Italian fascistic concentration camps in WW2

Yugoslavia · #1 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 08:45 AM

We all know for german concentration camps in WW2 like for example Auschwitz, Dachau, Bergen-Belsen, Treblinka and others, but few people know for italian concentration camps in WW2 in Italy and occupied territories in last Yugoslavia, more exactly in Croatia. Benito Mussolini established this concentration camps especially for people of croatian and slovenian nationallity but also for Jews and people of other nationalities. These concentration camps were in use between 1941 and 1943. The most known of them are: Rab(on croatian island Rab), Gonars, Padova, Visco, Renicci, Molat and others. These camps were not as horrible as german, but thousands of prisoners in these concentration camps died of starvation and torture. After WW2 these c. camps were forgotten and especially italian popullation almost do not know for them. Italian fascists have never been at international court like german nazists...

Skipper · #2 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 09:04 AM

Hello Yugoslavia, thank you for reminding us that there were also camps in Italy , yo uare right the victimes of Itlaina Fascism should not be forgotten.

sniper1946 · #3 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 09:10 AM

agree too,not something most would know of,heres a list of camps...

List of Italian concentration camps - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yugoslavia · #4 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 10:17 AM

Especially Rab and Gonars were the worst of them, but majority of Italians who now live in town of Gonars have never heard for this concentration camp, because it was totally destroyed after WW2, there is just some monument now...

TiredOldSoldier · #5 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniper1946

agree too,not something most would know of,heres a list of camps...

List of Italian concentration camps - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That list is a bit suspicious, for at least a couple of those places I have reasons to doubt the existence of true "camps".
Lipari in the Aeolian islands was a "luogo di confine" where some political adversaries of the fascist regime (mostly socialists and communists) were sent but was not a camp, the "confinati" lived amongst the civilian population but were forbidden leaving the island. Carsoli is a few Km from where my father's family spent the war and nobody knew about a camp, which in such a a small village would be talked about.

There is a lot of litterature available in Italy about the massacres of Italian civilians during the "ethnic cleansing" carried out by Tito's troops after the war though much of it is written by people with an obvious political agenda. On the other hand little or nothing is available about Italian participation in the occupation of the Balkans in 1941-43. If anyone could point me to some sources I would be grateful, a significant portion of the Italian army was stationed there but very little info is available.

Yugoslavia · #6 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 10:37 AM

Albania under Italy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yugoslavia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

sniper1946 · #7 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TiredOldSoldier

That list is a bit suspicious, for at least a couple of those places I have reasons to doubt the existence of true "camps".
Lipari in the Aeolian islands was a "luogo di confine" where some political adversaries of the fascist regime (mostly socialists and communists) were sent but was not a camp, the "confinati" lived amongst the civilian population but were forbidden leaving the island. Carsoli is a few Km from where my father's family spent the war and nobody knew about a camp, which in such a a small village would be talked about.

There is a lot of litterature available in Italy about the massacres of Italian civilians during the "ethnic cleansing" carried out by Tito's troops after the war though much of it is written by people with an obvious political agenda. On the other hand little or nothing is available about Italian participation in the occupation of the Balkans in 1941-43. If anyone could point me to some sources I would be grateful, a significant portion of the Italian army was stationed there but very little info is available.

see this link..

Italy

Yugoslavia · #8 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 10:52 AM

Province of Ljubljana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Italian Army 1940-45 (1): Europe ... - Google Knjige#

I propose you to read novel Nekropola by author Boris Pahor

Boris Pahor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yugoslavia · #9 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 10:55 AM

Rab concentration camp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gonars - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Skipper · #10 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 12:19 PM

more here about the division of the Laibach (Lubliana) area and theItalian occupation of Marindol

Wapedia - Wiki: Governorship of Dalmatia

http://www.forost.ungarisches-instit...19420604-1.pdf

TiredOldSoldier · #11 (**permalink**) August 31st, 2009, 11:43 PM

Thanks to all for the links, I have the Osprey book and some "ufficio storico" pubblications, I will try to get hold of a copy of the Boris Pahor books his bio was pretty interesting. From the little I've read so far the interaction between Italian, German and other military and paramilitary forces in WW2 Yougoslavia is very confusing.

The Rab camp is well documented, and I confused Carsoli and Casoli that are two very different localities

. AFAIK the "camps" at Ponza and Lipari were mostly not for foreign nationals, Mussolini himself was held prisoner at Ponza in July/August 1943 after his overthrow.

Yugoslavia · #12 (**permalink**) September 1st, 2009, 09:16 AM

I wish you nice reading, Boris Pahor is now pretty famous writter!

arca · #13 (**permalink**) September 1st, 2009, 04:21 PM

Hi Yugoslavia!My grandma was in one of such camps,and according to her it was pretty bad.Full of lice,epidemics etc..Otkud si iz Jugoslavije?

R. Evans · #14 (**permalink**) September 1st, 2009, 04:24 PM

Good information on a forgotten chapter of WW2. Thanks.

Yugoslavia · #15 (**permalink**) September 1st, 2009, 08:23 PM

arca-sm iz SLO, blizu Ljubljane.

R. Evans · #16 (**permalink**) September 2nd, 2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yugoslavia

arca-sm iz SLO, blizu Ljubljane.

Huh??

sniper1946 · #17 (**permalink**) September 2nd, 2009, 10:17 AM

I think its arca-sm in slovakia,near ljubljane..

Yugoslavia · #18 (**permalink**) September 2nd, 2009, 10:18 AM

R. Evans: arca asked from which part of Yugoslavia I come from, and I told him that from Slovenia and that I live near Ljubljana (slovenian capital). But otherwise Yugoslavia is no any more, Yugoslavia is now part of history ...