Evening star., 1943-10-06
Most Of Art Works
In Naples Safe After
Battle, Maiuri Says
BY RELMAN NORM,

NAPLES, Oct. 2 Delayed -
World-famous art treasures in Ma
pies, with few exceptions, have
safely survived the bombing and
fighting around the city, the cele-
brated scholar, Prof. Amedeo Maiuri,
said today.
The National Museum is un-
scathed except for broken windows
and shrapnel hits, and priceless VOL
umes which were packed and hidden
are believed to be intact.
The worst destruction occurred in
the ruins of Pompeii, the professor
said.
The newest excavations are irrep-
arably injured" he said. The
Strada DELI Abbondanza is ruined
beyond restoration and the famous
house of Marcus Loreius Tibortinus
is completely smashed"
Herculaneum Undamaged.
The professor said Herculaneum
was untouched by bombs, however.
He added that the tragic irony of
the bombing of Pompeii was that
the Germans had never actually
encamped inside the famous eX-
cavated city. He said they were
only in the vicinity.
What appeared to be unmiStakable
evidences of German military vehi-
Giles and tanks were visible inside
the ruins last Wednesday when this
correspondent was there. However,
they may have been made since
Malruis last visit.
He almost paid with his life in an
attempt to devise means of protect
ing the Pompeii excavations. He
went there after the first Allied
bombs were dropped on German mil
ltary installations nearby hoping to
be able to signal the planes away
from the actual excavations. While
returning to Naples a bomb frag-
ment broke his leg and the famous
classicist As still unable to leave his
bed.
We found him lying on a cot in a
damp, unheated, unlighted corner
OF the National Museum, where he
insisted on coming during the last
three days before the Allied entry
into Naples, when severe street fight
ing developed between Italians and
Germans. He said he feared that
the Germans might attempt to pill
lage the museum before they aban-
doned the city.
San MARITIME Museum Safe.
Although in great pain and un-
able to leave his bed, he forced the
doctors to discharge him from the
hospital and had himself carried
into his beloved museum. His wife
was trying to heat little food on
kerosene stove in the corner.
Only few of the heaviest Greek
statues and works of art are actually
left in the museum. They are sur
rounded by sandbags bolstered by
wooden scaffolds. The more perish
able works were long ago removed to
a secret and sacred" place. the pro-
feSsor declared. He said he did not
believe the Germans had found
them.
He denied that the famous San
Martino Museum had been de-
stroyed. He said that the rumor
started when the Germans blew up
Castel SAINT Elmo, the Carthusian
Monastery adjacent to the museum
Within Naples itself there was
some destruction of priceless his
torlcal structures. he said The l7th
century Church of San Filippo Neri
was hit by bomb. The even more
important Church of Santa Chiara
was totally destroyed. 1t dated back
to the 14th century and was the
chief Gothic work of it's kind in
Italy
Maiuri's eyes filled with tears
when he spoke of this.
Proud Of Naples Fight.
Despite the damage to important
antiquities, however, he said he
took the greatest pride in the fight
that the Neapolitans put up against
the Germans.
Remember, this is the first Ital-
ian city TO give them a real battle.
I myself from these windows saw
boys not vet of teen age throwing
hand grenades and helping to ex-
cavate German mines. They fought
in the streets right beside men,"
he said.
He said that the Germans had
posted notice calling all Italian
men born in certain year to re-
port for labor service The Ger
man commander asked for 10000,
but only 130 obeyed Maiuri said.
Tell my colleagues and all art
lovers in America that most of our
treasures are safe" he said, "and
bep them tn do sorn etbipo opv