Language:
English
Year of publication:
2015
Titel der Quelle:
Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Angaben zur Quelle:
29,1 (2015) 39-56
Keywords:
Christian converts from Judaism
;
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
Abstract:
In March 1941 the Romanian government forbade the conversion of Jews to any other religion. While Romanian authorities enforced the law in respect to conversion to the Romanian Orthodox Church (after June 1941 such a conversion was a reason for deportation to Transnistria), they condoned conversions to Roman Catholicism, since the Antonescu regime regarded the Catholic Church as a force that might facilitate Romanian efforts for reconciliation with the Allies should the tides of war shift. In anticipation of deportation to Nazi death camps or to Transnistria, hundreds of Jews of the Romanian Old Kingdom converted to Catholicism after March 1941. In February 1943 the Catholic Church was officially bequeathed the right to convert Jews. The papal nuncio to Romania, Andrea Cassulo, despite his anti-Jewish prejudices, supported the conversion of Jews as a way of helping them escape victimization. He was aided by the clergy of two Catholic churches in Bucharest. However, the number of conversions was modest because of opposition on the part of most of the Catholic clergy in the country. Cassulo was probably not supported by the Holy See in his initiatives.
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