The central committee of the Organization of Jewish Refugees in Italy has submitted to the Allied Control Commission and UNRRA a memorandum requesting punishment of the fascist Ukrainians who participated in a May Day attack on Jews in the Reggio Emilia camp, resulting in the death of one and the serious injury of several others.
During the May 1 fracas, the Ukrainians, who had been members of military units commanded by the renegade Russian General Vlassov, broke up a May Day meeting called by the Jews, attacking the participants and shouting “Long Live Hitler, Long Live Petlura, Long Live Mussolini.”
Although the commanders of the camp, a British major named Lewis and a lieutenant named Eyston, refused to punish the attackers, they moved all the Ukrainians to another camp. As the fascists were being assembled for loading into trucks, they were attacked by the Jews, who were enraged by the death of one of the injured. Italian police who were summoned to the scene shot into the crowd killing one Jew.
Although 18 Ukrainians who participated in the original assault have been identified by both the Jews and Spanish Republican refugees who witnessed the riot, they have not been punished, nor have Lewis or Eyston been disciplined.
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.
