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I wasn't judging him..just wondering if it could have an effect, if people need/want to find an excuse not to vote for him..I was very surprised when I read it...

I don't think Europe has a clue in terms of it's reconciling it's Nazi past with it's present. Germany was chief offender, of course, but Italy (and I was born there, so this isn't some anti-Italian or anti-German sentiment) didn't do too much to reign in Mussolini until Italy felt, via German occupation, the full measure of his hapless, stupid 'alliance.' And France? No explanation needed, Vichy says it all. I don't think they've ever really faced up to what they did.

I say this because I think it also reflects what I believe to be an ambivalence likely present in the Cardinals of Europe who get the vote.

From the little I understand, Ratzinger is likely not to get the nod because he might not be the flaming Socialist that the rest of them are, and not because of anything to do with his past. Especially such a distant past and one which is hard to easily render judgement on.