Monte Cassino before the war

Monte Cassino before the war. How the Germans saved the library of Monte Cassino

In early October 1943, Dr. Tennent Maximilian Becker, a physician serving with the Hermann Göring Division, was tasked with organizing a hospital in Teano. While there, he discovered that the convent of St. Antony was safeguarding some valuable collections from the National Library of Naples. A passionate lover of art history and rare books, Becker took the initiative to arrange the transfer of these precious cases away from the front lines to Spoleto.

He feared that the ongoing bombings and the German retreat could lead to the destruction of these irreplaceable works—something that had already occurred in Naples and its surroundings. Thanks to his efforts, many masterpieces were preserved from potential devastation.

The German organised the transport

The Franciscan Fathers of Teano informed Dr. Becker about another important collection in need of protection—stored in the Abbey of Monte Cassino. Realizing the magnitude of the task, he understood that saving this second treasure was crucial.

The Monte Cassino Abbey housed around 70,000 volumes, along with an archive containing 80,000 documents, all part of the National Library’s collection. In addition, there were numerous cases from various museums in Naples and even the prestigious medal collection from Syracuse.

This priceless treasure had been secretly moved to Monte Cassino Abbey, with its contents kept hidden to avoid alerting the German forces to what was inside.

Ready to move all the treasure of Monte Cassino

With the support of Colonel Schlegel, all the precious cases were carefully transported to a secure depot in Spoleto, under the protection of the Hermann Goering Division. When Father Tommaso Leccisotti, the archivist, arrived in Rome with Monte Cassino’s private treasure, he promptly informed the Vatican and the Italian Superintendence of Cultural Heritage that the Germans had moved the entire collection.

The location of the depot was so secretive that not even the monks knew where their treasured manuscripts and artifacts were being kept. Trucks began the slow and careful transfer of masterpieces to Spoleto, but the monks were left in the dark, anxious and fearful that their priceless heritage might be lost forever.

Monte Cassino before the war. The treasure of Monte Cassino saved by the Germans

On October 31st, the German ambassador Von Weizsäcker managed to contact the German Ambassador to the Holy See and learned the location of the secret depot in Spoleto. The chosen site was Colle Ferreto, just outside Spoleto.

When Field Marshal Kesselring became aware of the situation, he ordered the Hermann Goering Division to return the cases to the Vatican. The trucks were prepared for the journey back.

Of course, the risk of destruction from Allied bombing was as real as the risk of theft. It is believed that some priceless paintings were removed from Montecassino and secretly sent to Hermann Goering’s private collection.

Back to Montecassino Abbey

Some paintings were recovered later, but many are still missing today. One notable masterpiece that was found is the so-called Seated Hermes by Lysippos, which had been stolen from the Archaeological Museum of Naples.

Between December 1943 and January 1944, the cases were returned to the Vatican in a simple but solemn ceremony. On January 4, 1944, 600 cases filled with books from the National Library of Naples were handed over to the Germans in Piazza Venezia. These precious volumes were then transported to Palazzo della Sapienza.

Today, these treasures are once again housed in the Monte Cassino Abbey.

To learn more about the rebuilding of the Abbey and its library, please read here.

Our tours of Monte Cassino abbey

All our tours include a visit to the Abbey, where we usually share rare photos and videos of the original Abbey, the devastating bombing, and the incredible rebuilding process. This experience will be truly unique and unforgettable for you.