The Scarlet and the Black

September 1943: German forces occupy Rome after Italy's surrender. The occupation creates a tense, dangerous atmosphere for residents and the Vatican. It sets the stage for intensified reprisals and underground activity in the city.

Pope Pius XII meets with General Max Helm and SS leader Kappler to discuss Vatican sovereignty and safety. Kappler asks to paint a white line across St. Peter's Square to mark the boundary. The Pope does not protest, but the line begins to be painted as the meeting ends.

Monsignor O'Flaherty establishes an underground organization to shelter escaped POWs, Jews, and refugees in Rome. He is aided by Francesca Lombardo and her daughters Guilia and Emilia, along with other clergy and Vatican diplomats. The network provides safe havens and escape routes within the city's complex milieu.

The Nazis intensify efforts to destroy the group, but Kappler is frustrated by O'Flaherty's clever disguises and persistence. The Vatican's neutrality becomes a battleground as operations continue under threat. The rescue network endures repeated crackdowns and near misses.

The Nazis meet with Rome's Jewish council leaders promising protection if they deliver gold and money. O'Flaherty secretly provides the required gold and money, but Kappler breaks his promise and deports the Jews to camps. The betrayal underscores the brutality of the occupation.

Kappler's vendetta against O'Flaherty grows as more escapes are uncovered. He recaptures POWs, deports Jews, and persecutes locals, including friends like Father Morsigne. The priest's resistance continues despite personal danger.

Kappler orders an assassination attempt on O'Flaherty, but the monsignor's boxing skills thwart the attack. The near-miss reinforces the dangers faced by the resistance. O'Flaherty remains a constant target while continuing aid operations.

An American soldier named Jack, part of the rescue committee and Guilia's love interest, is captured and his code book seized. The network's operations threaten to collapse with his detention. O'Flaherty and allies scramble to evacuate others in hiding and preserve the group's work.

O'Flaherty deceives Kappler by obtaining his signature, then forges a release form to free Jack from prison. The ruse reopens the rescue operations and restores momentum. The episode demonstrates the priest's resourcefulness and courage.

As Allied forces push through Italy, they near Rome and Kappler worries about his family's safety. He requests mercy in a one-to-one meeting with O'Flaherty, who refuses to grant forgiveness without repentance. The encounter highlights the moral complexities of wartime rescue.

In June 1944, the Allies enter Rome and liberation celebrations begin. Jack and Guilia announce their engagement, and friends toast those who did not live to see liberation. The moment marks a shift from danger to cautious hope.

Kappler is captured in 1945, disarmed and interrogated by the Allies. He learns his wife and children were smuggled to Switzerland, but he does not identify the helpers. The interrogation reveals the reach and cost of the resistance network.

The epilogue notes O'Flaherty's postwar decorations from Allied governments. Kappler is sentenced to life imprisonment and visits from O'Flaherty continue monthly. In 1959, Kappler converts to Catholicism and is baptized by the monsignor.