in 1940 the gestapo arrested him but released him from jail in september 1942. he refused to leave unless those captured and jailed alongside him were released with him. the nazis refused this request and forced his departure from the prison. on 1 september 1944 the nazis burst into the joc headquarters to take him as their prisoner but he learned of this beforehand and fled out the back door to hide. pope pius xii made him a privy chamberlain of his holiness on 30 april 1950 and pope john xxiii later named him as a protonotary apostolic on 25 september 1962.