Père Marie-Benoît
Encyclopedia
Père Marie-Benoît born Pierre Péteul, was a Capuchin
Franciscan friar who helped smuggle approximately 4,000 Jews into safety from Nazi-occupied Southern France
. On 1 December 1966, he was honored with the Medal of the Righteous among the Nations
for his courage and self-sacrifice. His actions to save Jews during the Holocaust
were the reason for his epithet Father of the Jews .
in North Africa
, and was wounded at Verdun
. After the war he earned a doctorate in theology
at Rome
; he also became a recognized authority on Judaism
. He received the distinction of five citations and a Cross of War. Later he entered the Franciscan Capuchin Order
and became a priest stationed in Marseilles.
Father Marie-Benoît's operation focused on finding ways to successfully smuggle Jews
out of an increasingly hostile France. Marie-Benoît transformed the Capuchin monastery in Marseilles, at 51 Rue de la Croix de Régnier, into his first headquarters. There he organized a massive forging operation, installing and improvising printing facilities to create fake passport
s, baptism
certificates, and other documents that aided hundreds of refugees in crossing the border to Spain
and Switzerland
. This was often done with the collaboration of Jewish organizations and members of the French resistance
.
By November 1942, the Nazis had occupied France's Free Zone, which included Marseilles. This precluded the option of helping Jews escape to Switzerland and Spain. Accordingly, Father Benoît turned his attention to the Riviera
and Haute-Savoie
, occupied by the Italians
.
, he persuaded Italian officials to permit Jews to cross into the Italian zone. Specifically, he met with Guido Lospinoso, the Italian commissioner of Jewish affairs, whom Mussolini
had sent at the Germans' insistence. Father Benoît persuaded Lospinoso to refrain from action against the 30,000 Jews who lived in the vicinity of Nice.
Also in Nice, Father Benoît met Angelo Donati
, a Jewish banker and director of the French-Italian Bank of Credit. Donati had a plan to transport over 30,000 Jews from Italy
to North Africa
by boat. However, in order to approach the Italian authorities, he needed the cooperation of the Holy See
.
in transferring Jews to northern Italy. A meeting was arranged between Father Benoît and the pope. When Father Benoit explained that the police in Vichy France
were acting against the Jews, Pius XII was surprised, saying, "Who could ever expect this from noble France?" He promised to diligently deal with the situation. However, the North African plan was eventually foiled when the Germans occupied northern Italy and the Italian-occupied zone of France.
Father Marie-Benoît returned briefly to France in order to carry out "the Spanish part of his plan". With authority from the Spanish government of Francisco Franco
to decide which French Jews qualified as being of Spanish
descent, he managed to save another 2,600; there is no record of how many of them actually had any Spanish blood.
Upon the urging of his friends, Father Marie-Benoît disappeared from France and resurfaced in northern Italy as Padre Benedetti. In Rome, he was elected to the board of DELASEM
(Delegazione Assistenza Emigranti Ebrei: "Delegation for the Assistance of Jewish Emigrants"), the central Jewish welfare organization in Italy of which he eventually became president.
Marie-Benoît transferred the DELASEM headquarters to the International College of the Capuchins, and inaugurated a forging operation there. His office was raided several times by the Gestapo
—early in 1945, with the arrest, torture and execution of most of the rest of the DELASEM leadership, Father Benoît was persuaded to go into hiding. Against everyone's expectations, he actually survived the war.
in June 1944, the Jewish community—led by Rabbi Israel Zoller—held an official synagogue
ceremony in honor of Father Benoît, "shower[ing] him with praise." Years later, U.S. President
Lyndon Johnson delivered a speech in which he said that Father Benoît's "wonderful actions" should "inspire the American people in the protection and preservation of the rights of citizens, irrespective of race, color or religion."
On 1 December 1966, Yad Vashem
officially recognized Father Benoit as a Righteous Among the Nations
. Overall, he helped thousands of Jews to reach Switzerland and Spain from the South of France, or escape by other means. Even being pursued by the Gestapo, he escaped to Rome, where he continued his efforts for the Jews.
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
Franciscan friar who helped smuggle approximately 4,000 Jews into safety from Nazi-occupied Southern France
Southern France
Southern France , colloquially known as le Midi is defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Gironde, Spain, the Mediterranean, and Italy...
. On 1 December 1966, he was honored with the Medal of the Righteous among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
for his courage and self-sacrifice. His actions to save Jews during the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
were the reason for his epithet Father of the Jews .
Life before World War II
Born Pierre Péteul, Father Marie-Benoît served in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, and was wounded at Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
. After the war he earned a doctorate in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
; he also became a recognized authority on Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. He received the distinction of five citations and a Cross of War. Later he entered the Franciscan Capuchin Order
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
and became a priest stationed in Marseilles.
In Marseilles
In Marseilles in 1940, he found thousands of refugees trying to escape the horrors of World War II. He was determined to help them because, in his own words,We ChristiansChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
claim to be spiritual children of the patriarch AbrahamAbrahamAbraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
. This should be enough reason to exclude any kind of anti-Semitism whatsoever, anti-Semitism being an ideology which we Christians cannot in any way share and be part of.
Father Marie-Benoît's operation focused on finding ways to successfully smuggle Jews
History of the Jews in France
The history of the Jews of France dates back over 2,000 years. In the early Middle Ages, France was a center of Jewish learning, but persecution increased as the Middle Ages wore on...
out of an increasingly hostile France. Marie-Benoît transformed the Capuchin monastery in Marseilles, at 51 Rue de la Croix de Régnier, into his first headquarters. There he organized a massive forging operation, installing and improvising printing facilities to create fake passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
s, baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
certificates, and other documents that aided hundreds of refugees in crossing the border to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. This was often done with the collaboration of Jewish organizations and members of the French resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
.
By November 1942, the Nazis had occupied France's Free Zone, which included Marseilles. This precluded the option of helping Jews escape to Switzerland and Spain. Accordingly, Father Benoît turned his attention to the Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
and Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
, occupied by the Italians
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
.
In Nice
Traveling to NiceNice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, he persuaded Italian officials to permit Jews to cross into the Italian zone. Specifically, he met with Guido Lospinoso, the Italian commissioner of Jewish affairs, whom Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
had sent at the Germans' insistence. Father Benoît persuaded Lospinoso to refrain from action against the 30,000 Jews who lived in the vicinity of Nice.
Also in Nice, Father Benoît met Angelo Donati
Angelo Donati
Angelo Donati was a Jewish Italian banker and philanthropist, and a diplomat of San Marino Republic in Paris.- Biography :Donati was born in Modena...
, a Jewish banker and director of the French-Italian Bank of Credit. Donati had a plan to transport over 30,000 Jews from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
by boat. However, in order to approach the Italian authorities, he needed the cooperation of the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
In Rome
On 13 July 1943, Father Benoît traveled to Rome to seek the help of Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
in transferring Jews to northern Italy. A meeting was arranged between Father Benoît and the pope. When Father Benoit explained that the police in Vichy France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
were acting against the Jews, Pius XII was surprised, saying, "Who could ever expect this from noble France?" He promised to diligently deal with the situation. However, the North African plan was eventually foiled when the Germans occupied northern Italy and the Italian-occupied zone of France.
Father Marie-Benoît returned briefly to France in order to carry out "the Spanish part of his plan". With authority from the Spanish government of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
to decide which French Jews qualified as being of Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
descent, he managed to save another 2,600; there is no record of how many of them actually had any Spanish blood.
Upon the urging of his friends, Father Marie-Benoît disappeared from France and resurfaced in northern Italy as Padre Benedetti. In Rome, he was elected to the board of DELASEM
DELASEM
Delegation for the Assistance of Jewish Emigrants or DELASEM, was a Jewish resistance organization that worked in Italy between 1939 and 1947...
(Delegazione Assistenza Emigranti Ebrei: "Delegation for the Assistance of Jewish Emigrants"), the central Jewish welfare organization in Italy of which he eventually became president.
Marie-Benoît transferred the DELASEM headquarters to the International College of the Capuchins, and inaugurated a forging operation there. His office was raided several times by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
—early in 1945, with the arrest, torture and execution of most of the rest of the DELASEM leadership, Father Benoît was persuaded to go into hiding. Against everyone's expectations, he actually survived the war.
Recognition
When Rome was liberatedItalian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
in June 1944, the Jewish community—led by Rabbi Israel Zoller—held an official synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
ceremony in honor of Father Benoît, "shower[ing] him with praise." Years later, U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Lyndon Johnson delivered a speech in which he said that Father Benoît's "wonderful actions" should "inspire the American people in the protection and preservation of the rights of citizens, irrespective of race, color or religion."
On 1 December 1966, Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
officially recognized Father Benoit as a Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
. Overall, he helped thousands of Jews to reach Switzerland and Spain from the South of France, or escape by other means. Even being pursued by the Gestapo, he escaped to Rome, where he continued his efforts for the Jews.