Brazilian Visa Project (1939-1941) Conversion of Jews to Catholicism during the Holocaust

in march 1939, various members of german catholic hierarchy asked newly elected pius xii petition brazilian government 3,000 immigration visas german catholic jews settle in brazil. followed 2 years of diplomatic exchanges, starting instruction form cardinal secretary of state luigi maglione benedetto aloisi masella, nuncio in rio de janeiro request visas president getúlio vargas. visas formally conceded vargas, through brazil’s conselho de imigração e colonização (cic), on june 20, 1939.

from beginning, visas came strict conditions, necessary, others obstructionist , grew stricter on time. visas available baptized jews in germany , other countries, required submit recommendation nunciature of respective country. emigrants further required prove baptism had occurred before 1933. protestant jews denied visas. later conditions included substantial monetary transfer banco brasil , approval brazilian propaganda office in berlin.

in face of these many hurdles, cardinal theodor innitzer of vienna wrote pius xii on february 4, 1941, asking immediate aid in granting visas, in light of beginning of deportation of 60,000 jews of vienna, @ least 11,000 of whom had been baptized. reply maglione outlined various difficulties associated such step. innitzer not satisfied, , complained again later month.

the visa program suspended on september 3, 1940, , officially ended on november 20, 1941. spanish , portuguese governments had refused issue travel visas using immigration visas brazil. innitzer updated vatican again on increased pace of deportations on may 20, 1942, , vatican tried last time appeal brazilians in july 1942. maglione wrote in december 1941 bishop request had initiated project that: have been informed [...] many emigrants have departed and—i regret say—from have been told, many of them, both improper conduct , alleged demands, have not corresponded concern holy see has shown in behalf . emphasis of maglione s letter not on failure of diplomatic effort, chagrin @ alleged conduct , lack of gratitude of recipients of visas. according encyclopedia of holocaust, improper conduct , maglione have meant recipients continued practice judaism.

it difficult verify exact number of visas issued. 1,000 visas allocated brazilian embassy in vatican, , most—although not all—were used. remaining 2,000 in control of brazilian officials in germany never used, not in months of project. maglione remarkably acquiescent cancellation of program , response brazilian ambassador possibility of reinstating program in future agonizingly impersonal , diplomatic .

morley views importance of brazilian visa project fourfold: first, in demonstrating concern of pius xii primarily, exclusively baptized rather unconverted jews, , viewing persecution infringement on rights of church; second, in exemplifying reliance on diplomacy, end in ; , third, in showing reluctance of pope disturb status quo, when staunchly catholic country reneged on promise pope ; , finally, use of prior failure apologia against later proposals aid jews.