It Happened in Italy: Untold Stories of How the People of Italy Defied the Horrors of the Holocaust

by Elizabeth Bettina

Overview

IMAGINE ELIZABETH BETTINA’S SURPRISE when she discovered that her grandmother’s village had a secret: over a half century ago, many of Campagna’s residents defied the Nazis and risked their lives to shelter and save hundreds of Jews during the Holocaust. What followed her discovery became an adventure as she uncovered fascinating untold stories of Jews in Italy during World War II and the many Italians who risked everything to save them.

“Finally, somebody made known the courage and the empathy of the majority of the Italian people toward us Jews at a time of great danger.” —Nino Asocoli

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781595553218
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	01/03/2011
Pages:	392
Sales rank:	307,594
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Elizabeth Bettina is a native New Yorkerwholived in Italy.Elizabeth graduated from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. At present, she works in marketing in New York.

Table of Contents

Preface: The Dachau Liberator-Early Fall 2008 xvii

Introduction xxi

1 A Tale of Two Camps 1

2 The Photo-the Rabbi! 6

3 The Italian Schindler 16

4 Blessings from a Childhood Friend 20

5 An Unexpected Connection 23

6 The First Survivor 25

7 Unexpected Journey 28

8 Planning the Return 41

9 Vince Marmorale: 1+1=3 43

10 How to Get to the Vatican: Call Amy 46

11 Finding Out About Cardinal Ruini 54

12 Arriving in Italy 58

13 Exploring Rome 60

14 Walter Wolff Returns a Free Man 64

15 Vatican Visits 72

16 An Invitation from a Cardinal 81

17 Museum of Memory and Peace 86

18 The Documentary 89

19 I am Eighty-Six Years Old Thanks to Italy 92

20 Walter Wolff's Funeral 101

21 Ursula, the Priest, and the Nuns 104

22 Herta's Visit 114

23 Max 122

24 Hiding Out in the Open 131

25 The Little Girl at the Pool 145

26 An Unexpected Detour 149

27 Ursula's Gasp 156

28 More Discovery 164

29 The Camp That Is Not a Camp 170

30 Saturday Night Live in Campagna 176

31 Cut Iron-Tagliaferri 180

32 Connecting the Dots 189

33 More Dots Connecting 196

34 Nashville: Bringing Me to Campagna 200

35 The Nashville-Campagna-New York Connection 208

36 The Sound of Music 215

37 Ursula's Phone Call 220

38 Goodbye and Hello 224

39 The Postcard 230

40 Indiana Jones 233

41 Mamma Mia! 236

42 The Pope Call 244

43 The Pope Visits New York 246

44 Visiting the Vatican Rudolfo's Way 248

45 A Visit with Monsignor Caccia 256

46 Meeting the Pope 259

47 A Journey Back in Time 264

48 The Continuing Saga Becomes History 274

49 History Then and Now 282

50 Benevento Symposium 288

51 Back to Campagna 294

52 Potenza and Tito 300

53 Fratello di Latte: the Milk Brother 317

Epilogue 325

Afterword 329

Appendix A List of 272 Internees in Campagna on September 16, 1940 332

Appendix B List of Survivors Interviewed for this Book 339

Appendix C Historical Documents 342

Appendix D Book Time Line 348

Appendix E Numbers of Jews Living in Each European Country Prior to WWII and Who Were Murdered 351

Appendix F Letters from Vince Marmorale and Survivors Interviewed for this Book 353

Appendix G Complete Comments from Survivors and Other Readers of It Happened in Italy 368

Bibliography 381

About the Author 384

Acknowledgments 385

Reader's Guide: It Happened in Italy 391