Römisches Institut der Görres-Gesellschaft
Hugh O'Flaherty - Video about the dedication of the memorial plaque at the Campo Santo
Hugh O'Flaherty was a human rescuer during the Nazi terror in Rome in 1943/44. He helped about 6,000 people fleeing from the German priests' college in the Vatican. A small booklet about this has now been published by Schnell & Steiner with many new pictures that vividly illustrate the events of that time.
On 8 May 2016, a commemorative plaque was unveiled at Campo Santo Teutonico by the Irish Ambassador Emma Madigan. There is even a video of the ceremony circulating on the net from the O'Flaherty Memorial Society:
The plaque needs to be corrected on one point, as later archival research has clearly clarified that O'Flaherty left the college at the beginning of 1948, not 1960 as the plaque states. The crucial sources here are the celebration booklets, in which each priest entered his daily Mass celebrated, and the tables showing the allocation of altars to celebrants. The last entry is in February 1948, but the name is already crossed out by then.
Where O'Flherty stayed after leaving the German college is not known. He remained in Rome and worked at the Curia. He seems to have maintained no further contact with the College. Only in 1959/60 does his name appear again in an invitation list of the Rector August Schuchert.
- Details
- Written by: Stefan Heid
- Category: Roman notes