The Vatican will release archives documenting its relations with Germany in the years before World War II in an effort to counter criticism of papacy actions during the Holocaust.
But the Vatican said Saturday that a chunk of the archive dating from 1931 to 1934 was ``nearly completely destroyed or dispersed'' during the 1945 bombing of Berlin and a fire at the apostolic nuncio's palace.
The Feb. 15 release will be the Vatican's response to demands by Jewish groups for access to archives dealing with Pope Pius XII, the World War II pope. Critics of the pope charge that he failed to raise his voice and use his position to head off the extermination of European Jews by the Nazis.
Supporters of the pope insist he made every effort possible to help Jews and other victims, using quiet diplomacy.
The documents scheduled for release do not involve the papacy of Pius XII but cover the years 1922-1939, when he was a Vatican diplomat in Germany and later secretary of state.
Specifically, they cover the Vatican diplomatic missions in Berlin and Munich, and include a series of documents relating to the rise of ``National Socialism'' - the Nazi ideology - and the ``condemnation of racism,'' a statement from papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.
The documents will not be released to the general public, but will be made available to scholars who request access, the statement said.
The Vatican said in February it would open up its Germany-related archives to help end what it called the ``unjust and ungrateful speculation'' surrounding Pius XII's wartime actions.
At the time, the Vatican was under fresh criticism from Jewish groups after a panel of Catholic and Jewish scholars studying the Vatican's wartime record said it was suspending its work because the Vatican had not released all its wartime archives.
At the time, Jewish groups urged the Vatican to delay its plans to beatify Pius XII, pope from 1939 to 1958, until the record was straight.
In October, the Vatican said the documents would be released in January.
But earlier this month, the head of the Vatican archives, the Rev. Sergio Pagano, told The Associated Press the date would be missed by a few weeks because of the huge amount of material involved.
The Vatican has said the documents, including files on wartime prisoners, would show historians ``the great works of charity and assistance'' undertaken by Pius XII for prisoners and other victims regardless of nation, religion or race.
"("Guardian," December 29, 2002)
The Vatican will release archives documenting its relations with Germany in the years before World War II in an effort to counter criticism of papacy actions during the Holocaust.
But the Vatican said Saturday that a chunk of the archive dating from 1931 to 1934 was ``nearly completely destroyed or dispersed'' during the 1945 bombing of Berlin and a fire at the apostolic nuncio's palace.
The Feb. 15 release will be the Vatican's response to demands by Jewish groups for access to archives dealing with Pope Pius XII, the World War II pope. Critics of the pope charge that he failed to raise his voice and use his position to head off the extermination of European Jews by the Nazis.
Supporters of the pope insist he made every effort possible to help Jews and other victims, using quiet diplomacy.
The documents scheduled for release do not involve the papacy of Pius XII but cover the years 1922-1939, when he was a Vatican diplomat in Germany and later secretary of state.
Specifically, they cover the Vatican diplomatic missions in Berlin and Munich, and include a series of documents relating to the rise of ``National Socialism'' - the Nazi ideology - and the ``condemnation of racism,'' a statement from papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.
The documents will not be released to the general public, but will be made available to scholars who request access, the statement said.
The Vatican said in February it would open up its Germany-related archives to help end what it called the ``unjust and ungrateful speculation'' surrounding Pius XII's wartime actions.
At the time, the Vatican was under fresh criticism from Jewish groups after a panel of Catholic and Jewish scholars studying the Vatican's wartime record said it was suspending its work because the Vatican had not released all its wartime archives.
At the time, Jewish groups urged the Vatican to delay its plans to beatify Pius XII, pope from 1939 to 1958, until the record was straight.
In October, the Vatican said the documents would be released in January.
But earlier this month, the head of the Vatican archives, the Rev. Sergio Pagano, told The Associated Press the date would be missed by a few weeks because of the huge amount of material involved.
The Vatican has said the documents, including files on wartime prisoners, would show historians ``the great works of charity and assistance'' undertaken by Pius XII for prisoners and other victims regardless of nation, religion or race.