The Nazis sucked for many reasons, but one that is easy to gain consensus on was their reckless destruction. But after the Allies landed on Sicily in 1943 and toppled Italian Fascism, the Nazi’s began to do an odd thing. During the Luftwaffe’s aerial bombing campaign, they sent historians to document some of Italy’s most beautiful buildings, before and after the destruction. What was being disguised as an effort to document cultural artifacts in agreement with the Hague Conventions, was actually a means for them to make the Allies look like cultural barbarians back home.
Spiegel Online has a great collection of some of the photographs from this campaign. They’re difficult to look at especially when paired with the history of some of the buildings. If you have some time, I recommend reading the story behind the imagery as well. It’s just another reason to add to the long list of why war is hell.
More before and after shots after the jump. Click on them to enlarge and see the names of the buildings.
