740.0011 European War 1939/6–144
Mr. Harold H. Tittmann, Assistant to the Personal Representative of President Roosevelt to Pope Pius XII, to the Cardinal Secretary of State (Maglione)
Memorandum
The Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America to the Holy See46 refers to the Memorandum of the Secretariat of State of His Holiness dated April 12, 1944 on the subject of the bombing of the Abbey of Monte Cassino.46a It is stated in the Memorandum that up to the last moment some monks and the venerable Abbot remained in the Abbey in order to see that nothing should compromise the safety of the monastery and that all of these have without hesitation, both orally and in writing, formally assured the Holy See that no German soldier, combattant, or observer was inside the precincts of the Abbey and that no military installations were there.
[Page 1308]In acknowledging receipt of the above-mentioned Memorandum the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America, under instructions from his Government has the honor to repeat that there is unquestionable evidence in the possession of the Allied Commanders in the field that the Abbey of Monte Cassino formed part of the German defensive system.
- In the absence of Myron C. Taylor, the Personal Representative of President Roosevelt to Pope Pius XII, Mr. Tittmann, Counselor of Embassy at Rome and Mr. Taylor’s Assistant, took up residence within Vatican City on December 16, 1941, where he continued his special function in view of Mr. Taylor’s absence. On December 24, 1941, Mr. Tittmann was authorized by President Roosevelt to use the rank of “Chargé d’Affaires” and he was thereafter received by Vatican authorities as a member of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See.↩
- See telegram 2580, April 22, 5 p.m., from Bern, p. 1297.↩