Joseph L. Lichten (

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

: Józef L. Lichten) (June 6, 1906 – December 1, 1987) was a

Polish-American Polish Americans ( pl, Polonia amerykańska) are Americans who either have total or partial Polish ancestry, or are citizens of the Republic of Poland. There are an estimated 9.15 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing about 2.83% ...

lawyer and diplomat. He is known for his contributions in interfaith relations between Catholics and

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

Early life and studies

Born Józef Lichtensztul in a Jewish family in Poland, he received his Doctor of Law degree from the University of Warsaw, and engaged in international diplomacy for the Polish government. He also obtained a PhD in Catholic

canon law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...

Diplomatic career

From 1941 to 1945 he served as a consultant and advisor on eastern European affairs to the embassy of the Polish government in exile. When the Communists took control of his native country, he left its diplomatic service and became an American citizen.

Interfaith work

In 1953, he participated in the very first interfaith conference sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League. He organized hundreds of such conferences over the years with prominent figures in the Catholic clergy and laity. In 1963, shortly after the initial production of

Rolf Hochhuth Rolf Hochhuth (; 1 April 1931 – 13 May 2020) was a German author and playwright, best known for his 1963 drama '' The Deputy'', which insinuates Pope Pius XII's indifference to Hitler's extermination of the Jews, and he remained a controversial ...

's play,

The Deputy ''The Deputy, a Christian tragedy'' (German: ''Der Stellvertreter. Ein christliches Trauerspiel''), also published in English as ''The Representative '', is a controversial 1963 play by Rolf Hochhuth which portrayed Pope Pius XII as having failed ...

, and while serving as director of the International Affairs Department for the ADL, he wrote a monograph defending the actions of Pope

Pius XII Pius ( , ) Latin for "pious", is a masculine given name. Its feminine form is Pia. It may refer to: People Popes * Pope Pius (disambiguation) * Antipope Pius XIII (1918-2009), who led the breakaway True Catholic Church sect Given name * Pius ...

during the Second World War. In 1986 Pope John Paul II named him a knight commander of the pontifical equestrian order of St. Gregory the Great for improving relations between the Church and society, the first American Jew to be so honored.

Legacy

The Anti-Defamation League's Dr. Joseph L. Lichten Award in Catholic-Jewish Relations was established in 2005 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of ''

Nostra aetate (from Latin: "In our time") is the incipit of the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council. Passed by a vote of 2,221 to 88 of the assembled bishops, this declaration was promulgated ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lichten, Joseph L. 1987 deaths Anti-Defamation League Christian and Jewish interfaith dialogue 1906 births Catholicism and Judaism People in interfaith dialogue