 When in 1940 , the Nazi Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop led the only senior Nazi delegation permitted an audience with Pius XII and asked why the Pope had sided with the Allies , Pius replied with a list of recent Nazi atrocities and religious persecutions committed against Christians and Jews , in Germany , and in Poland , leading the New York Times to headline its report " Jews Rights Defended " and write of " burning words he spoke to Herr Ribbentrop about religious persecution " . During the meeting , Ribbentrop suggested an overall settlement between the Vatican and the Reich government in exchange for Pius XII instructing the German bishops to refrain from political criticism of the German government , but no agreement was reached . 
