Od Edyty Stein do Piusa XI. Między troską a konformizmem? Postawy wobec antysemityzmu u początków dyktatury nazistowskiej
From Edith Stein to Pius XI. Between Concern and Conformism? Attitudes toward Antisemitism at the Beginning of the Nazi Dictatorship

Summary/Abstract: This study aims to analyse attitudes and selected initiatives taken to combat anti-Semitism within the Catholic Church at the beginning of the Nazi dictatorship. It presents two perspectives on the issue. On one hand, it explores the views of Edith Stein, a German philosopher of Jewish origin, Holocaust victim, and patron saint of Europe. On the other hand, it examines the actions of Pius XI during his pontificate in defence of Jews. A key connection between these two figures, whose paths crossed in history, is the letter Edith Stein wrote to Pius XI, expressing concern for her people’s fate. This analysis shows that the common belief among historians about Pius XI’s conformist stance in addressing various forms and mechanisms of anti-Semitism is not entirely justified. It highlights that the Holy See’s cautious approach to anti-Jewish repression may have resulted from the unpredictable scale of atrocities, which escalated irreversibly with the outbreak of World War II.

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