Abbey of Monte Cassino today. - Modern/Post-War Photos | Gallery

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#1

Abbey of Monte Cassino today.

The Abbey complex has been extensively restored, and is now used for a number of purposes, religious and otherwise. Interestingly, the bulk of the Abbey's huge art collection and library (that may without any exaggeration be described as "priceless") was saved - by the Germans, who persuaded the monks to allow their treasures to be moved to relative safety in Rome before the metal started flying. As the German officers concerned were from the Hermann Goering Division, one might be somewhat suspicious as to their motives. However, the monks spoke up for them when accusions of looting were advanced after the war. Best regards, JR.

This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/modern/39010/abbey-of-monte-cassino-today.
#2

Not quite JR. Julius Schlegel, the officer responsible for the rescue of the Abbey’s art collection was actually almost executed twice for this. First, when word reached Berlin, SS police was sent down to execute Schlegel for looting. It was there that the monks intervened.
After the war, Schlegel was again arrested as a war criminal and looter, but this time it was British Field Marshall Harold Alexander himself who personally intervened.
Also, the art collection was evacuated directly to the Vatican itself where it was stored until the abbey could be rebuild. A small but important difference.

#3