe houses with willing Italian families, and helped them escape to Allied lines.
Opposing him, always trying to find evidence on the Escape Line and catch O'Flaherty in the act, was Herbert Keppler, the Gestapo Chief in Rome. Whilst within the Vatican O'Flaherty was untouchable, but there were many close shaves when Keppler attempted to have him kidnapped or arrested when out and about within Rome, particularly after Italy had surrendered and Rome was occupied by the Nazis.
This is a real classic espionage story, with two such strongly-drawn opposing characters and a host of escapades almost too tall to be true. Indeed, it would be hard to make up a scene such as that of Keppler converting to Catholicism whilst on trial for war crimes and O'Flaherty serving as the priest who receives him into the Catholic Church! I could hardly put this book down, and I'd definitely recommend it.
This book follows Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, an Irish priest at the Vatican, who, with the assistance of the British Ambassador and a number of escaped Allied officers, established the Escape Line. They sheltered escape Allied offices within the neutral sanctity of the Vatican, provided them with food, clothing and false papers, hid them in safe houses with willing Italian families, and helped them escape to Allied lines.
Opposing him, always trying to find evidence on the Escape Line and catch O'Flaherty in the act, was Herbert Keppler, the Gestapo Chief in Rome. Whilst within the Vatican O'Flaherty was untouchable, but there were many close shaves when Keppler attempted to have him kidnapped or arrested when out and about within Rome, particularly after Italy had surrendered and Rome was occupied by the Nazis.
This is a real classic espionage story, with two such strongly-drawn opposing characters and a host of escapades almost too tall to be true. Indeed, it would be hard to make up a scene such as that of Keppler converting to Catholicism whilst on trial for war crimes and O'Flaherty serving as the priest who receives him into the Catholic Church! I could hardly put this book down, and I'd definitely recommend it.
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