Italian World War II War Orphans


Figure 1.-- This 1945 press photo shows Catholic nuns feeding war orphans. The children all wear smocks. We assume that that they were being cared for in some sort of orphanage. Notice how they all had to keep their hsands behind their backs until grace was said.

The war casualties and even larger numbers of POWs meant that many Italian children were left with only their mother to support them. And in a collapsing economy this was very difficult. When the fighting reached Italy itself, villages and cities were devestated all the way up the peninsula. Many children were killed or wounded and in many cases lost both parents. Large numbers of children were displaced as well as many orphaned. We have very few details on the dimensions of the problem. We know more about the measures taken by Italian authorities to deal with it at this time. We do known that an Irish priest, influenced by Father Flanigan's Boys' Town, organized Boys' Republic in 1945. The Catrtholic Church had programs to support war orphans. In many cases this meant children who had lost their fathers and the moter was unable to support them. Many were taken care of by extended Italian families. But larger numbers of children were on their own or with mothers who could not support them. The worse situations were in the big cities (Naples, Rome, ect.). Children in the villages were more likely to hsave extended families to care for them. The Catholic Church played a major role in assisting the children. Institutions as the Rome Boys' Republic tried to assist the children. Naples had the problem of abandones street children even before the War. The war, however, aggravated the situation. The Catholic priest Mario Borrelli founded an institution to care for street children in Naples called Casa dello scugnizzo.

World War I

War orphans in World War I primarily resulted from casualties in the fifgtong thsat was confined to northern Italy, primarily with the Austrians. The SAmericanm Government distributed large quantities of food throughout Europe during and after the War. American private charitable groups were also organized to help Italian war orphans. One such group collected clothes and dolls. The most important group was the Italian War Relief Fund (IWRF). ["Appeal ..."] The published a poem entitled "The oinly doll in the valley" about the Valley de Ledro" in northern Italy. Ottilla was apparently the only girl in the valley who had a doll. One shipment was carried aboard the Italian dreadnought Conte di Cavour with dolls, children's shoes, stockings, and underclothes for the children of Italian navy men killed in the War. Most of IWRF's funds were directed at helping he War orphans. Another group was was "Free Milk for Italy". ["Lecture ..."] A group of Italian American women during World War I organized the Italian Committee of the American Red Cross (1918). They primarily assiussted Italian-American fathers who fought for Italy during World War I. [La Gumina, p. 309.]

World War II Orphans

The problem of War orphans was much more severe in World War II than World War I. The World War II casualties were larger and the numbers of POWs meant that many Italian children were left with only their mother to support them. And in a collapsing economy this was very difficult. When the fighting reached Italy itself, villages and cities were devestated. The whole country all the way up the peninsula became an extended battlefield. The devestation was horific. The Allies bombed German positions which often meant towns and villages. Naples and other msajor cities were badly damaged. Rome was spared when the Germans decided to make their stand to the north. Both sides used artillery and land mines. Many children were killed or wounded and in many cases lost both parents. Large numbers of children were displaced as well as many orphaned. We have very few details on the dimensions of the problem. The worse situations were in the big cities (Naples, Rome, ect.). Children in the villages were more likely to have extended families to care for them.

Street Children

Italy was not a rich country before the War. Rhe War worsened the situatin for many Italians. Drafting millions of men and taking them out of the productive ecoonomy worsened the situation. Large numbers of Italian soldiers were lilled, wounded, or gaken prisoner in North Africa, meaning many families not longer had a family wage earner. Allied bombing caused further problenms. But the major problems came with the Allies invasion (September 1943). This led to fighting up and down the length of Italian Peninsula. It began with the Germans interning much of what was left of the Italian Army and transporting them to labor camps in the Reich. This mean more fathers lost. The immediate fight was for for Naples nd its port with the Amercan landing at Salerno south of the city. Naples was city of enormous contrasts. It was known for its street children before the War--the scugnizzi. It was an italian term meaning 'street kids'. it's used to describe Neapolitan kids (Naples children). And it meant children, espcially boys, spent a lot of time playing on the streets rather than staying inside. It gradually becme to be a a derogatory term because the children were poor and often engaged in petty crimes, in many cases to acquire food. The American invasion and German offesive to drive the Americans in the sea left Naples in ruins. A novel about this is rather exgerated for dramatic purposes. [Carcaterra] An Italian reader tells us, however, that it is absolutely true that some Neapolitan street children participated in the Four Days of Naples (September 27, 1943). The important American pictooral newsweekly, Life Magazine even reported on this. ["The battlefield ...] The fighting left one of Italy's great cities in ruins. The Germans were intent on leaving the important port of Naples useless. They also conductd roundups of ciivilians for labor camps. Leaving more children without any support. And the collaosing Italian state could offer little support. The Church assisted many children, but had limited resources. This was the beginning of a fight for nearly 2 years up the Italian Peninsula. Italian villages and towns were left in ruins and street children becme a serious national problem. There were huge numbers of children with no adult to care for them or in many cases older children whose mothers had no way of feeding them.

Relief Efforts

We have some limited information about the measures taken by Italian authorities and the Catholic Church to assist the war orphans. The Catholic Church played a major role in assisting the children. The Catrtholic Church had programs to support war orphans. In many cases this meant children who had lost their fathers and the mothers was unable to support them. Many were taken care of by extended Italian families. But larger numbers of children were on their own or with mothers who could not support them. The Church set up orphanages and feeding programs. The photograph here taken in 1945 looks like an orphanage, although it is not identified. An Irish priest, influenced by Father Flanigan's Boys' Town, organized Boys' Republic in 1945. John Patrick (1912-2001), founded Boys' Towns of Italy. Father Carroll-Abbing was born in Holdham (Ireland). As a young man he went to Rome in 1930 to study for priesthood. After becoming a priest he served in Italy. As a result of World War II, he saw the need to care for the many displaced and orphaned children. Another sources identifies Father Abtonio Revolta of the Society of St. Paul. Naples had an especially severe problem of abandoned street children even before the War. The war, however, aggravated the situation. The Catholic priest Mario Borrelli founded an institution to care for street children in Naples called Casa dello scugnizzo.

Foreign Aid

The United Stsates as in World War I provided extensive food aid to war-torn Europe. Schools and orphanages were among the institutions receiving food aid. There were also private American groups. A group of Italian American women during World War I organized the Italian Committee of the American Red Cross (1918). They primarily assissted Italian-American fathers who fought for Italy during World War I. The Italian Welfare Leage was organized at about the samne time (1920). They primarily looked after needy Italian families in America. After World war II, the League founded the God Parents Committee for Italian War Orphans. Over 3 years they sent $250,000 to Italy in money, food, clothing, and medical supplies. [La Gumina, p. 309.] Italian war orphans were imortalized in a popular American comic strip--"Dondi".

Sources

LaGumina, Salvatore John. The Italian American Experience.

Carcaterra, Lorenzo. Street Boys.

"Appeal for war orphans: Italian Relief Committee Asks Dolls and Clothing for Children," (November 3, 1919), p. 12.

"The battlefield of aNples," Life Magazine (November 8, 1943).

"Lecture aids milk fund: Helpers of Italian war orphans get services of Dr. Lieb, " New York Times (January 8, 1922), p. 25.







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Created: 10:24 PM 7/10/2009
Last updated: 9:49 AM 11/28/2018