Italy was a refuge for many Jews escaping the persecution from Hitler’s Nazis. Italians worked their hardest to protect the Jews, and promoted anti-racism. Italians went against all aspects of brutality to help the Jews gain respect and rights. “Among all the avenues, streets, piazzas, and schools in Italy named for the martyrs and heroes of the Resistance, very few remind the youngest Italians of the existence of the anti-Jewish laws” (Zuccotti, xi). Unsuspecting heroes began to emerge all over Italy. Their valiant acts may seem insignificant, but made a monumental difference. The persecuted victims of the Holocaust struggled horrendously against Hitler’s strong army, the Nazis. Italy became a refuge from the troublesome Nazi party. Through …show more content…
Benito mussolini promoted the doctrine of fascism within Italy for his dictatorship and power. Fascism is the suppression of a country with radical nationalism. Benito Mussolini was a socialist dictator who demonstrated the actions of fascism, and was acquainted with Hitler and wanted to follow Hitler’s stratagem. “Italy was the first European power to turn to fascism. The country was one of the victors in World War I, but the war was costly and Italy did not gain much.” (Mussolini). This movement led to the struggle of many Italian Jews because they lost their freedom. Italy was suppressed because of Mussolini’s harmful dictatorship. Mussolini and Hitler’s dictatorship led the democracy spiraling and left the Italians hopeless. However, Jews found strength within these troubled times. Even though Italian Jews had a rough life everywhere in Europe, Italy was still a safe-haven. In My Italian Secret, Gino Bartali opposed fascism strongly. His opposition began to prove to Hitler that Italians were also a part of Hitler’s so-called superior race. Bartali was a supporter of Jews and did his best to protect them. As fascism pursued, Gino Bartali relegated …show more content…
The Nazis practiced socialist nationalism through their dictator, Hitler. Hitler was a forceful leader and believed that the Jewish race needed to be demolished. He did this by using fascist ideas and harsh suppression. “Many people have challenged and effectively demolished the myth that Italian fascism was simply aping Hitler's Germany in its creation of the racial laws against the Jews.” (Sarfatti). The Jews fled their home countries in hopes to escape from the Nazis who were heavily persecuting them. The Jews were seemingly hopeless, but with one last stride for safety, Italy became their answer. According to Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf, the personification of the devil as the symbol of all evil assumes the living shape of the Jew. As Europe was in turmoil, Italy managed to save many innocent Jews. As Gino Bartali was proving that Italians were just as special as Germans, the Italians came up with many ideas to protect the Jews. Dr. Giovanni Borromeo took action and made a fake hospital for Jews to hide. Borromeo told the Nazis trying to enter the ward that the people inside have a highly contagious condition called K Disease. He insisted that the Germans leave before they catch his fictitious disease. Borromeo’s act of heroism goes to show that there is no superior race and promoted