RG 84: Italy
State Department and Foreign Affairs Records
Records of the Foreign Service Posts of the Department of State (RG 84)
Italy
Italy, under Benito Mussolini, declared war on Great Britain and France and June 10, 1940, and sent military forces into southern France. In September 1940, Italy joined with Germany and Japan in a three-power pact, and in October 1940, Italian forces attacked Greece. In June 1941, Italy joined with Germany in declaring war against Russia, and in December in declaring war against the United States. Italy during November 1942 Italy joined with Germany in occupying Vichy France.
Despite Italy enacting a law in October 1942 that prevented purchases by foreigners of large tracts of land and industrial plants, Germans penetrated the Italian commercial and financial systems. Besides outright penetration there were a number of cases of "collaboration" with German firms, but the Italians were usually not more than junior partners in such enterprises. The extensive German-Italian collaboration in the insurance business culminated in the establishment of a European insurance cartel called "Association for the Coverage of Large Risks." Practically the entire reinsurance business was handled on the German side by the Munich Reinsurance Company and on the Italian side by the Assicurazioni Generali and the Riunione Adriatica. In 1942, a German-Italian tobacco company was established in Trieste and Rome. Fifty-one percent of the capital was held by Italians and 49 percent by Germans, among them the prominent cigarette manufacturer and leading Nazi, Reemtsma. I.G. Farben became involved in the Italian sulphur industry.
These German encroachments on Italian business and Italian military setbacks, including the Allied invasion of Sicily on July 10, 1943, resulted two weeks later in the Fascist Grand Council and King Emmanuel forcing Mussolini to resignation. On July 25, 1943, a new government was established under the leadership of Marshal Pietro. Within days he dissolved the Fascist Party and placed Mussolini under arrest. Early in September 1943, the Italians signed an armistice with the Allies. The armistice provided for a Control Commission to regulate and execute the terms of the armistice under the direction of the Supreme Allied Commander. On November 10, 1943, General Eisenhower announced the establishment of the Allied Control Commission for Italy. (Note 79)
The Germans rescued Mussolini and established him in charge in northern Italy of a National Fascist Government (Italian Social Republic), though under the control of German military forces and a military governor and two plenipotentiaries, one of whom as SS General Karl Wolff.
In October 1943 the 40,000 Jews that remained after German occupation became subject to deportation and in November to the confiscation of their property. Some 8,000 Jews were sent to their deaths at Auschwitz and Birkenau and in Italian prisons. (Note 80)
In late April 1945, Mussolini was captured and executed and the German forces in Italy surrendered in early May.
In October 1944 the United States decided to renew diplomatic relations with Italy. (Note 81) Italy joined the war against Germany as a co-belligerent. A peace treaty was concluded on February 10, 1947, and it entered into force on September 15, 1947. (Note 82)
Records of the Political Advisor to the Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean
Classified General Records 1943-1947 (Entry 2789)
Boxes 1-127 location:350/62/8/01
1943
Box # File # File Title or Subject
2 800 Italy-Banks location:350/62/8/01
4 800 Italy-Pillaging
800 Italy-Foreign Relations location:350/62/8/02
5 800 Italy(Vatican)
800 Italy-Treasury
879.6 Italian Airways location:350/62/8/02
1944
Box # File # File Title or Subject
8 350 Claims
350 Property-General
350 Papal Property location:350/62/8/02
10-11 500 War
Refugee Board location:350/62/8/03
11 701 French Representation in Switzerland
701 Argentina
701 Portugal
701 Spain
701 Switzerland location:350/62/8/03
12 701 Neutral Pouch location:350/62/8/03
13 707 Swiss location:350/62/8/03
14 711.1 Neutrality
711.1 Spain
711.10 Jews location:350/62/8/03
15 711.2 Neutral Shipping
711.3 Enemy Property
711.3 Trading With Enemy location:350/62/8/03
18 711.6 War Crimes location:350/62/8/04
19 711.9 Displaced Persons
location:350/62/8/04
20 711.9 Restitution, Reparations,
Property Rights
711.9 Restitution
720.01 Black List location:350/62/8/04
24 800 Germany location:350/62/8/04
27 800 Portugal
800 Spain location:350/62/8/05
28 800 Turkey location:350/62/8/05
34 801.2 Spain and Portugal
location:350/62/8/06
35 814.2 International Red Cross
location:350/62/8/06
36 820.02 Axis location:350/62/8/06
37-38 820.02 French Intelligence
location:350/62/8/06
40 820.1 OSS (2 folders covering Sept.
1943-Sept.1944)
820.1 OSS-Economic and Political Reports location:350/62/8/07
46 840.1 Jews
840.3 Fine Arts (Note 83) location:350/62/8/07
47 840.4 Vatican Communications
840.4 Vatican Shipping
840.4 Vatican location:350/62/9/01
47-49 848 Relief,
UNRRA location:350/62/9/01
50 850.6 Insurance location:350/62/9/01
52 851 Assets
851 Assets-Argentina
851.51 Exchange
851.6 Banks and Banking
851.7 Transfer of Funds location:350/62/9/01
53 863.4 Gold
871 Censorship location:350/62/9/01
54 871 Swiss Mail location:350/62/9/02
879.6 German Airlines-Lufthansa
879.6 Iberian Airlines location:350/62/9/02
1945
Box # File # File Title or Subject
61 350 Property Rights location:350/62/9/03
66 711.2 War Booty
711.2 Neutral Traffic and Shipping
711.3 [unlabeled folder-Trading With Enemy]
711.3 Enemy Documents
711.3 Trading With Enemy
711.3 Enemy Property
711.1 Neutrality location:350/62/9/03
72 711.6 War Criminals
location:350/62/9/04
79 710.10 General and Refugee Camps
711.101 Displaced Persons location:350/62/9/05
83 800 Portugal
800 Spain
800 Turkey
89 814.2 International Red Cross
90 820.1 OSS location:
350/62/9/07
91 820.02 Axis
96 840.1 Jews
97 840.4 Vatican
844 Public Men [includes Hitler and Mussolini] loc: 350/62/10/01
98-99 848 UNRRA
99 850.6 Insurance location:
350/62/10/01
100 851 Germany
851.51 Exchange
851.6 Banking
101 851.7 Transfer of Funds
871 Censorship
1946
Box # File # File Title or Subject
105 350 Property Rights (4 folders)
350 Missing Tapestry
350 Removal of Italian Property from Pola loc: 350/62/10/02
106 710.10 Displaced Persons
710.10 Austrians
710.10 Czechs
710.10 Evacuees
710.10 Italians
710.10 Jews
710.10 Poles
710.10 Refugee Camps, General
710.10 Russians
710.10 Yugoslavians
107 710.101 Displaced Persons-General
711.2 War Booty
711.3 Enemy Documents
711.3 R.U.K. Files
109 711.6 War Criminals
711.6 War Crimes (3 folders)
711.6 War Criminals Lists
711.5 War Criminals-Yugoslavia (2 folders) loc: 350/62/10/03
122 840.04 Vatican
840.3 Monuments
848 UNRRA (2 folders)
850.6 Insurance
851.6 Banking
1947
Box # File # File Title or Subject
127 841.4 Italian State Archives
Top Secret File 1944-1947 (Entry 2790)
Boxes 1-6
Box# File # File Title or Subject
1 711.2 War Booty
711.3 Documents
711.3 Enemy Property
711.5 War Criminals
711.6 War Crimes
711.101 Displaced Persons
2 711.10 Jews
5 840.4 Vatican
Records of the U.S. Embassy, Rome, Italy
General Records 1936-1942, 1943-1955
(Entry 2779)
Boxes 1-254
1940
Box # File # File Title or Subject
74 840.1 Jewish Refugees
840.4 Vatican
1941
Box # File # File Title or Subject
88 840.1 Treatment of Jews in Rumania
848 Jewish Refugees
1944
Box # File # File Title or Subject
104 711 War Crimes
711.3 General
711.3 Banca di Roma
711.3 Italy
711.3 UN Property
711.5 German Concentration Camps
711.5 Hungarian Jews
711.6 Atrocities
113 840.1 Jewish Committee
840.3 AC Fine Arts Subcommittee
840.3 Goering
840.3 Italy
840.4 Vatican
116 850.6 Fascist Insurance
850.6 Neo-Fascist Insurance
851.51 Exchange-Vatican
851.51 Exchange-Switzerland
851.51 Exchange-Italy
1945
Box # File # File Title or Subject
125 350 Property Rights-Jews
126 400 Reparations
400 Italian Property in Germany
135 711 War Booty Committee
711 War Crimes
136 711.1 Neutrals-Spain
711.1 Neutrals-Switzerland
711.3 Austrian Property in Italy
711.3 Banks
711.3 German Property in Italy
711.3 German-Japanese Property in Italy
711.3 Italy-Proclaimed List
711.3 Japanese Property and Archives in Italy
711.3 Proclaimed List
711.3 Switzerland
137 711.3 Industial Firms
711.3 Archives (German-Japanese)
711.5 Yugoslavia-Concentration Camps location:
350/62/2/05
154 840.1 Jewish Committee
840.1 Jews in Hungary
840.3 General-Works of Art
840.3 Axis-Owned and Looted Art
840.3 di Sermometa
840.3 Frampton
840.3 Italy
840.3 Rolfo
840.4 Jews in Italy
840.4 Vatican
841.4 Italy-Fascist Archives
155-158 848 Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees; Stateless Persons;
Swiss Relief; UNRRA; War Refugee Board; Jewish Refugees
161 850.6 Insurance Companies
850.6 Assicuerazione General Reunionne Adriatica
850.6 Fascist Insurance
163 851 Safehaven Reports
164 851.5 Exchange-Swiss Francs
851.6 American Assets in Italy
851.6 Bank of Italy
1946
Box # File # File Title or Subject
175 400 Italian Claims Against Germany
400 Italian Claims Against Germany-Bank Accounts
400 Italian Claims Against Germany-Works of Art
400 Albanian Claims Against Germany-Gold
176 400 Reparations
180 711.3 General
711.3 I. G. Farben Industries
711.3 German Property in Italy
711.3 German Property in Italy-Villa Lolkonsky
711.3 German Ruestung und Kriegsproduktion Files
711.3 German Ruestung und Kriegsprouktion
Archives
711.3 German Property in Italy-Archives
711.3 Proclaimed List
711.3 Pirelli
711.3 Hans Wendland
711.3 Zapp Company
181 711.6 Czechoslovakia-War Criminals
711.6 Italy-War Criminals
711.6 Germany-War Criminals
711.6 Yugoslavia-War Criminals location:
350/62/3/04
187 840.1 Jews
840.1 Italian Jews
840.3 General-Works of Art
840.3 Frampton
840.3 Italy-Works of Art in Albania
840.4 Vatican
841.4 Italian Fascist Archives location:
350/62/3/05
188 848 General
848 Displaced Persons
848 Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees
848 Jewish Refugees
189 848 UNRRA
190 850.6 Fascist Insurance
850.6 Assicurazione Generale
850.6 Assicurazione Generale-Bank Accounts
850.6 Italy-Insurance Companies
850.6 Italian Insurance Companies in Hungary
191 851.51 Exchange-Switzerland
851.6 Banks and Banking
1947
Box # File # File Title or Subject
198 400 Reparations
400 Italian Claims Against Germany-Bank Accounts
400 Italian Claims Against Germany-Works of Art loc: 350/62/3/06
201 711.3 Austrian Paintings in Italy
711.3 German Ruestung und Kriegsprouktion
Files
711.3 Proclaimed List
711.3 Italiana Prodotti, Schering
711.3 German Property in Italy
711.3 German Property in Italy-Villa Volkonsy
711.6 War Criminals
207 840.1 Jews-Hungary
840.1 Jews-Italy
840.3 Italy-Caserta Palace
840.3 Works of Art-Looted location:
350/62/4/01
212 850.6 Insurance Companies
1948
Box # File # File Title or Subject
221 400 Reparations
400 Israel-Claims Against Italy
400 Italian Claims Against Germany-Works of Art
Classified General Records 1946-1952 (Entry 2780)
Boxes 1-88
1946
Box # File # File Title or Subject
1 400 Property Claims
400 Reparations
4 711.3 German Ruestung
und Kriegsprouktion Files
711.3 German Property in Italy
711.3 German Property in Italy-Villa Volkonsky
5 711.3 Hans Wendland
711.5 Italy-Concentration Camps
711.6 Czechoslovakia-War Criminals
711.6 Germany-War Criminals
711.6 Italy-War Criminals
711.6 Yugoslavia-War Criminals location:
350/62/5/03
10 840.1 Jews
840.3 Art Looting
848 Displaced Persons
848 UNRRA
11 850.6 Assicurazione Generale and
Riunione Adriatica
850.6 Assicurazione Generale
850.6 Italy-Fascist Insurance
850.6 Italy-Insurance Companies
850.6 Italy-Insurance Companies in Greece
850.6 Italy-Insurance Companies in Hungary
850.6 Riunione Adriatica
851 Italy-Foreign Assets
851 Italy-Gold
851 Italy-Gold Stocks
851 Italy-Swiss Loan
851 Italy-Switzerland
851 Safehaven Reports
1947
Box # File # File Title or Subject
14 400 Property Claims
400 Reparations
400 Italy-Claims Against Germany-Gold
400 Italy-Claims Against Germany-Works of Art
16 711.3 German Property in Italy
711.3 German Ruestung und Kriegsprouktion
Files
711.6 Italy-War Criminals
711.6 Albania-War Criminals
711.6 Czechoslovakia-War Criminals
711.6 Germany-War Criminals
711.6 Hungary-War Criminals location:
350/62/5/05
20 840.3 Restitution of Italian Works
of Art Now in Germany
848 Displaced Persons
848 UNRRA
848 Jewish Refugees
848 Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees
21 848 Displaced Persons
850.6 Italy-Insurance Companies in Austria
851 Safehaven
851 Safehaven-Mussolini File
851 Italy-Gold
851 Germany-Gold
22 851 German Assets in Italy location:
350/62/5/06
1948
Box # File # File Title or Subject
25 400 Property Claims
400 Reparations
400 Italy-Claims Against Germany-Gold
400 Italy-Claims Against Germany-Works of Art
28 711.3 German Ruestung und
Kriegsprouktion Files
711.6 Germany-War Criminals
711.6 Italy-War Criminals
711.6 Yugoslavia-War Criminas
29 840.3 United States-National Gallery
of Art
840.3 Works of Art location:
350/62/5/07
36 851 German Assets in Italy (3 files) location:
350/62/6/01
37 851.6 Bank for International Settlements
1949
Box # File # File Title or Subject
43-44 321.3 German Assets
in Italy
44 321.3 German Assets in Italy-Libraries
321.6 War Criminals (2 files) location:
350/62/6/02
Records Pertaining to German
Assets in Italy 1945-1957 (Entry 2784)
Boxes 1-19
Box # File Title or Subject
1 German Assets in Italy 1950-1952 (3 files)
German Assets in Italy-Individuals 1950-1952 (2 files)
German Assets in Italy-Miscellaneous
2 Folders A-B (includes Bemberg)
3 Folders B-C
4 Folders C-D
5 Folders D-F
6 Folders F (includes foreign currencies) location:
350/62/7/05
7 Folders G (includes German insurance companies; German
libraries)
8 Folders G-H (includes German libraries; German-owned
securities)
9 Folders H-I
10 Folders I-K (includes Institute of the History of Art, Florence)
11 Folders K-M
12 Folders M-N (includes Non-Enemy Nationals) location:
350/62/7/06
13 Folders O-P (includes Osram Company)
14 Folders P-R
15 Folders S
16 Folders S (includes Italiana Prodotti Schering S.A.; Siemens
S.A.; and
Siemens and Halske S.A.)
17 Folders S-V (includes Telefunken Italiana; Union of International
Institute
of Archaeology, Art and History of Art in Rome) loc: 350/62/7/07
18 Folders V
19 Folders W-Z
Records Pertaining to German Assets in Italy 1947-1957 (Entry 2784A)
Boxes 1-3
Classified Records Pertaining to German Assets in Italy 1947-1957 (Entry 2785)
Boxes 1-2
Box # File Title or Subject
1 Folders A-C (includes "Art Objects")
2 Folders D-P