EnglishFERRAMONTI: ITS HISTORY
English
Traduzione rivista e corretta dal Sign. Fidelio Tarsia (Los Angelesmailto:tafi@earthlink.net) che ringrazio per la preziosa collaborazione. Aurelio Scarola.
Chronology and a brief description of some past events of
Ferramonti Concentration Camp Edited by the "PRO LOCO" Town of Tarsia
Administration On June 4, 1940, the Town Hall of Tarsia approves the release of
a parcel of land for building a concentration camp for civilians war internees.
In a short time, the camp is built and operational. It is the largest in Italy.
It is mainly destined to accommodate Jews and stateless people present in Italy
during the period of 1940. On June 20, 1940, the camp of Ferramonti becomes
officially operational, although not yet completed. As far as the vigilance is
concerned, it is so arranged: Fascist soldiers guard the outside perimeter of
the camp, while the inner circumference is guarded by regular police force.
Under the command of sub lieutenant Gaetano Marrari (July 1940), the camp was
host to 100 inmates, all of them foreign Jews, arrested in cities of North
Italy. In September 1940, another 200 Jews arrive to Ferramonti camp, all from
Tunisia, who included women and children. Other Jews were deported to Ferramonti
from Libya and from East European countries, who were intercepted while trying
to reach the Promised Land. With the arrival of all these people, Ferramonti now
reaches the number of 700 prisoners. In the winter of 1940-41, the number of
constructed buildings now is 92. The whole camp is fenced with barber wires. In
May of 1941, the Pontiff, Pious XII, to visit and inspect the humanitary
condition of the camp, sends Monsignor Francesco Borgoncini. He also convinces
the Fascist Authorities to allow the presence of a catholic priest in the camp
and so Father Callisto Lupinot is sent there. In the winter of 1941, Ferramonti
concentration camp receives the first non-Jewish prisoners: they are Italians
rebellious to the Fascist Regime and individuals of other Countries living in
Italy and in Italian colonies. The camp has now 800 prisoners. During
Fall-Winter of 1942, a large group of 500 Jews is deported to Ferramonti from
the then Italian Island of Rhodes. This group of 500 Slovak Jews had sailed
aboard the ship Pentcho down the Danube river directed to the Black Sea, hoping
to reach Palestine. They shipwrecked in the Aegean Sea and were rescued by an
Italian Navy ship. They were taken to the Island of Rhodes, where they stayed
for a year. Then they were sent to Ferramonti Camp. On March 24, 1942 Rabbi
Riccardo Pacifici, Head of Genoa Jewish Congregation, visited the camp and
during a religious function gave comfort to the Jewish prisoners with words of
hope. He was to die in Auschwitz on 12 December 1943. Fall of 1942, 300 Greeks
arrive in Ferramonti as deportees. In the same period, three young Polish Jews,
captured on the Brenner Mountains by an Italian patrol, are shipped to the camp.
They will tell the others of the thousands of Jews deported to the Treblinka
concentration camp by the Nazis. they were able to escape from the forced labor
camp. January 1943, Paolo Salvatori, the man in charge of the camp, will be
removed from his position, accused of being too lenient and permissive with the
prisoners. In 1943, according to Jewish sources, the Nazis intend to request
from Mussolini permission to deport all the Jews of the camp to Germany. The
Vatican, using its influence with the Italian government, convinced the Duce not
to give in to the Nazi request, saving therefore the lives of the Ferramonti
Jewish prisoners. Meanwhile, in March 1943, Warden Mario Fraticelli was to
replace his
predecessor as director of the camp, continuing the prisoners
special treatment and privileges that Paolo salvatori had initiated. Spring of
1943, from Viterbo, Asti and Aosta another 100 French prisoners and another 200
Yugoslavs and 50 anti-fascist Italians arrive at the camp. With their arrival,
the camp conditions becomes more precarious in terms of provisions and health
and sanitary care. On the 27 of August 1943, allied planes, having mistaken the
camp for military barracks, strifed it with machine guns, killing four inmates
and wounding another 11. August 29, 1943, the camp had reached the saturation
point with 2019 prisoners. The Ministry of Interior had predisposed to shut down
the camp and disperse all the prisoners in view of the imminent armistice,
fearing that the retreating German troops would deport the prisoners to Germany.
However, because of the chaos and the communication lines disruption, the order
never reached Ferramonti. Warden Fraticelli, on September 7, 1943 decided to go
personally to Rome to secure a written permission to dismantle the camp. In the
meanwhile, one half of the camp prisoners had fled the compounds, aided by the
Italian guards, dispersing on the nearby mountains. 14 September 1943 the
advancing English eight Army liberates the camp. Ferramonti became the first
concentration camp in Europe to be liberated by the allies. Fall of 1943
Ferramonti changes its statute from concentration camp to refugees camp. All the
prisoners, who had previously fled, returned to the camp, which reached again
the number of 1800. However, as the months went by, a good majority of the
refugees left the camp to emigrate to Egypt, Palestine and the USA. As the war
ended and all the refugees left, the camp was permanently shut down.
Transated, revised and corrected by Fidelio
Tarsia.
