Pacelli reports to Gasparri, based on a discussion with a German Reich official about the Democratic Party joining the governing parliamentary coalition, that Erzberger is considered the singular will-power and force of the current Cabinet, but his “imprudence” is “most extremely deplorable - Sept. 6, 1919
Source: Timeline
Sept. 6, 1919 Pacelli reports to Gasparri, based on a discussion with a German Reich official about the Democratic Party joining the governing parliamentary coalition, that Erzberger is considered the singular will-power and force of the current Cabinet, but his “imprudence” is “most extremely deplorable.”
Italian original at www.Pacelli-Edition.de and English translation
Sept. 6, 1919 Pacelli to Gasparri:
I had a visit from the well-known Mr. Victor Naumann, who is today Extraordinary Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Reich awaiting assignment.
He gave me some interesting news, especially about the domestic political situation of Germany, which I believe it my duty to transmit herewith to Your Most Reverend Eminence.
The current Government, Naumann told me, needs to enlarge its base. It is necessary that, in addition to the majority Socialists and the representatives of the Center Party, of which it is now comprised, there enter as well the Democrats, who have among their ranks persons of unshakeable valor...
My interlocutor then engaged me in conversation about Mr. Erzberger, the current Minister of Finance.
Naumann certainly affirmed that Minister Erzberger is the singular will-power and force of the current Cabinet, the only political man who knows what he wants; however, balanced against these most appreciable merits is his deplorable imprudence, of which he gave a typical example with the recent “revelations” that are well known to Your Eminence. He added, however, that these “revelations” have shown the German people all the more the correctness of the Holy See and the most noble action for peace carried out by the Holy Father...
Source: Pacelli to Gasparri, Sept. 6, 1919, Historical Archive of the Secretariat of State (Holy See), Section for Relations with States, Vatican Secret Archives, AA.EE.SS., Germania, 1919-1920, pos. 1699, fasc. 891, fol. 17r-18r, reprinted at www.Pacelli-Edition.de, Document No. 1042.
Additional documents related to the breach between Pacelli and Erzberger appearing in www.Pacelli-Edition.de include Document Nos. 7934, 3750, 5092, 3751, 5093, 5094 and 9950.