Religious Figure, World War II Resistance Figure. Born in County Kerry, Ireland, he became a Catholic priest and was ordained in Rome, Italy on December 20, 1925. After his ordination, he worked at the Vatican. He was appointed to the Vatican Diplomatic Service and served with the Diplomatic service in Egypt, Haiti, Santo Domingo and Czechoslovakia. He returned to the Vatican shortly before World War II. During World War II, Monsignor O'Flaherty ran a network that helped Jews and allied pilots escape Nazi persecution, and is estimated to have saved about 4,000 people. He had relationship with Colonel Herbert Kappler, who was head of the Rome Gestapo. Kappler made numerous attempts to catch Monsignor O’Flaherty who narrowly escaped capture on several occasions. Towards the end of the war, as the allied armies approached Rome, Kappler asked Monsignor O’Flaherty to help Kappler’s family flee Rome, and he helped Kappler’s family escape. After the war, Kappler was sentenced to life imprisonment, and Monsignor O’Flaherty became a regular visitor. In 1959, Colonel Kappler became a Catholic and was baptized. Hugh O'Flaherty's exploits earned him the nickname the "Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican" and his story is told in the movie "The Scarlet and the Black". He is buried behind the Daniel O'Connell Memorial Church in Cahirciveen, County Kerry, Ireland.
Religious Figure, World War II Resistance Figure. Born in County Kerry, Ireland, he became a Catholic priest and was ordained in Rome, Italy on December 20, 1925. After his ordination, he worked at the Vatican. He was appointed to the Vatican Diplomatic Service and served with the Diplomatic service in Egypt, Haiti, Santo Domingo and Czechoslovakia. He returned to the Vatican shortly before World War II. During World War II, Monsignor O'Flaherty ran a network that helped Jews and allied pilots escape Nazi persecution, and is estimated to have saved about 4,000 people. He had relationship with Colonel Herbert Kappler, who was head of the Rome Gestapo. Kappler made numerous attempts to catch Monsignor O’Flaherty who narrowly escaped capture on several occasions. Towards the end of the war, as the allied armies approached Rome, Kappler asked Monsignor O’Flaherty to help Kappler’s family flee Rome, and he helped Kappler’s family escape. After the war, Kappler was sentenced to life imprisonment, and Monsignor O’Flaherty became a regular visitor. In 1959, Colonel Kappler became a Catholic and was baptized. Hugh O'Flaherty's exploits earned him the nickname the "Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican" and his story is told in the movie "The Scarlet and the Black". He is buried behind the Daniel O'Connell Memorial Church in Cahirciveen, County Kerry, Ireland.
Bio by: Anonymous
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