The Roman Catholic Bishopric of Iași and the Jews (1941-1944)
The Roman Catholic Bishopric of Iași and the Jews (1941-1944)

Summary/Abstract: Based on archival sources and press materials from the archives of the Roman Catholic Bishopric of Iași, the article discusses how this Bishopric dealt with the following issues: 1) the appeals of Jews for baptism, the attempts of the Romanian authorities to impede the baptism of Jews, and the deportation of baptised Jews; 2) the information service of the Catholic Church; 3) the expropriation of Jewish property, and 4) Jewish forced labour. The article highlights how Mihai Robu, the Bishop of Iași, fought for the right of the Church to baptise Jews, took action in favour of the converts, and participated in the information service of the Roman Catholic Church for the benefit of Jews. It also reveals that the Bishop maintained rigid conditions of baptism that left a number of Jews outside the Catholic Church and therefore without the protection of the Bishopric and the Holy See. Moreover, the article shows the Bishop’s opportunistic behaviour concerning property taken from Jews and Jewish forced labour.

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