Dressed as Nuns: Part 3 from "My Italian Secret"

Transcript

Speaker 1

This is a war without reason, without honor. The life costs nothing. It can depend on the whim of another. Shots are fired too easily and I'm against bloodshed. Especially brother killing brother.

Speaker 2

It was very dangerous Firenze, so I was sent to live in the monastery in Setinano, which is all the small village, just nearby Firenze. In that same time my father started to look where the family can hide. My father was the friend of Gino Bartali and he told Bartali that he's looking for a place to hide and Bartali hid my father, my mother and my sister. To the basement in his house at the beginning in his apartment itself, and later on in the basement of his house. In spite of knowing that the German were killing everybody who was hiding Jews. He was risking not only his life but also his family.

Speaker 3

When the world walked out in 39, we were handcuffed, put on a train from Malacia to Padua, they transferred my mother and I and then my father to Confino Liber in Città di Costello. Confino liber meant that we had to go four times a day and sign at the police station. We could walk around, we could do anything, but not after 8:00 at night. Other than that, we lived like all the Italians. We had the same coupons. We had a furnished room. I was in school at the Sicilian nuns. And then in 1943, the Germans occupied Città di Costello and the Bishop sent for me. He said I heard on the radio they are arresting all the Jews. Go and tell your parents that you have to run away and once Monsignor Schivo was ready to help us. When the Germans came, the entire story of our survival was in the hands of Monsignor Schivo. He worked with the partisans, so he knew what the Germans were planning. So he moved my father to a dormitory across from seminary, and Monsignor sent my mother and I to the Sacco quarter dressed as nuns. In Italian it is said “he who saves one person, saves the universe”. Monsignor Schivo saved a lot of people.

Speaker 3

So many people. He saved so many people. Look, he saved so many people.

Speaker 3

I was saved not only by Monsignor Schivo, but by all of Città di Costello.

Speaker 4

Many people helped.

Speaker 4

Do you remember how dangerous it was to help a Jew? What would the Germans do to them?

Speaker 4

They would kill them. We knew what was going on. They never cam back. The ones they took…whole families…they never cam back.

Speaker 3

Here in Umbria, why weren’t people afraid to help Jews?

Speaker 4

 They were human beings. It’s a human life. Saving a Jew…instead of watching die. There are certain moments. That only those who experienced them can speak of. It’s one thing to read in history. I’m 107 years old. I have the memory of a 60-year old. When someone gets to 100 everyone says, “He’s 100, he doesn’t understand.” But look at me I still do.

Speaker 3

Reading the story, what happened to us is one thing, but living it is much more intense. We lived it.