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About us
A.N.E.I. MUSEO dell’INTERNAMENTO
Viale dell’Internato Ignoto, 24 - 35128 Padova
Telefono: 049 8033041 - 049 688337
Fax: 049 8033041 - Cell.
info@museodellinternamento.it
direzione@museodellinternamento.it
ufficiostampa@museodellinternamento.it
ricerche@museodellinternamento.it
The Italian Military Internees in the Camps of the Nazis
Military internees were called the Italian soldiers,who were arrested in September 1943 in the home or on the war fronts abroad, after the proclamation of the armistice.
The Nazis didn't want them call "prisoners of war" in order to withdraw them the control and support of the international institutions, under the Geneva Conventions of 1929.
The victims of Hitler was promised "exemplary punishment" because they were guilty of the failed coalition. This was indeed a relation of submission.
That was the most serious political and military defeat, which suffered our country in modern times.
Six hundred thousand men and perhaps even more: officers, sergeants, soldiers, doctors, pastors, trapped in train cars and transported in the camps in Poland and Germany to suffer in hunger or work as a slave in mines or war factories.
More than fourty thousand died to hunger or tuberculosis or by torture and executions or during the bombings. After the war fell to the terrible tragedy an unexplained silence.
It seemed as if a kind of repression in the national awareness of what happened, even though there were other different political and social motivations, what they determined.
Only the National Association of ex internees took the systematic work of investigation and collection the documents which are now in a large volume objectify, scientific available.
The obvious fact, which characterized the history of the Italian military internees in the camps was their massive refusal to the Nazis or fascists to fight or cooperate. The NO, which she held in Germany and which many paid with their lives, was a voluntary and conscious decision.
The internment of Italian military
►created from a legal situation and the unusual fact, which deprived military the help and the protection of the International Red Cross and made them to the cue ball of the violence and abuse of the Nazis;
► reported a high number of victims (over 60,000) for several reasons:Murder, exhaustion, lack of support, execution and disease; underlined the unique dignity of predominant majority of the military, who said brave NO, in a situation of constant danger;
► This demonstrates the validity of certain universal values, such as the allegiance, patriotism, the sense of the flag and human solidarity;
► rational decisions resulted to the manifestation the importance of cultural maturation;
► gave the feeling of resistance, meant as an opposition to the repressive, authoritarian and undemocratic systems
► it was an indisputable test, not programmed by the true, authentic soul of the Italians
¤§¤
There were about 650 000 Italians who died in the national territory, in Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Corsica, Provence and the Ionian and Aegean islands.The large majority declined to join the Republic of Salò, they not bend or not flattery to threats. More than 60,000 have not returned to Italy: violence, criminal and absurd executions, disease, malnutrition, health, hygienic conditions and air strikes were the main causes. Also 7 generals were killed during a transfermarch from the camp Schokkcn. The officers were separated from the non-commissioned officers and troops in various camps.
The camps were surrounded by a ditch with barbed wire, an iron fence, controlled by armed men in towers and continuous patrols on the roads. The daily meals were: in the morning a bowl of hot water and a lime leaf, 20g sugar 20g margarine and syrup; at twelve clock the main meal, another bowl of hot water with potatoes and fodder beet and 200g brown bread: on Sundays there was porridge with potatoes and some meat. The potato peel and dried lime leaves formed the basis for hand-rolled cigarettes. In many camps was created a creative and cultural activity (theater performances, small concerts, seminars on the university level, setting up a newspaper).
The Italian soldiers were robbed by the naming of 'military internees "instead the correct" prisoners of war" the support and assistance of the International Red Cross.
From the 20th of July 1944 they were considered "civilian workers" but the conditions were almost unchanged. A large number of officers lay against the work, to show their dignity and honor.
Their various regimental and Seaunitedflags they hid in the camps to keep them: some of these flags are now in the Vittoriano.
The unknown internee was awarded the gold medal of the military.
Soldiers from every rank, every branch of service and class, were arrested in different territories and under different circumstances, locked in various camps, without any connection to each other, rich and poor citizens, laborers, farmers, workers, professionals, intellectuals, illiterate, people from the north, south, center and the islands of the country, has been spoken the NO. This seems the most important aspect of the little-known side to be.
The Italian soldiers were captured in the first moment as "prisoners of war but already known on September 20, after personal instruction from Hitler, they were as considered" Italian military internees ". Hitler issued this command with a purely formal and hypocritical consideration to the in the meantime created Fascist Republic of Salò (actually a Versallenstaat the Third Reich), which should be connected with Germany. The Fascist Republic of Salò was seen as a continuation of the Italian state and therefore it was unacceptable to the Nazi regime, the military of an allied state to be called prisoners of war. In reality, Hitler wanted to escape with the aid its main objective, entitle the Italian military from the assistance of the International Red Cross, which was confirmed by the Geneva Convention in July 1929 from Germany.
In this way, the Nazis took the liberty of the IMI to "use" them like they want and so they carried them into the forced labor of the industry, especially those for arms production, in which the demand for labor was particularly high. The predominant majority of the internees were violently forced to work with exhausting work hours of 10-12 hours per day. They were used mainly in industrial facilities, which were the main target of the Allied air attacks. The sanitary conditions and the food was just enough to survive.
Most of the officers (including 135 generals and admirals), which are not addressed to the Republic of Salò stayed the entire 20 months in prison in camps with psychologically catastrophic living conditions. Continuous appeals, surprising and of long duration, in all weather conditions, day and night and under high pressure, should persuade the officers to the accession of the Republic of Salò or connection to the military formation of the SS. The same pressure and the same threats.
What is the ANEI and what it has set itself
It is a moral authority of the survivors from the concentration camps of National Socialism.
Founded with the D.P.R. n.403 del 12-4-1948
The central office is in Rome, Via S. Francesco di Sales, 5 and divides itself in the home country to national association and the local department.
The goal is the moral and material support to ex internees in Germany or elsewhere, after the 8 September 1943.
They take care of the memory of the soldiers, who were killed in the camps by memorial events throughout the country.
Encourage the research and the study of knowledge about the concentration camps, labor camps and the personalities in everyday life in the camp.
They take part in seminars and meetings and visit schools to illustrate the theme of the internment.
Follows the events of the Ex internees at the national and international level and to support them with media, consulting and support for initiatives to respect human rights.
The A.N.E.I. edits publications to the internment and deportation, as well a quarterly newsletter for regular updates on research, study, life and activities of the association.
We have the good fortune to hear their voice and to know how all these things happened
Ferrarese Antonio
Born in 1917, President of the Association A.N.E.I. in Padova, president of the Museum of International, consultant to the national A.N.E.I. and president of the national Administration for soldiers and veterans.
Paccagnella Eugenio
Paduan, born in 1918 said, "No " and knows the horror of the camp.
Ronchitelli Evole
Paduan, born in 1917, financial manager in Brixen, interned in Stablak and then in Deblin Irena (Warsaw), he shared a prison with a brother and two sisters.
Luigi Bertoletti
a good friend of the community Terranegra, a witness and a tireless apostle of the reminder, accompanied us for a school year and welcome 200 students from Concesio and Lumezzane.
Lunardon Santo
Born in 1919,was on September 8 1943 in Trento with 11 Regiment of the Alps, Bolzano battalion. The first prison, which he has seen was in Fustenberg, Germany, and then the Fostansitz, on the border with Poland, there he met during the march of the Russians Francesco Baldassari from Ancona and tried a abscondence to Salzburg, where the Americans have released them March 4, 1945th
Large and tireless witness in the School of Marchesana di Bassano, a great friend of the Temple of unknown Internees and the Museum of Internment.
Santin Sisto
Born in 1924, the end point in Cadore, internet in Fustenberg Oder, in East Prussia and then in Dora Nordhausen, he was forced labor in the tunnel, where they expanded V1 and V2. Released in April 1945.
Bonadinam Giuseppe
Page in work
Cacco Aldo Valerio
Page in work
Lisi Lodovico
Born in 1922, arrested on 9 September 1943, deported to Austria and returned on April 8, 1945th.
Bozzato Luigi
Born in Piove di Sacco (Pd), year 1923, twice wounded in Yugoslavia and returned home, went to the partisans and was captured and get to know the tragedy of the camps in Dachau and Mauthausen, was in the databases cnfirmed as Dead, a tireless apostle of memory.
On September 5, 2008, Luigi finished his tour and his suffering on earth, he was one of the last of his friends who have experienced the memory and was able to give.
We obtain one of our witnesses, because we commit ourselves to pass all to following generations.
Thanks Luigi!
Baldan Luigi
Lived in Mirano (VE), born in Dolo (VE) in 1917. Military Navy sailor, was captured on 8 September 1943 in Yugoslavia and deported, forced into hard labor in a German factory VDM. He sabotaged the war production, helped the interned Jews Sackisch-Kudowa in Poland and fled out the camp in March 1945.
Everyone is a bit valuable for the entire functionality of the museum.
There is place for you, too.
You are always welcome.
We look forward. Come!
Instrument, through the museum works.
The internal rules of procedure The organization & the work system
Directors 2007 - 2010 formation of theBoard of Directors
The work of the Board The administration 2007 - 2010
Supply of the Dokumentation Supply of the Dokumentation
Page in work