Per Anger-priset 2004
Gennaro Verolino
För att ha visat det bästa hos människan, i tider då vår historia visade prov på det sämsta hos mänskligheten, tilldelas Ärkebiskop Gennaro Verolino 2004 års Per Anger-pris för humanitära och demokratifrämjande insatser.
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Ärkebiskop Gennaro Verolino tilldelas 2004 års pris för sina osjälviska insatser, sin uppfinningsrikedom och sitt hjältemod för att rädda judar under den tyska ockupationen av Ungern 1944. Monsignore Gennaro Verolino tillhör de modiga, som gjorde allt för att rädda så många människor som möjligt undan nazisternas förföljelser. Han är en av de sista i gruppen av diplomater kring den svenska beskickningen i Budapest som bär vittne om händelserna 1944.
1944 var monsignore Gennaro Verolino sekreterare vid den påvliga nuntiaturen i Budapest. Idag, 60 år senare lever ärkebiskop Gennaro Verolino i Rom efter bland annat ha varit påvligt sändebud.
Det engagemang och den osjälviskhet, som både monsignore Gennaro Verolino och Per Anger visade, är en förebild lika viktig idag som i framtiden.
Fakta Gennaro Verolino
Gennaro Verolino föddes den 3 november 1906 och prästvigdes 22 år gammal den 23 december 1928. Efter andra världskriget följde en lång diplomatisk karriär i Vatikanens tjänst. Den 5 september 1951 utsågs han till Ärkebiskop av Korint och nuntien för El Salvador och Guatemala. 1957 fick han samma roll i Costa Rica. 1963 utsågs han till ceremonisekreterare i Vatikanens kuria. 1967 steg hans ansvar till att bli officiell företrädare för Vatikanstaten. Han pensionerade sig 1986, vid 79 års ålder.
Gennaro Verolino i Budapest 1944
437.402 Ungerska judar transporterades till nazisternas dödsläger i Auschwitz-Birkenau mellan 14 Maj och 8 juli 1944. 90% av dessa gasades ihjäl omedelbart efter ankomsten. Den 9 juli 1944 fanns 230.000 judar kvar i Budapest. Planen var ett få denna rest deporterad innan årsskiftet, innan krigets slut, trots tysklands motgångar på slagfältet.
Diplomater från de neutrala länderna i Budapest hade kommit överens om att hjälpas åt för att göra allt som kunde stoppa, eller åtminstone lägga hinder i vägen för förföljelsen. Denna överenskommelse gjordes av ländernas högre företrädare, men arbetet på fältet utfördes mestadels av tjänstemännen sådana som, Per Anger och Gennaro Verolino, och volontärer som anslöt sig till arbetet.
Nuntien Msgr. Angelo Rotta var 72 år och Verolino 38 år, så det var naturligt att den yngre blev mannen på fältet. Men arbetet skedde också genom intensiva kontakter både skriftligt och i mötesform mellan nuntiaturen och företrädare för regimen i Budapest.
I oktober började ockupationsmakten samla den resterande judiska befolkningen för deportation till gränsen mot Österrike för att gräva skyttegravar och bygga fortifikationsverk mot den avancerande ryska armén. Transporterna skedde till fots. Hundratals dog av utmattning och svält under dessa dödsmarscher.
Modet som de neutrala ländernas diplomater visade under de sista månaderna av tysk ockupation är anmärkningsvärd. I oktober – november etablerade Rotta och Verolino ett antal säkra hus under påvligt beskydd. När nazisterna försökte ta sig in i dessa hus lyckades Verolino och hans volontärer att hålla dem undan. Man delade också ut påvliga skyddspass framför ögonen på SS-män eller ungerska Pilkorsare.
Den ryska armén intog Budapest i januari 1945, då fanns fortfarande 120.000 överlevande judar kvar. Den största enskilda gruppen som hade överlevt nazisternas förföljelser i Europa. *
Alla uppgifter kommer från dokumentet ”Visas for Life: The Righteous and Honorable Diplomats, A Nomination for Archbishop Gennaro Verolino for the Righteous Among the Nations Yad Vashem Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority.”
Per Angers brev om Gennaro Verolino till Yad Vashem 2001
To Whom It May Concern at Yad Vashem:
I am pleased to testify on behalf of Msgr. Gennaro Verolino regarding his rescue activities of Jews in Budapest in 1944.
I was a Commersial Attaché at the Swedish legation in Budapest at the same time. Diplomats of the neutral countries represented in Budapest at that time had decided to co-operate and do whatever they could to stop or, at least, hinder the atrocities perperated against Jewish civilians. Although the decision to do this was made by the senior diplomats such as Carl Ivan Danielsson of Sweden and Nuncio Msgr. Angelo Rotta of the Vatican the execution of the activities was, in great part, left to less senior diplomatic staff. It was in this capacity that I met and worked with Gennaro Verolino.
I remember him as one who worked tirelessly ignoring all danger to himself for this cause. We must not forget that Msgr. Rotta was about 70 years old and, energetic as he may had been, still relied upon a younger priest, Verolino, in whom he had apparently complete confidence. It was no small task to destribute Protective Passes (Oltalomlever, the Vatican version was called) and to set up a limited number of apartment buildings assigned to it as Vatican protected buildings.
All this was started by Rotta and Verolino while the Vatican in Rome was silent. Later the support of the church authorities was, at best, perfunctory and occasional. Rotta and Verolino followed the dictates of their consciences and the true teaching of their faith.
Not only was Verolino in constant danger from out-of-control local Nazi thugs, he shared the common danger of siege and bombardment with all that were in that city. As it turned out, the building housing the Nunciature took a direct hit. He survived in the bomb shelter and also managed to save those Jews they were hiding there.
Yad Vashem has recognized Msgr. Angelo Rotta as a Righteous Gentile. It is time that his truly courageous subordinate, Msgr. Gennaro Verolino, receve this honor.
Läs ungraren György Ádáms vittnesmål om Verolino (eng.)
I was born on January 15, 1923 in Komarno on the Danube, which is now Zcech Republic, but until the end of World WarII was Hungary.The first areal bombing in Budapest by the British came on July 2, 1944.By mistake the Catholic Church on Bakacs Plaza was hit and I lived through this aerial bombardment across the street in the St Imre School for Boys.I was hiding there With the help of a schoolmate and false papers after I was no longer allowed to continue at the Law School and after my whole family was deported to Auscwitz.Late in the evening I found myself in front of the Nunciature in Buda on the Disz Square exhausted and frightened.I rang the bell and was admitted by the caretaker, an older man who saw the terrible state I was in.Around 10 o'clock,
Genaro Verolino returned from his customery evening walk.He passed me by sitting on the floor without a word and entered his room.He aske the caretaker, Gustav Wurczel who let me in, who I was and what was I doing there.Wurczel probably told him.After about 20 minutes Wurczel ushered me in to Verolino's room.The table was set with fruits and foods that I have not seen for a long time.Father Verolino offered me food and received me very kindly.We had a long conversation lasting until about midnight.He told me that I can spend the night in the guestroom.The next day on JUly 3 Nuncio Rotta arrived from his weekend trip and with father Verolino looking on he questioned me and then offered me help.I asked if I could stay at the Nunciature and they allowed me to stay 2 more days.To my great surprise one day I received from father Verolino a picture ID with the seal and stamp of the Royal Hungarian Foreign Ministry stating that I worked for the Nunciature.
My first important task was at dawn on October 16, 1944 when the diplomats of the Vatican did not return from the Eszterhazi Estate. This was after Horthy's address on the radio informing the nation that Hungary was withdrawing from the war. More German units occupied the country and blocked the roads.That is why the Vatican diplomats could not return.Horthy and his family came and asked for asylum at dawn and I was the only person there other than the gatekeeper.I made the decision to let them in and later when Veesenmeyer came I did not allow him to take the family.
My biggest task began after that.Angelo Rotta signed hundreds of Documens and I took those with Joseph Meggyesi in the official car of the nunciature to the Obuda brickyards to distribute it to those standing in line ready for the deathmarch to Austria.One day I was arrested and taken to a Nyilas House.Fortunately Meggyesi reported it to the nuncio and I was freed the same day.After Pest was liberated father Verolino visited the chief of the German forces in Buda, Marshal Wildenbrch, daily under very dangerous conditions trying to persuade him to capitulate and that the remaining Germans and the Nyilas should lay down their arms.It was due to the negotiating skills of Genaro Verolino that the hostilities ceased on February 13, 1944 in Buda.
Dr. George Ádám
Bratislava, Slovakian Republ
