COUNTER INTELLIGENCE CORPS
ROME DETACHMENT
ZONE FIVE
A.P.O. 512, U.S. ARMY
WEG:md
Case No. 4522
22 January 1947
SUBJECT: PAVELIC, Dr. Ante.
RE: Summary of Information.
1. Reports coming from many informants indicated that PAVELIC, Dr. Ante, the Croat USTASCIA Chief, has been in Rome at various times since the war ended and might be in Rome at the present time. Pursuant to instructions from the Supervising Agent of this detachment, an investigation was initiated.
2. Information having its source in reliable informants indicates that SUBJECT is at the present time in the extra-territorial walled-in compound on the left bank of the Tiber, at Lungo Tevere Aventino, Rome. This compound has within its walls five Catholic organizations, a public wine shop, a public garage, a shop of one of the organizations, but open to the public, and one private residence.
3. The five religious organizations are: 1) The Monastery of St. Sabina of the Dominican Order; 2) The St. Alessio School for Roman Studies; 3) The Cavaliers of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta; 4) The Benedictine Monastery of St. Anselmo; 5) A children's school run by Nuns. The compound itself is situated on top of the Aventine Hill which has been built on since Roman times. As a result a conglomeration of buildings old and new now stands. The Hill itself is reputedly honeycombed with subterranean tunnels which link the individual building.
4. The area of the compound has been as carefully checked by this Agent as legal methods permit. The informants of this office have been unable to enter the compound but add that once inside, finding PAVELIC would be a very difficult problem if he lives underground inside an old construction which has long since been built on top of St. Alessio was [page break: one or more lines appears by context to be missing, or the single sentence is a run-on which should be broken after "inside"] relatively easy to enter and one could move about rather freely. Due to the large number of Italian civilians who come and go and the easy entrance it seems somewhat doubtful that PAVELIC would use this spot as a hiding place. The Villa of the Knights of Malta was inspected too. Special permission is required from the Grand Master of the Order, Prince CHIGI himself who lives there 3 months of the year. Italian gardeners are at present the only inhabitants besides an Italian Monsignor who takes care of the Chapel, St. Maria delle Priorita. This too, would seem an unlikely location for the Subject's hiding place as would the convent. The relatively new (1900) Benedictine Monastery St. Anselmo is very hard to enter. True, one can look at the Chapel and the Chapel Crypt and even the library by special appointment, but beyond that one can see nothing. Monks in this monastery are of all nationalities, American included. For this reason and also for the reason that a clandestine entry and exit, the building and walls being new, would seem not to be present. If PAVELIC is really in the compound, it would seem more likely that he would be in St. Sabina. St. Sabina is right on the Tiber river from the Church and the Monastery to the street level is a drop of about 150 feet which is enclosed by a 7-8 ft. wall. While checking this wall, this Agent noted at one spot two holes had been knocked laterally into it and two stones had been placed below them to serve as a step. On the stones, in the holes, and on top of the walls were what appeared to be recent footprints. At another place about 75 yards away a similar arrangement was noted. While checking this wall, this Agent further noted a civilian in the ruins on top of which the monastery was built. Later, while this Agent was at several hundred yards distance said civilian descended from the Monastery, walked up and down twice along the wall as if finding the easiest place to jump from, and finally came down at the above-mentioned spot. This individual later walked down the road and passed this Agent; he was dressed very badly and seemed to be in search of rags and junk. However, his walking up and down the wall in apparent hesitation might indicate that he was not the regular frequenter. St. Sabina, it should be added, has the only Chapel open to the public.
5. The public wine shop was checked and found to be run by a modest Italian family. The garage set up in tunnels under the hill facing the Tiber was also checked; the tunnels are all apparently sealed off from any others leading deeper into the Aventine. The shop of the Order of Malta was also checked and found to be run by an Italian in the uniform of the Red Cross. Joined to the private residence is a garage which is apparently involved in a trucking building. Nothing suspicious was discovered in any of the above locations.
6. Other information from reliable informants tends to show that the tram line running beneath the Aventine Hill along the Tiber and thence to the Circus Maximus, the Colosseum and Via Cavour is the connecting link between PAVELIC and Via Cavour, 210 int. 3, which is an USTASCIA base well known in Rome. (See attached diagram).
7. Every Friday night sometime after 9 PM an USTASCIA meeting supposedly takes place at this Via Cavour dwelling. As a result this Agent checked the house on Friday, 10 January 1947 at about 9:30 PM. The train (tram) line had already been watched at a shop near the compound with no untoward activity noted. No suspicious activity was noted around the dwelling upon approach, however, a few moments later an individual made observations in the hall and immediately returned and bolted the main door of the residence. About five minutes later all the first floor shutters were closed by the same person.
AGENT'S REMARKS:
8. The informants in question cannot enter the extra-territorial compound and not being Croatians cannot enter the various known USTASCIA addresses in Rome. On the other hand it is virtually impossible to get Croats to work against PAVELIC since they are either scared or they think it unpatriotic. While the informants in this case are considered reliable it is difficult to evaluate their reliability in relation to PAVELIC who has been dodging around Europe as his own master for about 15 years. All the information seems plausible and paints a plausible picture when it is taken as a whole. However, it would seem that only direct action against the Via Cavour house, illegal entry into extra-territorial territory or action against such known PAVELIC contacts as DRAGANOVIC, Krunoslav can ultimately reveal the hiding place of PAVELIC and lead to his apprehension. Observation continues.
WILLIAM E.W. GOWEN, Special Agent, CIC