President Giuseppe Saragat, other high Italian Government figures and Jewish communal leaders, were among those who took part in ceremonies today marking the 21st anniversary of the Ardeatine Caves massacre in which 332 Jews and non-Jews were murdered by the Nazis. The killings were carried out in caves in reprisal for a bombing in Rome by Italian guerrillas in which 32 German soldiers were killed.
The ceremonies, which were held in front of the mausoleum erected over the tombs of the victims, included prayers recited by Rabbi Elio Toaff, Chief Rabbi of Rome. In an address to the gathering, Home Minister Taviani stressed that the public observance of the anniversary had the significance of a public religious and most solemn homage by the living to those who gave their lives for freedom.
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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.
