Original scientific paper
Circumstances of Finding the Lost Treasure of Zagreb Cathedral Treasury and the Gold of Jewish Family Berman in 1968
Anto Mikić
orcid.org/0000-0002-2143-8728
; Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
On the basis of the literature and the extant archival sources, the author reconstructs a rather unknown episode in the recent history of the Zagreb Cathedral Treasury, which has broader historiographical implications. Namely, during World War II some of the most precious treasures from the Treasury were hidden in the walls of one of the towers of the Archbishop’s palace in Zagreb. This hidden treasure included also the gold of the Jewish family Berman. But because of the sudden and unpredicted deaths of some persons from the Palace, who knew where the treasure was hidden, these valuables were lost for more than 25 years; namely, until 1968 when the treasure was found again. The clue for the finding was information hidden within a letter of Emanuel Mank Berman to cardinal Franjo Šeper. This story has already been described within the biography of Stjepan Kranjčec, who was the driver of (arch)bishops of Zagreb, and a historian who has described it, in the 90s of the twentieth century, was Stjepan Kožul. However, the author of this article complements this story with additional information gathered from the archival sources (correspondence and transcripts of the official conversations between ecclesiastical and state authorities).In one of these official conversations, there is a note that during the war the attic of the Archbishop’s palace was a hiding place not only for the valuables from the Treasury but there was hidden Melania Berman, too, whose husband Bernard Rechnitzer was imprisoned and murdered in Jasenovac concentration camp. Moreover, these documents witness attempts of (arch)bishops Franjo Šeper and Franjo Kuharić to return this gold to its rightful owners. Besides this, the author delivers a complete list of all the valuables from the Treasury that were considered lost until they were found in 1968.
Keywords
World war II; Church and Jews; Zagreb Cathedral Treasury; gold of Berman family; Antun Ivandija; Franjo Šeper; Franjo Kuharić.
Hrčak ID:
225265
URI
Publication date:
27.6.2019.
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