{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = The Very Reverend | name = Pankratius Pfeiffer | honorific_suffix = SDS | birth_name = Markus Pfeiffer | birth_date = {{birth date|1872|10|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Brunnen, Bavaria, German Empire | death_date = {{death date and age|1945|05|13|1872|10|18|df=y}} | death_place = Rome, Kingdom of Italy | module = {{Infobox Christian leader | child = yes | ordination = 30 May 1896 }} }}
'''Pankratius Pfeiffer''' {{Post-nominals|list=SDS}} ({{Langx|it|Pancrazio Pfeiffer}}; born '''Markus Pfeiffer'''; 18 October 1872 – 13 May 1945) was a German Catholic priest and superior general of the Salvatorian order for 30 years. During the Nazi occupation of Rome during the Second World War, he acted as an informal liaison between Pope Pius XII and the German leadership. In this capacity, he rescued hundreds of Jews and others in Rome from execution by the Nazis. He also persuaded the Nazis to spare several Italian cities from destruction during their retreat from Italy. As a result, Pfeiffer became known as "the Angel of Rome."
== Early life == Markus Pfeiffer was born on 18 October 1872 in Brunnen, Bavaria, in the German Empire. On 18 March 1889, he traveled to Rome,<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=12 May 2005 |title=Sixty years since the death of Father Pfeiffer Salvatorian Fathers open "On Mission in Rome" Exhibition to commemorate the Catholic priest who saved hundreds of lives during Nazi occupation |work=Agenzia Fides |url=http://www.fides.org/en/news/4875-EUROPE_ITALY_Sixty_years_since_the_death_of_Father_Pfeiffer_Salvatorian_Fathers_open_On_Mission_in_Rome_Exhibition_to_commemorate_the_Catholic_priest_who_saved_hundreds_of_lives_during_Nazi_occupation |access-date=12 April 2023}}</ref> and on 21 March, he entered the Society of the Divine Savior, commonly known as the Salvatorians, taking the religious name of Pankratius. He was ordained a priest on 30 May 1896. His first assignment was as the private secretary to the founder and superior general of the Salvatorian order, Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan, and was stationed at the Salvatorian motherhouse,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Fr. Pankratius Pfeiffer: Successor to the Founder as Superior General|url=https://www.salvatorians.com/editoruploads/files/Who%20We%20Are/Founder%20Bios/Fr_Pfeiffer.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118232906/https://www.salvatorians.com/editoruploads/files/Who%20We%20Are/Founder%20Bios/Fr_Pfeiffer.pdf|archive-date=18 January 2021|access-date=9 October 2021|website=Salvatorians USA Province}}</ref> Palazzo Cesi-Armellini, in Rome.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Motherhouse of the Society of the Divine Savior|url=https://www.salvatorians.com/editoruploads/files/Archives/Archived%20articles/The_SDS_Motherhouse_in_Rome.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925030047/https://www.salvatorians.com/editoruploads/files/Archives/Archived%20articles/The_SDS_Motherhouse_in_Rome.pdf|archive-date=25 September 2020|access-date=9 October 2021|website=Salvatorians USA Province}}</ref>
== Salvatorian leadership == The Salvatorians' first general chapter was convened in 1902,<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Lomonaco|first=Amedeo|date=15 May 2021|title=Founder of the Salvatorians beatified in Rome|work=Vatican News|url=https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-05/founder-of-the-salvatorians-beatified-in-rome.html|url-status=live|access-date=9 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829224643/https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-05/founder-of-the-salvatorians-beatified-in-rome.html|archive-date=29 August 2021}}</ref> where Pfeiffer was elected procurator general. While holding this position, he also became a consultor to Jordan.<ref name=":0" /> In 1908, he began work in the Vatican, in the office overseeing papal audiences.<ref name=":5" />
Due to the outbreak of the First World War, the Salvatorian generalate moved from Rome to Fribourg, Switzerland.<ref name=":1" /> The third general chapter was held in Fribourg 1915, at which Pfeiffer was elected to succeed Jordan as superior general of the Society of the Divine Savior. Pfeiffer was considered an effective leader of the order, despite a financial crisis in 1930.<ref name=":0" />
=== Role in saving Jews and others from the Nazis === During the Second World War, Pfeiffer became an informal liaison between Pope Pius XII and the German leadership during the occupation of Rome by the Nazis in 1943 and 1944. In this capacity, he saved many Jews in Rome from persecution and ultimately death.<ref name=":0" /> During the occupation, Pfeiffer would travel every two days to the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, where he would inform the secretariat of Jews who had been arrested and would receive the Vatican's requests for release to be delivered to the Nazis.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Graham|1973|p=467}}</ref>
It is unknown precisely how many Jews were saved due to the efforts of Pfeiffer.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Harvnb|Bottum|Dalin|2010|p=139}}</ref> On one occasion, the pope used Pfeiffer as an intermediary to speak with General Reiner Stahel, the commander of Nazi forces in Rome, and Heinrich Himmler, to secure the release of 249 Jews that had been rounded up.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Gagliarducci|first=Andrea|date=29 August 2021|title=Expert's latest investigation dispels myths about Pius XII and Rome's Jews|work=Catholic News Agency|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248813/experts-latest-investigation-dispels-myths-about-pius-xii-and-romes-jews|url-status=live|access-date=9 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909170922/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248813/experts-latest-investigation-dispels-myths-about-pius-xii-and-romes-jews|archive-date=9 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Graham|1973|p=469}}</ref> On another occasion, Pfeiffer persuaded the Nazis to release 400 hostages, eight of whom were Jews, who were being transported to their execution by firing squad.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Preziosi|first=Giovanni|date=16 October 2011|title=La lista di Pfeiffer|language=it|trans-title=Pfeiffer's List|page=5|work=L'Osservatore Romano|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/72676915/Osservatore-Romano-2011ottobre16|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|access-date=1 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201041334/https://www.scribd.com/document/72676915/Osservatore-Romano-2011ottobre16|archive-date=1 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Guilfoyle|first=Kate|date=18 October 2018|title=Pius XII: The pope who fought Hitler|work=The Catholic Weekly|url=https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/pius-xii-the-pope-who-fought-hitler/|url-status=live|access-date=9 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227042424/https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/pius-xii-the-pope-who-fought-hitler/|archive-date=27 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=SDS in 1945 - The Final Days of World War II|url=https://www.salvatorians.com/editoruploads/files/Archives/Archived%20articles/SDS_in_1945_-_The_Final_Days_of_World_War_II.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925023250/https://www.salvatorians.com/editoruploads/files/Archives/Archived%20articles/SDS_in_1945_-_The_Final_Days_of_World_War_II.pdf|archive-date=25 September 2020|access-date=1 December 2021|website=Salvatorians}}</ref>
In addition to Jews, Pfeiffer saved others from the Nazis. Every day, Pfeiffer visited the Regina Coeli prison and another prison on Via Tasso, where he would often return with freed prisoners who had been sentenced to death.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Graham|1973|p=468}}</ref> During the German retreat from Italy in 1945, Pfeiffer also convinced the Nazis to refrain from destroying several Italian cities.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|last=Diaz Vizzi|first=Daniel|date=9 October 2021|title=The German priest who helped Pius XII save Jews during World War II|work=Rome Reports|url=https://www.romereports.com/en/2021/10/09/the-german-priest-who-helped-pius-xii-save-jews-during-world-war-ii/|url-status=live|access-date=9 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009165523/https://www.romereports.com/en/2021/10/09/the-german-priest-who-helped-pius-xii-save-jews-during-world-war-ii/|archive-date=9 October 2021}}</ref> As a result of his efforts saving people from the Nazis, Pfeiffer became known as "the Angel of Rome".<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news|date=1 June 2014|title=Palazzo Cardinal Cesi – a hotel in the heart of christendom|work=Inside the Vatican|url=https://insidethevatican.com/magazine/culture/palazzo-cardinal-cesi-hotel-heart-christendom/|url-status=live|access-date=1 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201034917/https://insidethevatican.com/magazine/culture/palazzo-cardinal-cesi-hotel-heart-christendom/|archive-date=1 December 2021}}</ref>
==Death== On 12 May 1945, Pfeiffer was knocked down by a British military jeep as he tried to cross the road to the Vatican.<ref name=":0" /> He died the following day.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 13, 1945 |title=Rev. Pancratius Pfeiffer |pages=17 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1945/05/14/archives/rev-pancratius-pfeiffer.html |access-date=12 April 2023 |archive-date=}}</ref> On the day of his death, Vatican Radio paid tribute to him for his actions during the Second World War.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bottum|Dalin|2010|p=138}}</ref> He was succeeded as superior general by Facundus Peterk.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Generalate|url=https://www.sds.org/nabout/generalate|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723103454/https://www.sds.org/nabout/generalate|archive-date=23 July 2021|access-date=9 October 2021|website=Society of the Divine Saviour}}</ref>
A short street in Rome off of Via della Conciliazione was named in his honor.<ref name=":3" /><ref>_ (1999). ''Publik-Forum'', Vol. 28, p. 44.</ref>
== References ==
=== Citations === {{reflist}}
=== Sources ===
* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KQvGxx1qG90C|title=The Pius War: Responses to the Critics of Pius XII|publisher=Lexington Books|year=2010|isbn=978-0-7391-4564-7|editor-last=Bottum|editor-first=Joseph|location=Lanham, Maryland|editor-last2=Dalin|editor-first2=David G.|via=Google Books}} *{{cite book|author=Graham|title=La Civiltà Cattolica|publisher=Society of Jesus|year=1973|volume=IV|location=Rome|pages=467–474|language=it|chapter=La rappresaglia nazista alle Fosse Ardeatine. P. Pfeiffer, messaggero della carità di Pio XII|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Ac5AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA467|first=Robert A.}}
== Further reading == *{{Cite book |last=Willer |first=Philomena |title=P. Pankratius Pfeiffer SDS (1872–1945): Vom Bäckergesellen zum Vatikandiplomat |publisher=Kunstverlag Josef Fink |year=2005 |isbn=3-89870-221-9 |location=Lindenberg |language=de}} *{{Cite book |last=van Meijl |first=Peter |title=Pater Pancratius Pfeiffer SDS und sein Einsatz für die Juden während der deutschen Besatzung in Rom (1943–1944) |publisher=Austrian Province of the Salvatorians |year=2007 |location=Vienna |language=de}} * {{Cite news |last=Samerski |first=Stefan |date=2005 |title=Im Dienst der Kirche ständig bemüht um die Rettung von Menschen. Erinnerung an Pater Pankratius Pfeiffer SDS (1872–1945) |language=de |volume=35 |page=5 |work=L'Osservatore Romano}} * {{Cite book|last=Samerski|first=Stefan|title=Pancratius Pfeiffer, der verlängerte Arm von Pius XII.|publisher=Ferdinand Schöningh|year=2013|isbn=978-3-506-76726-4|location=Munich|language=de|doi=10.30965/9783657767267}} * {{Cite book |last=Dollmann |first=Eugen |title=Roma nazista 1937-1943. Un protagonista della storia racconta |publisher=Rizzoli Libri |year=2002 |isbn=9788817128018 |series=Superbur Saggi |language=it |translator-last=Zingarelli |translator-first=Italo}} * {{Cite book |last=Angelozzi Gariboldi |first=Giorgio |title=Pio XII, Hitler e Mussolini: il Vaticano fra le dittature |publisher=Mursia |year=1988 |isbn=8842528757 |location=Milan |language=it}}
== External links == * {{Cite web |title=Generalsuperior der Salvatorianer P. Pankratius Pfeiffer (1872–1945) |url=http://salvatorianer.org/sites/default/files/Pfeiffer.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911185747/http://salvatorianer.org/sites/default/files/Pfeiffer.pdf |archive-date=11 September 2016 |access-date=11 September 2016 |website=German Province of the Salvatorians |language=de}} * {{Cite news |date=12 May 2005 |title=Meldungen vom 12.5.2005 |language=de |work=Vatican Radio |url=http://www.radiovaticana.va/proxy/tedesco/tedarchi/2005/Mai05/ted12.05.05.htm |access-date=30 May 2022}}
{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef|before=Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan}} {{s-ttl|title=Superior General of the Society of the Divine Savior|years=1915–1945|order=2nd}} {{s-aft|after=Facundus Peterek}} {{s-end}}
{{Salvatorian superiors general}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pfeiffer, Pankratius}} Category:1872 births Category:1945 deaths Category:People from Neuburg-Schrobenhausen Category:Salvatorians Category:19th-century German Roman Catholic priests Category:20th-century German Roman Catholic priests Category:German people who rescued Jews during the Holocaust Category:Road incident deaths in Italy Category:Pedestrian road incident deaths