WW2 Memorials and Remembrance: German Military Cemetery in Cassino

Arturo Gallozzi; Michela Cigola; Marcello Zordan; Laura Lucarelli

doi:10.6092/issn.2611-0075/15295

Authors

Arturo Gallozzi UNICAS - University of Cassino and Southern Lazio https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9353-3778

Civil and Construction Engineer and PhD, associate professor ICAR/17, at the Department of Mechanics, Structures, Environment and Territory. His research activity is mainly aimed at the themes of building, urban planning and territorial planning; with particular attention to the historical development of the territory and the landscape and to the historical reconstruction of the pre-war and post-war urban fabric of the city of Cassino in Southern Lazio. He has participated and spoken in numerous congresses and study meetings, and has published numerous articles, essays and scientific publications.
Michela Cigola UNICAS - University of Cassino and Southern Lazio https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8309-8186

Michela Cigola is Full Professor ICAR/17 at University of Cassino. She was component of GEV ANVUR VQR 2011-2014 in 8a-Architecture group. Currently she is evaluator appointed by ANVUR for AVA “National Agency for Self-Assessment, Evaluation and Accreditation of Degree Courses”; component of Evaluation Committee of University of Calabria and component of ANVUR Team on Rating of Scientific Journals for Area 08 (Architecture). She authored more than 200 publications (including monographs, Edited Books, Journal's Article ISI/Scopus, WoS).
Marcello Zordan UNICAS - University of Cassino and Southern Lazio https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1050-5769

Is Associate Professor of Technical Architecture ICAR/10 at the University of Cassino. From 2021 he has been qualified as a Full Professor. Develops research activities in the field of the history of construction and the recovery and conservation of historical buildings. Takes part, as a speaker, in national and international conferences, and in various cultural initiatives both of a scientific and popular nature on the topics of the history of construction techniques and the Recovery and Conservation of the building heritage. Is the author of numerous publications on monographs, contributions to volumes and national and international journals.
Laura Lucarelli University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

Graduated in 2021 in Building Engineering and Architecture, at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome. Since 2022 she is a PhD student in Methods, Models and Technologies for Engineering, with a curriculum in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio. Her research activity takes place within the Laboratory of Documentation Analysis Survey and Technical Architecture (DART) and focuses on the Land of San Benedetto and the network of its historical centers for the analysis and the enhancement of the territory.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2611-0075/15295

Keywords:

VDK, Robert Tischler, Gerd Offenberg, Susie Müller-Diefenbach, German Soldiers' Cemetery

Abstract

"... May the teaching imparted by the fallen soldiers be a guide to life and peace for the present and future of humanity ...", Walter Trepte, president of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, in his speech at the memorial ceremony, for the '' inauguration of the Germanic Military Cemetery of Cassino-Caira, May 4, 1965.

The WW2 produced more than 250 thousand victims in central and southern Italy, and particuralry in Cassino territory, very close to the German defensive Gustav line. Aim of this article is the documentation and valorization of these special architectural heritage that are silent witnesses to what the war has destroyed but mostly what peace has been able to rebuild. Today in Cassino area there are five military cemeteries in which rest soldiers of thirteen different nationalities who participated in Montecassino battle: Polish cemetery; Commonwealth cemetery; German cemetery; French cemetery and Italian cemetery. All the memorials were designed by some of the best architects and sculptors of the time and have monumental characteristics. We focus on German military cemetery in Caira (Cassino) designed by German architects Robert Tischler and Gerd Offenberg, both chief architect of the German War Graves Commission “Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge” - VDK[1].

[1] All images marked with “VDK Archive” are freely available by the “Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge”, all other images and photographs are by authors.

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WW2 Memorials and Remembrance: German Military Cemetery in Cassino

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