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This past Sunday, a Memorial Service commemorating the 67th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino was held at the small village of San Angelo in Theodice.
The small piazza was soon crowded with representatives of the many countries who lost brave men in what was not just one battle but months of protracted and bloody fighting, as well as veterans from various countries and even relatives of those who fought there. The facts of this terrible struggle are part of history now, but on Sunday we were there to remember the 55,000 lives lost in one small part of Europe during the winter and spring of 1943-44.
The unexpected change in the weather on Sunday evening meant that the usually very visible monastery was shrouded in mist and as the ceremony started the heavens opened. The service itself was moving and thought-provoking, with testimonies from the Americans, Germans and Italians. Onlookers and those who’d come to pay their respects crowded the bridge over the not very wide, but extremely fast-flowing Gari River (also known as the Rapido and infamously known as the “Bloody Rapids” by the Americans), and it was from this bridge that many cast wreaths into the river, as well as thousands of rose petals that tumbled and twirled in the swirling waters below.
When you visit the area today it seems so innocuous: a wide valley of rolling, verdant countryside dotted with nondescript Italian country towns and surrounded on all sides by steep mountains. In fact it is the grave of all those men, slaughtered in terrible battle.
Fittingly, the sunshine burst through the heavy clouds shortly after the ceremony, illuminating the poppies in the neighbouring field.
- Contributed by Lynda Higgs, global nomad, writer, and observer of this beautiful and bewildering, fascinating and frustrating place in which I currently live.
We live not that far away (outside Frosinone) and must visit Monte Cassino one day. Thank you for this informative post.
What a beautiful, atmospheric photo. Now a quiet place.
On my trip to Italy, on of the stops was Monte Cassino, we did not get to the Monastery, but stopped at the cemetery. Just walking among the graves was very emotional, most of the imtombed were just kids fighting for freedom for the rest of the world. I will never forget it.
Lucile
Such a tragic and senseless loss of life for both sides…
My birth came shortly after that battle. Mama would say, “happiness after sadness” “felicità dopo la tristezza” I agree John a senseless loss of life as is all war.
John wrote that the loss of life was senseless for both sides. The loss of life was anything but senseless; and why say for both sides. Why is it necessary to appear impartial about WW II, and why does the writer not realize that there was a purpose to it all; yes, both sides had a purpose, but very different ones.
Very beautiful and moving.
The number of soldiers’ lives lost in the struggle for Monte Cassino is staggering. To put it into perspective, we lost nearly that many in the entire Viet Nam conflict.
Yes, it is a very moving service. I was there last year and all the rose petals being thrown into the river was beautiful and memorable. Your name sounds familiar Lynda, do you come from NZ?
Not only was there great loss of precious life and loss of history when the Monte Cassino was destroyed, but all was compounded by the loss of ORIGINAL texts of Cicero (so I’ve read). The view of Monte Cassino from the valley is haunting, every time I’ve witnessed the building it has been a sobering pensive moment. Thank you Lynda for the article and heart rendering photos.
Very moving – touching photos, too
We had the pleasure of visiting Monte Casino in Sept. 1996.
It was a spiritual awakening to see all those crosses on the hillside.
It is my understanding that the monastery was rebuilt to the
same specs as were in place after the bombing.
my fathers family is from Pietramelara, and the Natalies always spoke of
that terrible time and family men lost…..the women and children hid
in the hills while the family home was bombed and overrun….I was born
after the war but we were all taught what happened….so sad. thank
you for highlighting this area.
yes, and we were amazed to see the Polish cemetery there, near the top of Monte Casino.
Visited in 1998. Overwhelmingly beautiful, sad, emotional… rebuilding was offered by American gov’t (they bombed what they thought was a German stronghold, but the Germans were no longer there) and was received with a thank you, but no, by the Italian gov’t – they did it themselves. View down onto the cemeteries from the monastery is powerful all by itself.
I’ve been to Monte Cassino a couple of times, with students and again with veterans. We were there with a group of other Canadians in May 2009 for the 65th anniversary of the smashing of the Hitler Line. It is good that we all do what we can to carry on the tradition of remembrance.
I recommend to anyone that they take a guided tour of the monastery if it can be arranged. We had an excellent guide and access to many places not normally available to the public/
I visited Monte Cassino in 2000. My brother who was 19y.o was an American Ranger and was wounded there! It was very emotionally moving for me and I was impressed with the beautiful restoration of it, especially the church’s interior! Looking down on the hillside Polish Cemetary was also very moving, bringing home for me the great battles that took place here!
My Mom, was a fourteen year old girl living not that far from the Abbey when Monte Cassino was bombarded. It was a life altering experience for her that was never forgotten. She had many sobering pensive moments in her life recalling this particular event.Please tell me the Cicero story is not true! Orders were the Abbey was off-limits, but later ignored and destroyed. Fortunally, many precious books from the immense library were saved by a German general.
On my last trip to Italy in April, Monte Casino was visable as we traveled south on the highway. I learned of the story then, but it seems much more real via your pictures. Thanks so much for sharing!
Wow – so much feedback, which really is nice to see. What really resonated with me was just how many lives were lost in one small place in a few months – the impact and reality of battles fought for all sorts of reasons. Something I didn’t note above was the words of the local Mayoress who said that the local people had lived a quiet and simple alive until all hell broke around them – this was as powerful an image as the death toll. As someone born more than 2 decades after the end of WWII, of parents of British and German heritage, the war was just history to me (and it’s a subject in which I am interested). Simply put, WWII stories were lots of facts, with some personal connection, but somehow unreal. Visiting a place like Monte Cassino – any battlefield of this import from more recent times – really does offer pause for thought, especially when you hear the stories of all involved.
Oh, and no I’m not from NZ.
I was born (May 1943)and raised in Italy, and I was in Tarcento (Provicia di Udine). My family and I were saved by the brave and courages men of United States of America, and other countries. My sisters and I had the pleasure to meet one of the U.S. Army Colonel, James Goldstone. He was one of the leading group that fought the battle of Montecassino. It was a very emotional meeting for me and my sisters.
Mr. James Goldstone passed away a year ago in Corpus Christi, TX.
I visited many times Monte Cassino, and it is a spectacular site to see.
Thanks again for bringing always a very well written story about my beloved country of birth.