Frido von Senger und Etterlin (Waldshut, 4 September 1891 – Freiburg im Breisgau, 9 January 1963). German general, Catholic, detached from the regime and denazified after the war. He commanded troops in the Montecassino area between late 1943 and summer 1944. He is considered the true architect of the operation to rescue the treasures of Montecassino.
Gregorio Vito Diamare (Naples, 13 April 1865 – Sant’Elia Fiumerapido, 6 September 1945). Catholic bishop and abbot of Montecassino for thirty-six years, recipient of the Gold Medal for Civil Valour. During the war, remained in the monastery with a few monks. He was one of the leaders of the rescue operations. He obeyed the Germans, even though he was initially wary of the Göring Division.
Julius Schlegel (Vienna, 14 August 1895 – Vienna, 8 August 1958). Art historian and officer in the German armed forces ‘Wehrmacht’, he was considered for years to be the architect of the rescue of the archive and works of art preserved at Montecassino, together with Becker. He collaborated in the precautionary transfer of the historical archive and works to the Vatican to protect them from possible Allied bombing.
Eusebio Grossetti (1911 Vercelli – 13 February 1944, Cassino). A monk and refined artist, originally from Vercelli. He worked tirelessly to assist the displaced persons in the Abbey and to transfer the artistic heritage of Montecassino. He oversaw all the rescue operations, but died without seeing the end of the war and the rebirth of the Abbey.
Rodolfo Siviero (Guardistallo, 24 December 1911 – Florence, 26 October 1983). Italian art historian, intellectual and secret agent, known for his fundamental work in recovering works of art while working for the Italian Military Information Service. In 1937, under the pretext of a scholarship, he travelled to Berlin. He monitored the ‘Kunstschutz’: a military corps that stole works from Italy.
Pasquale Rotondi (Arpino, 12 May 1909 – Rome, 2 January 1991). Italian art historian, inspector of the Superintendency in Ancona and director of the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Rome. In 1939, he was responsible for identifying, transporting and storing numerous works of art in a safe place: he saved about ten thousand items.
Emilio Lavagnino (Rome, 22 August 1898 – Geneva, 12 April 1963). Italian art historian and critic. He defended the artistic heritage from Nazi theft. He was assistant inspector at the Superintendency of Palermo, Naples and Rome until the regime became suspicious of his political ideas and excluded him from the world of fine arts.
