Pius XII was born on 2 March 1876 in Rome. Born Eugenio Pacelli, he was pope during the Second World War and the early years of the Cold War. A diplomat who had served as papal nuncio in Germany and as Vatican secretary of state, he signed the 1933 concordat with Nazi Germany. His wartime conduct remains controversial, as defenders say he quietly helped to save many Jews while critics argue he should have spoken out more forcefully against the Holocaust. He defined the dogma of the Assumption of Mary in 1950, and his pontificate saw growth in the Church's global role.
Before and after
- 5 January 1876Birth of Konrad Adenauer
- 12 January 1876Birth of Jack London
- 15 January 1876Birth of Ibn Saud
- 27 February 1876Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876
- 2 March 1876Birth of Pius XII
- May 1876Batak massacre
- from 30 June 1876 to 3 March 1878First Serbian–Ottoman War
- November 1876Schliemann finds the 'Mask of Agamemnon' at Mycenae
- 25 December 1876Birth of Mohammad Ali Jinnah
More in Art, literature & culture
- 1792Publication of La Marseillaise
- 7 May 1824Beethoven's Ninth Symphony premieres
- 26 November 1865Publication of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
- 1871The Internationale
- 19 March 1882Construction of Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family
- from 1886 to 1905Rise of Post-impressionism
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 19th century.