Although the possibility of any Jews being deported from Italy is believed to have been greatly lessened as a result of Mussolini’s fall from power, the Pope is doing everything possible to ensure that no such action is taken, it was indicated here today.
Bishop Godfrey, the Apostolic Delegate in Britain, told a delegation of the Agudas Israel that Pope Pius has intervened for the Jews. His report, the Agudas Israel representatives stated, allayed fears for the safety of the Jews in Italy and especially for a large number of foreign Jews interned at Ferramonte.
Shortly before he abdicated, Mussolini issued an order conscripting all native Italian Jews for forced labor, and reports circulated that he planned to deport alien Jews. These rumors were strengthened by the public statements of high Fascist officials who attacked the Jews and blamed them for the bombing of Rome.
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.
