Abstract
The monograph The Vatican and Italian Fascism, 1922-1945 deals with diplomatic relations between the Holy See and fascist Italy between 1922 and 1945, that is, from Mussolini's accession to power in Italy and the election of the new Pope, Pius XI, until the end of World War II. This monograph attempts to clear Italian-Vatican relations from a number of generalized prejudices and clichés in the context of the events of the 1920s-1940s, focusing on the contacts and conflicts between the Vatican and Italy during the interwar and war periods.
The book thus introduces readers to important personages, turning points and diplomatic sticking points, while also addressing the Lateran Pacts, the rapprochement between Italy and Nazi Germany, racial questions, the reflection of Italian foreign policy and the Pope's attitudes during World War II. The author based his work on materials from the Vatican Secret Archives in Rome as well as on an extensive amount of foreign literature, especially of Italian, German and English provenance.
It thus represents the first monograph of its kind in the Czech milieu, although some moments in the relationship of the Holy See with Italian fascism, with a focus on the international scene, have been addressed in many 20th-century world history books.