A recrudescence of anti-Semitic activities in Naples has become a source of serious concern to the Italian Jewish community and to the government. Naples police are currently investigating a series of anti-Semitic acts, threats and pro-Nazi activities attributed to a neo-Fascist group some of whose members are already behind bars.
The group is suspected among other things of involvement in the bombing of the Milano Agricultural Bank three years ago in which 14 persons were killed. It has also been linked to a notorious anti-Semitic center in Verona which distributes Jew-baiting and other racist literature.
The appearance of anti-Semitism in Naples in particular has evoked surprise. The metropolis of southern Italy has been untroubled by anti-Semitism since the 15th century when the inquisition courts of the Catholic church operated there. There is no organized Jewish community life in Naples but Jews and Christians live side by side in complete harmony.
However, during the past three years anti-Semitic slogans have appeared on walls, and in recent months incidents described as “minor outrages” have occurred in schools, in the offices of political parties and in various cultural clubs. An investigation traced them to a group of youths found distributing anti-Semitic literature.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
