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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

A heroic Vatican priest who saved Jews from the Nazis -- New book tells amazing story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty - VIDEO

Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 08:14 AM

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Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty

Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty may be one of the greatest Irish men who ever lived, yet his story is hardly known.

Growing up in Ireland I never heard his tale, but I suspect I know why. He was the heroic Monsignor, based in the Vatican, who saved thousands of Allied soldiers from the Nazis and also saved hundreds of Jews from the death camps.

Perhaps because he was helping the British in the war effort his story drew a veil of silence in Ireland but it should not have. World War II was a time for people of all backgrounds to choose sides
between a monstrous evil and a force to battle that evil.

A new book I have just finished reading outlines in great detail the heroic and extraordinary efforts of a great humanitarian and Irish history.

The book is entitled “Hide and Seek” The Irish priest in the Vatican who defied the Nazi command by BBC journalist, Stephen Walker.

Though an intensely proud Irishman and deeply nationalist after seeing the Black and Tans in operation during his years in the seminary, Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty realized early on that he needed to be
on the side of the good guys.

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That contrasted sharply with the position taken by Pope Pius XII who dithered while the Nazis over ran Europe.

Flaherty organized the escape route for allied troops who had escaped POW camps or had been shot down but survived.

Through an incredibly close network of friends and confidantes he set up safe houses all over Rome and in the Vatican itself where his work soon drew grave suspicion from the Nazis.

The book is a fascinating account of the stand off between Flaherty and the head SS man in Rome, Herbert Kappler.

Kappler suspected O’Flaherty and had him under surveillance at all times. O’Flaherty comes across as a Michael Collins however, hiding in plain sight, appearing each morning on the steps of Saint Peter's and meeting with those who were organizing the freedom runs.

He helped everyone who sought refuge, including many Jews, which infuriated Kappler. The SS commander tried to have O’Flaherty kidnapped with a view to summary execution but somehow O’Flaherty always managed to survive, earning him the nickname of the “Scarlet Pimpernel”.

Once, having left the neutral confines of the Vatican for a freedom route meeting, the Nazis raided the house and O’Flaherty, who was hiding in the cellar, was saved by sheer luck when two coal-men came to drop their supplies and he “borrowed” one of their outfits and strolled past the SS wearing the outfit and carrying a sack.

After the war he was celebrated all over the world but refused most of the honors. Kappler was tried and found guilty of war crimes. Amazingly O’Flaherty visited him frequently in prison and Kappler converted to Catholicism. O’Flaherty retired to his native Kerry for his final days and passed away there in 1963.

In a poem to celebrate his life, poet and fellow Kerry man Brendan Kennelly wrote of O'Flaherty:

"There is a tree called freedom and it grows
Somewhere in the hearts of men
Rain falls, ice freezes, wind blows
The tree shivers, steadies itself again."

The Israeli government planted a tree in his honor in 1973.

Was there ever a more courageous Irishman?

A clip from "Scarlet and the Black". The true story of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty:

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Ms.Gail | May 30, 2012, 01:39 PM EDT

Well this wonderful story should satisfy some who say IC is only Catholic bashing. This is a priest to be proud of. A man to be proud of, a human being to be proud of: regardless of race, religion, ethnic background or anything else.

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ProudCanadian | May 30, 2012, 12:00 PM EDT

God bless this wonderful man. Murph here again I am agreeing with you, he help people, who cares if it was his own, he probaly did a lot of good things for the Irish.. 89 here is an example of an Catholic priest and the church doing a wonderful thing. I must get that movie and am sorry to say that I haven't see it.

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joan1954 | May 30, 2012, 10:17 AM EDT

cillowen, don'e know whether you reside in the US or Ireland but if your US what do we do for our own? But if O'Flaherty was in the Vatican he probably came across both US and RAF types of Irish origin or birth and if he helped them, then he did do something for his own. "Scarlet and Black" is one of my favorite movies.

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Murph46 | May 30, 2012, 10:11 AM EDT

Cillowen -What he did for his own was to better mankind.Why are you so cynical?

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hermitTalker | May 30, 2012, 10:05 AM EDT

Tut Tut now Niall. Pius X11 was praised in a December 25 NYT editorial, yes, the NYT, 1944 for being the only western leader who blaasted the Nazis, the others turned a blind eye. The US turned Jews away and sent them on to Cuba- see the Holocaust Museum in DC. The Chief Rabbi of Rome became a Catholic with PX11's example in saving Jews. He had a Tree planted in the Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles in Jerusalem for his work. No "dithering" Pope, he opened up all the convents and monasteries of Rome and gave the kids certificates of protection by the religious to save them. Huckhuth began the blame game with his "The Deputy" book and that evil persists. It is being told by Jewish couples and others who are revealing the documents to tell the real story. You may like to know that a secret plan was to get him out of Rome to Ireland IF Hitler-Mussolini decided to come after him (source an English-Irish priest who worked in the Vatican those years) Do not know how you could say Hugh O'F was working with the Brits. in WW11? DeValera as Taoiseach did the same "off-camera" Some idiots tried to assist the Nazis. Monsignor O'F was like the Pope doing what he could to do Jesus' work of loving His persecuted people. Jews who were considered sub-human and Catholics who resisted Hitler, five million killed in Poland alone because of their Faith.

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CitizenWhy | May 30, 2012, 10:03 AM EDT

This priest was featured in an old movie. Can't remember the name.

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