865.413/22: Telegram

Mr. Harold H. Tittmann, Assistant to the Personal Representative of President Roosevelt to Pope Pius XII, to the Secretary of State

47. My 9, January 10th.8 Vatican asks me urgently telegraph following note dated February 15th.

[“] On February 14th German Ambassador8a gave to Abbot Primate of Benedictine Fathers following memorandum.

‘German military information states that announcements regarding German defense equipment in Convent of Monte Cassino are false. It is stated absolutely [Page 1277] incorrect that cannons, mortars or machine guns are there. No large size (grössere) troop concentrations are assembled there, that is in neighborhood of Convent. Moreover everything possible was done to prevent Monte Cassino from becoming transit center (Durchgangsplatz)’

Today Ambassador gave Abbot Primate and Vatican Under Secretary of State another memorandum as follows.

‘According to statement competent German quarters there are not Convent Monte Cassino and its immediate neighborhood either cannons, mortars or machine gun emplacements. Neither are there are [any] German troops there.’”

Tittmann
  1. See telegram 446, January 20, 9 p.m., from Bern, p. 1274.
  2. Baron Ernst von Weizsäcker, German Ambassador to the Holy See.