Angelo Rotta (1872 – 1964)
ANGELO ROTTA as the envoy of the Vatican in Budapest in 1944 saved the life of thousands of Hungarian Jews by issuing 15,000 safe conduct certificates and baptismal certificates to Jews in labor camps, deportation centers and death marches, and establishing protected houses.
Angelo Rotta was born on 9th August, 1872 in Milan, Italy. He was consecrated on 10th February, 1895.
He was nominated – when he was around the age of 50 – Apostolic Delegate, and was sent to Central America in 1922. He held down a job as a diplomat in Bulgaria, saving Bulgarian Jews with issuing baptismal certificates and safe conducts to be able to travel to Palestine.
From 1944 he was working in Budapest, Hungary as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, helping Hungarian Jews being saved from deportation, starvation and death, with issuing baptismal certificates and safe conduct certificates, many times protesting against Jewish Deportations, and providing food to the Jews in protected houses.
He issued 15,000 safe conduct certificates to prove the holder of that document is under the protection of the Vatican neutrality.
He retired from diplomacy in 1957, and started working at the ‘Curia Romana’ (at the administrative apparatus of the Holy See).
Angelo Rotta died on the 1st February, 1965 at the age of 92.
He was awarded the title ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ by Yad Vashem in 1997.
Places in Budapest in memory of Angelo Rotta:
- Memorial plaque at Disz tèr (Buda Castle) at the building where the Apostolic Nunciature was located during WWII.
- Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Garden
The Apostolic Delegate issuing baptismal certificates to Hungarian Jews
ANGELO ROTTA as the envoy of the Vatican in Budapest in 1944 saved the life of thousands of Hungarian Jews by issuing 15,000 safe conduct certificates and baptismal certificates to Jews in labor camps, deportation centers and death marches, and establishing protected houses.
Angelo Rotta was born on 9th August, 1872 in Milan, Italy. He was consecrated on 10th February, 1895.
He was nominated – when he was around the age of 50 – Apostolic Delegate, and was sent to Central America in 1922. He held down a job as a diplomat in Bulgaria, saving Bulgarian Jews with issuing baptismal certificates and safe conducts to be able to travel to Palestine.
From 1944 he was working in Budapest, Hungary as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, helping Hungarian Jews being saved from deportation, starvation and death, with issuing baptismal certificates and safe conduct certificates, many times protesting against Jewish Deportations, and providing food to the Jews in protected houses.
He issued 15,000 safe conduct certificates to prove the holder of that document is under the protection of the Vatican neutrality.
He retired from diplomacy in 1957, and started working at the ‘Curia Romana’ (at the administrative apparatus of the Holy See).
Angelo Rotta died on the 1st February, 1965 at the age of 92.
He was awarded the title ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ by Yad Vashem in 1997.
Places in Budapest in memory of Angelo Rotta:
- Memorial plaque at Disz tèr (Buda Castle) at the building where the Apostolic Nunciature was located during WWII.
- Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Garden