The Secret Inquisition

Based on previously unseen Vatican and Fascist archives, "The Secret Inquisition" explores Italy’s 1938 racial laws and their impact on Jewish families during World War II. The book examines the bureaucratic processes used to identify and persecute Jews, often marked by arbitrary and contradictory decisions, with vivid stories of individuals seeking to alter their identities to survive. Through detailed case studies, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian David Kertzer highlights the complex collaboration between the Vatican and Fascist authorities, offering a compelling look at the human stories behind this dark chapter in history.