Only a fraction of the pre-war Jewish population in northern Italy is still alive, it was reported today by Reuben Resnik, Joint Distribution Committee representative in Italy, who raced through the recently liberated cities with an artillery regiment of the 34th Division.
Resnik said that he found that only 400 of Bologna’s 1,200 Jews remained; in Kotena there are 150 of 300, in Ferrara 60 survivors of 600, 70 of Parma’s 600, and only 500 in Milan, which had a Jewish population of 10,000. However, Resnik said, 2,000 Milanese Jews fled to Switzerland and others may be hiding in the hills, and will eventually return.
The JDC worker secured the records of all property confiscated from Jews in northern Italy. He also has in his possession the records of all Jews brought to the concentration camps at Carpi and Salsa-Maggiore. These two camps were used as a “staging center” for the Jews who were deported from Italy.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.