Walk along the stumbling blocks so as not to forget the victims of Nazi-fascism

Very clear eyes and blond hair, Teresa Campagnano is the wife of Amadio Sabato Fatucci, together they have three children: Rosa, Angelo and Rebecca. They live within the strict rules of orthodox Judaism, which is quite rare in the Rome of the early 1940s. Teresa Campagnano (1882-1943) runs a souvenir shop together with her brother. Theirs is a family of small traders, destroyed by Nazi persecution: on the morning of 16 October 1943, the Nazis raid their apartment in Via Lungotevere Sanzio 2. Here, the SS find and arrest Teresa Campagnano, her son Angelo with his wife Cesira and little Attilio. Angelo tries in vain to convince the Nazis that the eight-year-old boy is ill and unable to travel, but they show no mercy. From Auschwitz, none of them will return.

When the Nazis arrive, Attilio Di Porto (husband of Rebecca, Teresa’s third child) and Amadio junior (Angelo and Cesira’s eldest son) are also in the apartment. Males of working age, they are convinced that they are the only ones in danger and for this reason, following Cesira’s indications, they have hidden behind a piece of furniture. It’s an improvised hiding place, they risk being discovered. To save them, it is the cuckoo clock of the Fatucci house that strikes the hour: time stops, the Nazi is distracted by that sound, the search is interrupted. From their hiding place, Amadio Junior and Attilio Di Porto see the boots moving away, one after the other. A cuckoo clock saves their lives. That morning of October 16, 1943, Teresa’s husband was not at home but, on the recommendation of a whistleblower, he was nevertheless arrested on February 22, 1944 and shot at the Fosse Ardeatine.

The events of the Fatucci family are among those told by Sira Fatucci (daughter of Amadio Junior) to the director and theater actor Rosario Tedesco. The cuckoo clock is kept by Alberto Di Porto (son of Rebecca Fatucci and Attilio Di Porto). Family stories, which are now being shared with the general public thanks to the commitment of Rosario Tedesco who organized the walks produced by Tracce Associazione Culturale along the stumbling blocks on Tuesday 6 June and Wednesday 7 June in Rome and Friday 9 June in Milan. In the capital, the narrative itinerary will be at 9 and then again at 11 with departure from via della Lungara 81/C, at the Centro Alti Studi per la Difesa (CASD).

These narrative paths, entitled Two inside a fire. Stories of stonepay homage to the victims of Nazi fascism: political opponents, Jews, partisans, workers, women and men. Central to this work is the question of responsibility: «We will show the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator. Thanks to archival documents and testimonies, provided by our partners and relatives of the victimsand, we have established two types of relationship: the first, historically ascertained and direct, between the person responsible for the death and the person killed by denunciation, torture, assassination. Where it was not possible to trace the executioner with documentary evidence, we wanted to establish a tragic couple and, as in the Greek tragedy, we will have Antigone and Creon, there victim and The executioner», explains Rosario Tedesco.

Born from an idea by Rossella Tansini, the urban crossings on the trail of stumbling blocks they last an hour and a half, are suitable for all ages and are the result of the collaboration of the Tracce association with the German Embassy, ​​the Goethe-Institut Rome, the CASD and the Jewish Communityto. What makes these walks along the stumbling blocks in Rome special is the involvement of around a hundred children: directed by Josef Anticoli, the Jewish Schools Choir will perform pieces from the Roman-Jewish tradition, while the Music Department of the German School will perform music by Mozart, Ilse Weber And Gershwin. To participate, write to [email protected] indicating your name, surname, telephone, day and shift. The starting point of the Roman walks will be at the CASD, in via della Lungara 81 / C, and for this reason it will be essential to have an identity document with you. The third appointment will be in Milan on 9 June at 10:30, with the State University and the Conservatory (to book, write to [email protected] indicating your name, surname, telephone).