Evening star., 1946-11-17

&16 NoluC VI IitC AulcU pro-
gram for the protection of
artistic and historic treas
ures in Europe has not been
fully recognized. despite the fact
that the precious little" remaining
In Europe today of these symbols OF
mans creative past was salvaged by
this program.
As early as the projected invasion
OF North Africa. the Allies made
such plans. When the Allies were
Ia Tripolitania, mapping the in
vasion Of Europe via Sicily and
Southern italy, art experts were as
signed to the general stan head
quarters and combat outfits. Maps
and lists Of historic, and artistic
monuments were compiled by ref
ugee historians and librarians and
Intelligence data was obtained on
properties appropriated by Axis in
vasion forces, representatives and
private citizens. Tentative plans
were drawn up for the Monuments,
Fine Arts and Archives officers and
staff to begin work with immediate
repair of the Sicilian buildings and
contents.
The conquest of Sicily began on
July 10, 1943, and ended 80 days
later. The pattern Of damage re-
flected careful preinvasion planning.
Air bombardments that preceded
the invasion by some weeks wrought
havoc upon the larger cities; and
the artillery laid waste cultural
shrines wherever the enemy was
firmly intrenched in the provinces.
Sixty churches in Palermo, includ-
ing some Of the finest examples OF
Barocque. Gothic, and Siculo-Nor-
man architecture in Europe, were
heavily damaged or destroyed.
Some Shrines Did Escape
Bombs and Artillery -
The famous city of Syracuse was
constantly bombed, but Greek and
Roman antiquities on the hill over
looking the city were unharmed.
The Temple of Apollo, right in the
center of the city. was unscathed.
The cathedral and Museo Archeolog-
leo suffered only slight damage,
whereas the beautiful Cathedral Of
st. Maria del Miracoli was entirely
demolished.
The sole survivors of the once
magnificent 18th-century City of
Catania, in Eastern Sicily, were
the cathedral and Frederick IFS
Castillo Ursino. Catania was taken
from the Germans only after every
gun and plane the Allies could mus
ter had leveled fire on the city and
destroyed it.
AS soon as combat conditions
would allow, the Allies started q
program for the protection and SAL
wage of cultural treasures in Sicily.
After inspection tours, Allied officers
and men gathered Sicilian officials
together to help supervise the dam
age assessments and first-aid repairs.
They Immediately undertook the,
work of removing art treasures from
exposed museums. churches and pub
lie libraries and started laborers re-
moving rubble, sitting debris. and
sorting scattered manuscripts.
Nine months after the invasion, 40
damaged churches in Palermo were
partially repaired; the Museo Ma
zionale was rebuilt and all Of the
rubble was removed. The Palazzo
Mazzarini temporarily housed the
most frequently used manuscripts
from the National Library, the State
Archives, and the National Museum.
In Syracuse. the damaged walls of
the Chiesa del Miracoh had been
removed with care and safely stored
for the day when the church would
be rebuilt. The Archaeological Mu-
scum was repaired and large sum
Of lire was contributed by the Allies
to defray the costs of maintenance,
restore valuable archaeological speci-
mems, rearrange the library, revise
the catalogues, and underwrite the
costs of reclassifying the photo
graphic archives. Even a barbed-
wire fence was built around the
Temple of Apollo to protect it from
the enthusiastic souvenir hunters.
Examples Merely Suggest
Magnitude of Operation
These examples of destruction, and
OF the subsequent repair work done
by the Allies, only serve to spell out
the fundamental aspects of the AL
lied program in Sicily. They merely
hint at the magnitude Of the opera
tions that went into effect on the
continent of Europe, after the in
Vasion Of Southern Italy.
Naples was the first European city
Of international cultural Importance
captured by the Allies. Here, was
ample proof of the blatant German
looting; the city's museums, palaces,
galleries, libraries and archives were
completely stripped of their more
valuable possessions Almost nine
months after the capture Of Naples
the Allied troops stirred the rubble
heap of the once proud l7th century
citadel Of religion and education, the
abbey Of Montecassino. The artistic
destruction of Montecassino was not
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