8 10 74 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/004cf266d30c709c05a5ae1d0daa9102.jpg c31bb6e1cbcdd0e113e66ce8bb818ff0 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/cb814057fef2d065fde3f5d740875cd1.jpg 2477edc3369b719a2b9a5a4597bc4250 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Italian WWII Letters Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Postcard from Italian Royal Air Force Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 10, 1942 Subject The topic of the resource This is written by someone at the Italian Royal Air Force Academy in the Royal Palace of Caserta to their friends in Bologna. This was sent almost one year before the school was closed and moved further north as the war worsened for Italy. The aircraft on the front of the card appears to be a Fiat G.50 Freccia (‘Arrow’) with an open cockpit. Description An account of the resource Italian transcription and English translation below: Cari amici Qui niente di nuovo Si lavora come si puo’, E voi lavorate molto? Salutate anche quelli del gruppo Lavabertini, specie Mattino X Dear friends, Nothing new here. We work as best as we can. And you, are you working hard? Give my regards also to those in the Lavabertini group, especially Mattino. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Acquired from Mercatino dell'usato da Pagnoc Rimini, Italy. Transcription and translation provided by Alessia Fazakas. https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/e2e2c241b1df2567275dfb7dcd6de10b.jpg 82d281fedd9a70c9cd20103226692208 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/607350714450dc1643e10fd9f0f0770f.jpg 3c53531dc12385ca5fa8aeda852b9fd3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Italian WWII Letters Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Postcard featuring Italian fascist martyrs Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource October 25 1942 Subject The topic of the resource The front of the card features two unarmed Italian soldiers who are about to be executed by a group of armed partisans in Soviet equipment. One of the partisans is Costantino Marini. He was a high school teacher, born in 1911 in Darzo di Storo, in the Giudicarie region, and came from a poor farming family. Commissioned as a Reserve Lieutenant, Costantino Marini left for Greece to accompany the Bolzano Battalion , 11th Alpine Regiment. During one of his many missions, on December 2, 1941, he was on the return journey with a squad of eight Alpine soldiers: near Varos, not far from Podgorica, the group of Italian soldiers was surrounded and overwhelmed by a formation of Slavic partisans, who were taken prisoner and searched. And it was at this point that a bread ration card was found in Lieutenant Costantino Marini's wallet, a card distributed to millions of Italians, but which turned out to be indispensable for every elementary school teacher who wished to continue teaching. His protests over that small piece of paper were to no avail: when the Slavs later ordered him to tear it up to save his life, as an officer, he categorically refused. For over two weeks, Costantino Marini was held, interrogated, and subjected to hardship: he could only be saved if he renounced possession of that card. The other Alpini, later released, testified: on December 18th, after yet another refusal, Lieutenant Marini was led before the firing squad and shot. While he became a Hero of Mussolini's war for Fascism, so much so that the headquarters of the Fascist Party in Trento was named after him, after the conflict he was awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor in his memory: "Returning from a recovery mission, attacked by rebels, in much superior forces, with only eight men, he defended himself fiercely and held his ground for more than an hour. Captured, during fifteen days of captivity, he faced hard labor, torture and humiliation, with dignified and austere demeanor, arousing the admiration of the other prisoners, despite knowing that this represented a certain death sentence. For his proud and inflexible conduct as a soldier, he was barbarously shot. Nova Varos, Montenegro, 18 December 1941. " This handwritten message sent to Genova is likely referencing the British area bombing raids from October 22nd-24th. The first area bombing raid on Genoa, carried out by the Bomber Command with a hundred Avro Lancaster bombers (out of 112 that had taken off from bases in England) which dropped 179 tons of bombs on the city (Piazza De Ferrari was the aiming point). The old city centre, the harbour, the shipyards, and the eastern suburbs were hit; among the damaged buildings were the Genova Brignole railway station, the Pammatone hospital, the churches of Santa Maria in Passione and Sant'Agostino, the medieval "portico" of Sottoripa, Palazzo Spinola, Palazzo San Giorgio and the Doge's Palace. Thirty-nine civilians were killed. This was the first area bombing raid on an Italian city, with ample use of incendiary devices, causing damage and fires on an unprecedented scale (some fires were still raging after twenty-four hours) and deeply impressing the population. On the following morning, Genoa was visited by the King and Queen; Victor Emmanuel III visited the hardest hit districts, while Queen Elena visited the wounded in the hospitals. The second area bombing of Genoa, carried out by 95 Short Stirling and Handley Page Halifax bombers, that dropped 144 tons of bombs. Bad weather dispersed many of the 122 bombers that had originally taken off from England (three of which were lost), with many erroneously attacking Savona (mistaken for Genoa), killing 55 people, Vado Ligure or Turin; in Genoa, material damage was relatively light (among the damaged buildings were the Basilica of the Santissima Annunziata, the Gio Vincenzo Imperiale Palace and the Paganini Theatre [it], which was destroyed and never rebuilt), to the point that the Bomber Command considered this raid a failure (unlike the previous and following ones, all of which were considered as successful and well concentrated) The panic caused by the previous night's attack caused a mass stampede at the entrance of an air raid shelter near Porta Soprana, in which at least 354 people (according to the official toll; others estimate 500) lost their lives. Description An account of the resource The fascist oath on the upper right corner of the card says "In the name of God and of Italy, I swear to carry out the orders of the Duce and to serve, with all my strength and, if necessary, with my blood, the cause of the Fascist Revolution." The handwritten message is transcribed and translated below: Roma, 25.10.1942 Caro Carlone, Siamo in attesa delle vostre notizie che speriamo quali da voi desiderate. Siete anche voi combattenti di prima linea e date il contributo di sangue per la vittoria. Vedi che anche alla tua venerata eta’ si possono vivere cose importanti. Inglesi e maericani dovranno ben pagare tanta vigliaccheria. Con buoni auguri ed affettuosita’. Dear Carlone, We are waiting for news from you, which we hope will be as you wish. You too are a front-line combatant and are giving your contribution of blood for victory. You see that even at your revered age, one can still experience important things. The English and Americans will certainly have to pay dearly for such cowardice. With best wishes and affection. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Acquired from Mercatino dell'usato da Pagnoc Rimini, Italy. Transcription and translation provided by Alessia Fazakas. Information on Costantino Marini obtained from National Association of Combatants and Veterans (ANCR) https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/97a1399d9d33352c1ce672cd414995eb.jpg f4b5d001f88a11889aeb25edf0bf1136 https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/253444f1d500d189be6d83a3e5a85486.jpg 3060cea9ffbd9e7cf122d3e83223ab49 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Italian WWII Letters Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Italian Dopolavoro Forze Armate postcard Subject The topic of the resource Top left (on the building) PNF - O.N.D. Dopolavoro Forze Armate Translation: National Fascist Party – National After-Work Organization Armed Forces Recreation and Welfare Organization PNF = Partito Nazionale Fascista (National Fascist Party). O.N.D. = Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro (National After-Work Organization), a Fascist state organization that provided leisure, sports, cultural activities, and welfare programs for workers and members of the armed forces. Description An account of the resource The front of the postcard also features a quote attributed to Mussolini that reads "The Dopolavoro is a work of peace, pursuing a noble mission of brotherhood, love, and civilization." The handwritten portion of the card says: Milano 17.5.1940 Cordiali saluti a tutti, Enzo Manel (?) Warm greetings to everyone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 17, 1940 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Acquired from Mercatino dell'usato da Pagnoc Rimini, Italy. Transcription and translation provided by Alessia Fazakas. https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/a62b8b2509392bea20e91eed324dc0e9.jpg 525f13db86ddc6ac964364daec46e35c https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/c49587751f3a505203b33774b9cbbecc.jpg b0c4bd2c38adef867bb90c05c1db4aae https://cicmuseum.org/files/original/031d1a36db9d536bab1c64ceeafccc08.jpg 3efd59fe400472267e6a4f096246f4c9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource German WWII ID Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Arbeitskarte Maria Markowa Subject The topic of the resource This is a worker ID card for Maria Markowa who was likely captured and taken to Hatterscheid in Western Germany near Bonn as a forced Polish agricultural worker or Zivilarbeiter. Zivilarbeiter (civilian worker) refers primarily to ethnic Polish residents from the General Government (Nazi-occupied central Poland), used during World War II as forced laborers in the Third Reich. The residents of occupied Poland were conscripted on the basis of the so-called Polish decrees (Polenerlasse), and were subject to discriminatory regulation. Compared to German workers or foreign workers from neutral and German-allied countries (Gastarbeitnehmer), Polish Zivilarbeiters received lower wages and were not allowed to use public conveniences (such as public transport) or visit many public spaces and businesses (for example they were not allowed to attend German church services, visit swimming pools or restaurants); they had to work longer hours than Germans; they received smaller food rations; they were subject to a curfew; they often were denied holidays and had to work seven days a week; could not enter a marriage without permission; possess money or objects of value. Bicycles, cameras and even lighters were forbidden. They were required to wear a sign – the "Polish-P" – attached to their clothing. In late 1939 there were about 300,000 prisoners from Poland working in Germany; By autumn of 1944 their number swelled to about 2.8 million (approximately 10% of General governement workforce). Poles from territories taken over after the German invasion of the Soviet Union and not included in the General Government (see Kresy) were treated as Ostarbeiters. The history of Polish Zivilarbeiters dates back to October 1939, when German authorities issued a decree, which introduced mandatory work system for all residents aged 18 to 60. In December 1939, the system also covered those aged 14 to 18, with severe punishments for law breakers. The people who did not work were called by the local authorities, and sent to work in Germany. Since the Third Reich suffered from shortage of workers, as time went by also those Poles who had permanent employment, but were not regarded as necessary for the economy, were sent to Germany. Other methods were also used, such as the infamous roundups, called "łapanka" in Poland. Those who did not present a certificate of employment were automatically sent to Germany. Most Polish Zivilarbeiters worked in agriculture, forestry, gardening, fishing, also in transport and industry. Some were employed as housekeepers. None signed any contracts, and their working hours were determined by the employers. Description An account of the resource The front cover of the ID booklet features a photo along with fingerprints and a red stamp that says in both English and Russian: "The holder is authorized to leave the accommodation only for the purpose of going to work." Translation of the internal pages Upper-left notice Diese Arbeitskarte berechtigt nur zur Arbeit bei dem genannten Betriebsführer und wird beim Verlassen dieses Arbeitsplatzes ungültig. Translation: This work card authorizes the holder to work only for the named employer/company manager and becomes invalid upon leaving this workplace. “Betriebsführer” literally means “head/manager of the enterprise.” In this historical context, “employer” is probably the clearest English rendering. Work card Herkunftsland: Altsowjetrussisches Gebiet Country/territory of origin: Former Soviet Russian territory The historically specific German designation “Altsowjetrussisches Gebiet” is an official Nazi-era administrative category associated with “Ostarbeiter” (Eastern workers), and did not simply mean “Russia” in the modern geographic sense. Heading Arbeitskarte Work Card The word in parentheses immediately after Arbeitskarte has been heavily crossed out/obliterated. Gültig nur für die unterbezeichnete Arbeitsstelle Valid only for the workplace specified below Issuing authority Landesarbeitsamt Rheinland Rhineland Regional Labour Office Nr. XI/193 No. XI/193 The final portion of the number is somewhat obscured, so XI/193 is my best reading. Personal information Familienname Markowa Family name / surname: Markowa Rufname Maria Given name: Maria (bei Frauen auch Geburtsname) (for women, also maiden name) The space for the maiden/birth name appears blank. led., verh., verw., gesch. These are abbreviations for: led. = ledig — single verh. = verheiratet — married verw. = verwitwet — widowed gesch. = geschieden — divorced With the X's marking off the other options it appears that she is labeled as single. Geburtstag 1913 Date/year of birth: 1913 Only the year is entered on this card. Wird die deutsche Sprache beherrscht? ja/nein* Does she speak German? Yes/no* The marking is not sufficiently clear to determine whether yes or no was selected. The asterisk refers to the instruction at the bottom: * (Nichtzutreffendes streichen) * (Strike out what does not apply) männlich / weiblich* male / female* The form has the alternatives male/female. The visible marking appears to indicate female. Heimatort Kursk Place of origin/home town: Kursk This is an important detail: Kursk is quite legible. Kreis The field appears to be blank on this side of the document. Staatsangehörigkeit sowjetrussisch Nationality/citizenship: Soviet Russian This is the wording actually entered on the document. Beruf landwirtschaftlicher Arbeiter Occupation: agricultural worker Literally, “agricultural laborer/worker.” Arbeitsbuch-Nr. Work-book No.: [blank] No number appears to have been entered. Employment information Unternehmer (Arbeitgeber) Heinr. Klein Employer: Heinr. Klein “Heinr.” is the conventional German abbreviation for Heinrich. Arbeitsstelle (Ort) Hatterscheid Workplace (location): Hatterscheid Kreis Sieg... The entry appears to read Sieg..., and is very likely Siegkreis, the administrative district (Kreis) in which Hatterscheid was located at the time. District: Siegkreis [apparently] Dates Ausgestellt am The handwriting appears to read: 8.4.1942 Issued on: 8 April 1942 Gültig bis zum 14.4.1944 Valid until: 14 April 1944 Right-hand page The right-hand page repeats the same warning in several languages. The German version on the facing page is the controlling text: Diese Arbeitskarte berechtigt nur zur Arbeit bei dem genannten Betriebsführer und wird beim Verlassen dieses Arbeitsplatzes ungültig. English: This work card authorizes the holder to work only for the named employer/company manager and becomes invalid upon leaving this workplace. The multilingual versions say essentially the same thing: French: This work card grants the right to work only for the indicated employer and loses its validity if the holder leaves this position/workplace. Italian: This work card authorizes work only with the named company director/employer and loses its validity upon leaving this workplace. Dutch: This work card gives the right to work only for the named company manager/employer and loses its validity upon leaving the work. Danish: This work card gives the right to work only for the named employer and loses its validity if this workplace is left. Hungarian: This work card authorizes work only for the named employer and becomes invalid upon leaving the workplace. Romanian: This work permit/card is valid only for the named employer and loses its validity if the workplace is left. Serbo-Croatian: This worker's card gives the right to work only for the employer named on the other side and ceases to be valid upon leaving the workplace. Czech: This work card authorizes work only for the named employer and becomes invalid upon leaving this workplace. Polish: This work card authorizes work only for the employer named on the other side and loses its validity upon leaving the workplace. Ukrainian: This work card authorizes work only for the employer named on the other side and loses its validity upon leaving the workplace. Russian: This work card authorizes work only for the named employer and loses its validity upon leaving the workplace. The multilingual repetition is therefore not additional personal information; it is the same restriction printed for foreign workers in multiple languages. The back reads: Space for entries by the Economic Office Space for remarks by the Labour Office Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Acquired from Dublin Militaria Fair in Dublin, Ireland. Translation provided by ChatGPT and additional information taken from Wikipedia. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 8, 1942 - April 1, 1944