Figure 1.--This Italian press photo appeared in Italian newspapers during Operation Barbarossa. It is dated September 18, 1941. It seems to be aroup of young Red Army soldiers captured by the Italians. By this time the Germans and their Axis Allies had driven deep into the Soviet Union and the Germanswere preparing their war-winning operation to take Moscow. The Italian seem to have separated out the youths. What is notable in that the caption while critical of the Soviets (Bolsheviks) is rather sympathetic toward the boys. We have never note anything quite like this in the German press. ither the image or caption. Images of Soviet soldiers in the German press were selected to support the image of incivilized brutes. The Italian press caption read, "Le vittial del Bolscevismo: Tra i origionieri recentemente catlurati sul fronte de Dnieper dai nostrik soldati figurano anche del ragazzi quindicenni costretti a combattere, dei sicari di Mosca. Ecco un gruppo di questti poveri adolescenti.Source: Agenzia Giacomelli Venezia." The Italians are shoing ympstht for boys cauht in the War. Because of racial policies, you never see any sympathy offered for Jews, Slavs, Gypseys, and other targeted groups in the German press. And rarely if ever are their children pictured., even children.

We do not have details on Italian treatment of POWs at this time. A Brirish reader writes, "Accounts I have read by former British POWs held by the Italians suggest that Italian treatment of British POWs was generally correct." We have no information on how they treated Greek POWs (1940-41). The Germans parolled most of the Greek POWS after defeating the Greek Army and occupying Greece (1941). Nor do we know how they treated Soviet POWs on the Eastern Front (1941-43). Hre we see some Soiet POWS, but press caption does not say wht happened to them. We suspect that they generally turned Soviet POWs over to the Germans, but have no details on this. Also we are not sure what happened to the Allied POWs after the Italian surremder/armistace and the Germans seized control of Italy (1943). A British commando who later became a travel writer, gives an interesting account. He was captured by the Wehrmacht in Sicily, while Italy was still in the war, and handed over to the Italians (standard practice, apparently). When Italy dropped out of the war, the Italians opened the gates of the camp, and told the prisoners the Germans were coming to take over. Newby was one of those who chose the risks of running over the 'safe' captivity in German hands. He spent months on the run, being sheltered by Italians (one of who he married after the war, and is still married to - both aged over 80), before being recaptured by the Germans. He was betrayed by a local Fascist, who got a promise (which was kept) from the Germans of no reprisals against those who had sheltered him. The book doesn't cover his time in a German POW camp, but Newby had no complaints about his treatment at the hands of either the Germans or Italians. Worst he describes was a bit of rough handling while being captured. [Newby] Large numbers of Italians were captured by the British in North Africa (0.4 million). Most of Italians taking by the Western Allies survived the War. The survival rate in American camps was 99.8 percent. Ironically the largest numbers of Italian POWs were taken by the Germans (over 0.6 million), after Italy surrendered to the Allies (September 1943). The German shot thousands of Italians at this time. Once transported to the Reich, the chances of survival was relatively good, about 94.5 percemt. It would have been slightly higher, however, the Soviets 'liberated' some of the POW camps. Few of the Italians captured by the Soviets (0.1 million) survived the forced marches and camp conditions. About 86 percent perished in the Soviet Union.

Italian Fascism

While Fascism started in Italy they were never as racist as the Germans and that was because they did not have a Jew hating leader or a nationalist identify with such strong racist foundation. When Mussolini took over Italy he did not have a built in hatred of Jews (1923). As for Greeks and Gypsies that is a different story. Jews were in Italy since the Roman Empire and those that were not in slavery flourished as merchants and bankers who helped Italian explorers and expeditions. They assimilated into Italian society, especially after the Enligtement (18th century). The Church hwas anti-Semetic, but for religious not racial reasons. And even the Church would protect many Jews during the War. Mussolini eventually instituted NZI-style anti-Semetic legislation, but only after being pressured by Hitler. This situation was different then what was developing in Eastern and Central Europe. In addition, unlike Germany, the Fascists did not suced in winning away Italian youth from their families as the NAZIs often did. The Baillaa no nearly as effective as the Hitler Youth. And Mussolini never suceeded in emasculating the Churxh as Hitler did in Germany. Therewas also regional differnces. Fascism was strongest in the north. And in the south there was less commitment to Facism. Here the Mafia was a factor, but only part of the regional divide.

National Outlook

The Italians had verydifferent attitudes toward other nationalities than the Germans. The Italians did not have a built in hatred of all Slavic peoples. FewItalians had any idea why they were fighting the Soviet Union. Mussolini sent troops to support the Germans even though he had not been consulted anout Barbarossa. And even more so, they could not understand why Mussolini declared war on America. Many Italian families had reltives in America or individuals who lived in merica for a time and had very ositive attitudes towrd America. This was epecially- true in Sicily which Anericans GIs learned after they invaded (July 1943). The British were a little different. They were to an extent a European rival. Many Italians believed that the British denied them rewards they deserved at the World war I peace conferences. They also like Mussoloni resented Bratain's criticism and pressing for sanctions at the League of Nations because of Italy's invasion of Ethiopia, The British press charged that poison gas was used in Ethiopia. The Italian Government denied it and the Italian public resented the charges. The charges, however were true. There was also resentment of the British after 2 years of fighing in the western Desert.

Countries Involved

The Italians did not take many POWs as their army performed so poorly. The Germans parolled most of the Greek POWS after defeating the Greek Army and occupying Greece (1941). We think the same happened to theYugoslaves, but do not yet have details. Nor do we know how they treated Soviet POWs on the Eastern Front (1941-43). Here we see some Soviet POWS, but the press caption does not say what happened to them. We suspect that the Itlians generally turned Soviet POWs over to the Germans, but have no details on this. By the same token, the Germans turned llied POWs over to the Italians, at least in Egypt and Libya. We are less ertain what happened in Tunisia. Also we are not sure what happened to the Allied POWs after the Italian surremder/armistace and the Germans seized control of Italy (September 1943). The Germn seizure of Italy took place so rapidly and with so little resistance, that the Allied POWs were often seized by the Germans and trnsported to camps in the Reich.

Treatment

We do not have details on Italian treatment of POWs at this time. A Brirish reader writes, "Accounts I have read by former British POWs held by the Italians suggest that Italian treatment of British POWs was generally correct." We have no information on how they treated Greek POWs (1940-41). A British commando who later became a travel writer, gives an interesting account. He was captured by the Wehrmacht in Sicily, while Italy was still in the War, and handed over to the Italians (standard practice, apparently). When Italy dropped out of the war, the Italians opened the gates of the camp, and told the prisoners the Germans were coming to take over. Newby was one of those who chose the risks of running rather than to 'safe' captivity in German hands. He spent months on the run, being sheltered by Italians (one of who he married after the war, and is still married to - both aged over 80), before being recaptured by the Germans. He was betrayed by a local Fascist, who got a promise (which was kept) from the Germans of no reprisals against those who had sheltered him. The book doesn't cover his time in a German POW camp, but Newby had no complaints about his treatment at the hands of either the Germans or Italians. Worst he describes was a bit of rough handling while being captured. [Newby] Large numbers of Italians were captured by the British in North Africa (0.4 million). Most of Italians taking by the Western Allies survived the War. The survival rate in American camps was 99.8 percent. Ironically the largest numbers of Italian POWs were taken by the Germans (over 0.6 million), after Italy surrendered to the Allies (September 1943). The German shot thousands of Italians at this time. Once transported to the Reich, the chances of survival was relatively good, about 94.5 percemt. It would have been slightly higher, however, the Soviets 'liberated' some of the POW camps. Few of the Italians captured by the Soviets (0.1 million) survived the forced marches and camp conditions. About 86 percent perished in the Soviet Union.

Sources

Newby, Eric. Love and War in the Appenines.

Created: 10:11 AM 9/2/2012
Last updated: 12:56 PM 8/4/2015