My Italian Secret: The Forgotten Heroes (2014) - full transcript

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

-I LOVE A CHALLENGE.

IT MOTIVATES ME TO DO MY BEST.

I'M NOT THE KIND OF MAN
TO HOLD BACK FROM A FIGHT.

-IN 1937, GINO BARTALI WINS

THE GINO d'ITALIA
FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR

AND SECURES HIS PLACE AS
EUROPE'S BIGGEST SPORTS IDOL.

BENITO MUSSOLINI'S FASCIST PARTY
HAS RULED ITALY

WITH INTIMIDATION AND VIOLENCE
FOR 15 YEARS,

AND HE WILL SOON LEAD
HIS COUNTRY INTO WAR.

BEFORE IT IS OVER, GINO BARTALI,
LIKE EVERY ITALIAN,



WILL FACE A TERRIBLE
MORAL CHOICE.

-THESE ARE TOUGH TIMES.

MOST PEOPLE STRUGGLE
JUST TO SURVIVE.

IT'S A WORLD WHERE
ARROGANCE RULES.

SOME HAVE POWER.
SOME DON'T.

A LIFE CAN HANG BY A THREAD.

IT'S A WORLD WHERE YOU MUST
DO GOOD --

BUT DON'T TALK ABOUT IT.

-GINO BARTALI WAS RISKING
HIS LIFE ALL DURING THE WAR.

IN MY OPINION, HE IS A HERO.

-THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE
ALL OVER ITALY

WHO KEPT OUR SECRET
AND WERE INVOLVED IN OUR RESCUE.

LOTS OF BRAVE ITALIANS
RISKED THEIR LIVES.

[ BELL TOLLING ]



I'VE ALWAYS WANTED MY GRANDSON
TO KNOW WHAT THEY DID.

[ CHILDREN SHOUTING PLAYFULLY ]

-BY 1938,
WITH WAR LOOMING IN EUROPE,

ITALY IS ONE OF THE ONLY
SAFE HAVENS FOR JEWS

AND OTHER REFUGEES
FLEEING NAZI PERSECUTION.

[ CROWD CHANTING ]

-MY MOTHER WAS PREGNANT WITH ME.

SHE WITNESSED KRISTALLNACHT

AND DECIDED IT WAS TIME
TO LEAVE GERMANY.

10 DAYS AFTER HER ARRIVAL
IN MILANO, I WAS BORN.

WE WERE LIVING IN MILAN
FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS

WHEN WE WERE SENT TO FERRAMONTI.

I WAS 3 YEARS OLD.

BUT IN MY MEMORY,
I NEVER EXPERIENCED

A BAD FEELING ABOUT THE PLACE.

[ SIGHS ]

IT'S A VERY STRANGE FEELING...

TO BE COMING BACK HERE.

-I REALLY, NOW, THOUGHT,
"CAN I DO THIS TRIP?"

AND THEN I DECIDED
IT HAS TO BE DONE.

I DID SAY THANK YOU MANY TIMES,
BUT IT'S NEVER ENOUGH.

WHEN MY FAMILY CAME FROM GERMANY
IN '35,

I DIDN'T FEEL JEWISH.

I FELT ITALIAN.

I JOINED THE FASCIST PARTY.

I MARCHED EVERY SATURDAY,
AND I WAS VERY HAPPY.

-MY MOTHER WAS A CATHOLIC,

BUT MY FATHER'S FAMILY
WAS JEWISH.

THEY HAD BEEN IN ITALY
FOR MANY GENERATIONS,

WERE INTEGRATED
INTO ITALIAN SOCIETY.

IN FACT,
MY AUNT WAS CALLED ITALIA.

THEY WERE VERY ACCOMPLISHED,
WELL-EDUCATED.

MY FATHER STUDIED
CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS,

AND THEN, VERY YOUNG,
HE WAS GIVEN THE DIRECTORSHIP

OF A BIG FACTORY IN PADUA.

MY FATHER AND MOTHER WERE
A VERY HANDSOME COUPLE,

AND YOUNG, AND, OF COURSE,

THEY MOVED INTO SOCIETY
IN PADUA,

BUT LITTLE BY LITTLE,

THE SOCIETY, LET'S SAY,
MOVED AWAY FROM THEM.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ]

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

-SOON AFTER ADOLPH HITLER
VISITS ROME IN 1938,

WITH HIS PLAN FOR
A RACIALLY PURE HOMELAND

ALREADY UNDERWAY IN GERMANY,

IL DUCE DECIDES TO IMPOSE
A NEW RACIAL POLICY IN ITALY.

"LAWS FOR THE PROTECTION
OF THE RACE."

-WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL THAT DAY,

I SAW MY TEACHER TELLING
THE PRINCIPAL THAT I AM A JEW.

HE SAID, "THIS CHILD IS A JEW."

AND THEN THE PRINCIPAL CAME
TO ME TOGETHER WITH A POLICEMAN,

AND THEY TOLD ME THAT
FROM THAT MOMENT,

I AM EXPELLED FROM THE SCHOOL,
AND I HAVE TO GO HOME.

I STARTED TO CRY,
BECAUSE I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND

WHY I CANNOT GO TO MY SCHOOL.

[ CHILDREN LAUGHING ]

-PAPA LOST HIS JOB,

AND IT BEGAN TO BE
MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT.

WHAT WAS TERRIBLE
WAS THE SILENCE.

THESE RACIAL LAWS WERE ACCEPTED,
PRAISED,

AND SUDDENLY THE JEW WAS
REALLY A DIRTY HUMAN BEING.

-ALL THIS TALK ABOUT HOMELAND
IS JUST PROPAGANDA.

THE WORLD IS THE HOMELAND
OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS.

THE WORDS OF OUR PRIESTS MADE
A BIG IMPRESSION ON ME --

"ALWAYS FOLLOW
THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS.

DO GOOD UNTO OTHERS."

-ONE DAY, IN FLORENCE,

THE PRESIDENT OF THE CYCLISTS
UNION CAME RUNNING UP.

IT WAS THE LAST DAY TO QUALIFY
FOR THE TOUR de FRANCE,

AND HE HAD A TELEGRAM
FROM THE FASCIST PARTY SECRETARY

ORDERING ME TO LEAVE AT ONCE
FOR PARIS.

-MUSSOLINI HAS A PLAN

TO SHOW OFF ITALY'S ARYAN
SUPERIORITY ON THE WORLD STAGE.

A BARTALI TRIUMPH IN THE TOUR

WOULD PROVE THAT ITALIANS, TOO,
BELONG TO THE MASTER RACE.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ]

-THE TOUR de FRANCE.

[ SPEAKING FRENCH ]

-IN THE PYRENEES,
AS BARTALI CHARGES AHEAD,

A RECORD CROWD GATHERS
ALONG THE SIDELINES.

-[ SPEAKING FRENCH ]

-ON JULY 31st,
HEADLINES ABOUT BARTALI'S LEAD

APPEARED NEXT TO A STORY

WITH THE LATEST
ON ITALY'S NEW POLICY --

"JEWS DO NOT BELONG
TO THE ITALIAN RACE."

THE NEXT DAY, BARTALI WINS
THE TOUR'S CRUCIAL ALPINE STAGE

AND HOLDS ONTO THE LEAD
ALL THE WAY TO PARIS.

-[ SPEAKING FRENCH ]

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

-THE ITALIAN FASCISTS
TAKE CREDIT,

CALLING HIM
THEIR ARYAN CHAMPION.

BARTALI REJECTS
THE PARTY'S PATRONAGE,

INSULTING IL DUCE.

-THE PARTY HAS STARTED
A CAMPAIGN AGAINST ME,

ACCUSING ME
OF LACK OF PATRIOTISM.

BUT I'M NOT THE TYPE
TO BACK DOWN.

-IT'S NOT THE LAST TIME BARTALI
WILL DEFY THE FASCISTS.

[ INSECTS CHIRPING ]

-LOOK AT THAT.

PEOPLE LIVED THERE.
I LIVED THERE.

-IN JUNE 1940,
WHEN ITALY ENTERS THE WAR,

ALL FOREIGNERS ARE RELOCATED

TO CAMPS SPREAD ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.

ITALIAN JEWS ARE ALLOWED
TO REMAIN IN THEIR OWN HOMES,

BUT MORE THAN 10,000
FOREIGN JEWS

ARE AMONG THOSE SENT AWAY.

THE INTERNEES ARE ALLOWED
TO PLAY MUSIC,

WEAR THEIR OWN CLOTHING,
AND HOLD RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

IN THE HILL TOWN OF CAMPANIA,

THE INTERNEES LIVE
IN A 14th-CENTURY CONVENT

AND CAN MOVE ABOUT THE TOWN

TO MINGLE
WITH THE LOCAL CITIZENS.

FERRAMONTI,

BUILT IN A MALARIA-RIDDEN SWAMP
IN CALABRIA,

IS THE LARGEST CAMP,

AT TIMES HOLDING
UP TO 3,000 PEOPLE.

CONDITIONS ARE HARSH
AND PRIMITIVE AT FIRST,

BUT FAMILIES LIVE TOGETHER,
AND THE CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL.

RABBI RICCARDO PACIFICI MAKES
REGULAR VISITS FROM GENOA.

-WONDER IF I CAN FIND MY FATH--
[ GASPS ]

THERE'S --
THAT'S MY MOTHER HOLDING ME,

MY FATHER RIGHT THERE
BEHIND HER, AT A PICNIC.

WOW.

I CAN ALMOST FEEL MY PARENTS
HERE WITH ME.

LITTLE DID THEY PROBABLY
EVEN KNOW

WHAT WOULD FOLLOW THIS.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ]

[ TRAIN CHUGGING ]

[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]

-AS THE NAZIS IMPRISON
AND MURDER MILLIONS,

SOME REFUGEES ARE STILL ABLE
TO REACH ITALY.

AFTER 1938, MORE THAN 10,000
ITALIAN AND FOREIGN JEWS

FIND AN ESCAPE ROUTE,

MANY WITH THE HELP
OF A RELIEF ORGANIZATION

CALLED THE DELEGATION FOR
ASSISTANCE TO JEWISH EMIGRANTS,

OR DELASEM.

THE FASCIST AUTHORITIES
COOPERATE

TO SPEED UP THE EXIT OF JEWS
TO PALESTINE AND THE U.S.

AND TAKE A PERCENTAGE
OF THE AMERICAN MONEY

THAT SUPPORTS
THE RESCUE EFFORTS.

-GO, GO, GO!

-IN THE SUMMER OF 1943,

WHEN AMERICA JOINS
THE ALLIED INVASION OF SICILY,

IT LOOKS LIKE THE END
FOR FASCISM IN ITALY.

-ENTHUSIASTIC SICILIANS WELCOME
THE YANKS WITH OPEN ARMS.

FOR THOUSANDS
OF WAR-WEARY SICILIANS,

THE COMING
OF UNITED NATIONS FORCES

MEANS FREEDOM FROM FASCISM.

-MUSSOLINI IS IMPRISONED,

AND THE ITALIANS AGREE
TO A CEASE-FIRE

ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1943.

-FIRE!

-THE GERMANS INVADE
TO STOP THE ALLIES.

THEY FREE MUSSOLINI

AND INSTALL HIM AS THE HEAD
OF A PUPPET REGIME.

ITALY IS DIVIDED IN TWO.

IN THE SOUTH,

THE ALLIES LIBERATE THE CAMPS
FOR FOREIGNERS.

IN THE NORTH, THE NAZI S.S.
AND THEIR ITALIAN-FASCIST ALLIES

TAKE CONTROL
AND BEGIN TO HUNT FOR JEWS.

-IN THESE DARK DAYS,

AS THE GERMANS TIGHTEN
THEIR CONTROL,

ITALIANS MUST CHOOSE SIDES --

OBEY THE NAZI AUTHORITIES

OR RISK YOUR LIFE
TO HELP THOSE IN DANGER.

SOME TAKE UP ARMS
TO JOIN THE RESISTANCE.

-THE ITALIAN PARTISANS'
MAIN OCCUPATION

WAS TO SAVE PEOPLE
FROM THE GERMANS.

[ MAN SINGING IN ITALIAN ]

-THE NAZI S.S. CONTINUED THEIR
SWEEP THROUGH NORTHERN ITALY,

CREATING NEW DANGER
FOR CHARLOTTE AND HER PARENTS.

BEFORE THE ALLIES LIBERATED
THE CAMPS IN SOUTHERN ITALY,

THEY HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED
TO CONFINEMENT

IN A SMALL TOWN NEAR VENICE.

-WE WERE SENT FROM FERRAMONTI
TO LIVE WITH A FASCIST FAMILY.

WE LIVED THERE ABOUT A YEAR.

THEN WE WERE TOLD BY SOMEONE
THAT WE NEEDED TO LEAVE

BECAUSE THE NEXT DAY,
WE WERE DUE TO BE SHIPPED OFF

TO AN EXTERMINATION CAMP.

SAMUELE PANICHI WAS A PARTISAN
LEADER WHO HELPED US ESCAPE.

HE BROUGHT US TO HIDE
IN A VILLAGE CALLED SECCHIANO.

I REMEMBER
WHEN PANICCI DROPPED US OFF

AND HANDED US OVER
TO HIS FRIENDS,

VIRGILIO VIRGILI AND
DESOLINA AND MEMMO PARUCCINI,

AND THEY WELCOMED US IN.

-[ SHOUTS IN ITALIAN ]

-[ EXHALES SHARPLY ]

[ LAUGHS ]

[ CONVERSATION IN ITALIAN ]

MWAH!

-[ SPEAKING ITALIAN ]

CIAO, CIAO.
-CIAO.

-[ CONVERSING IN ITALIAN ]

-[ SPEAKING ITALIAN ]

-I REMEMBER AIRPLANES FLYING
OVERHEAD,

DROPPING LEAFLETS,
WARNING THESE PEOPLE,

"IF YOU ARE HIDING JEWS
OR PARTISANS, YOU'RE DEAD."

STILL, THE ENTIRE TOWN

WAS IN CAHOOTS
TO KEEP OUR SECRET.

[ CONGREGATIONAL SINGING ]

[ PRIEST SPEAKING ITALIAN ]

-I WAS SITTING IN THIS CHURCH
WITH MERCEDES.

SUDDENLY, THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN,

AND A VOICE SCREAMED
INTO THE CHURCH.

[ DOOR SLAMS,
MAN SHOUTS IN ITALIAN ]

"THE GERMANS ARE COMING!
THEY'RE COMING!"

I REMEMBER SHOES AND BOOTS,
FEAR.

-[ Echoing ] MAMA!

MAMA!

-NOBODY WAS THERE.

AND I THOUGHT,

"THE NAZIS GRABBED THEM,
AND THEY'RE DEAD.

THEY'RE DEAD."

AND SUDDENLY,
SOMEONE GRABBED ME.

THERE WERE LOTS OF PEOPLE
HIDING,

INCLUDING MY MOTHER.

-[ SPEAKING IN ITALIAN ]

[ CONGREGATION PRAYING ]

-[ GASPS ]

[ BELL TOLLING ]

[ TOLLING DISTORTS ]

-THIS IS A WAR WITHOUT REASON,
WITHOUT HONOR.

A LIFE COSTS NOTHING.

IT CAN DEPEND
ON THE WHIM OF ANOTHER.

SHOTS ARE FIRED TOO EASILY,

AND I'M AGAINST BLOODSHED,

ESPECIALLY BROTHER
KILLING BROTHER.

-IT WAS REALLY DANGEROUS
IN FIRENZE,

SO I WAS SENT TO LIVE
IN A MONASTERY IN SETTIGNANO,

WHICH IS ALSO A SMALL VILLAGE
JUST NEARBY FIRENZE.

AT THAT SAME TIME,

MY FATHER STARTED TO LOOK
WHERE THE FAMILY CAN HIDE.

MY FATHER WAS A FRIEND
OF GINO BARTALI,

AND HE TOLD BARTALI THAT HE'S
LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO HIDE.

AND BARTALI HID MY FATHER,
MY MOTHER, AND MY SISTER

TO THE BASEMENT IN HIS HOUSE --

AT THE BEGINNING,
IN HIS APARTMENT ITSELF,

AND LATER ON, IN THE BASEMENT
OF HIS HOUSE --

IN SPITE OF KNOWING

THAT THE GERMANS WERE KILLING
EVERYBODY WHO WAS HIDING JEWS.

HE WAS RISKING
NOT ONLY HIS LIFE,

BUT ALSO HIS FAMILY.

-BUON GIORNO.
-BUON GIORNO.

[ CONVERSATION IN ITALIAN ]

-WHEN THE WAR BROKE OUT IN '39,

WE WERE HANDCUFFED,

PUT ON A TRAIN
FROM ALASSIO TO PERUGIA.

-[ SPEAKS ITALIAN ]
-SI.

THEY TRANSFERRED
MY MOTHER AND I
AND THEN MY FATHER

TO CONFINO LIBERO
IN CITTà di CASTELLO.

CONFINO LIBERO MEANT THAT WE HAD
TO GO FOUR TIMES A DAY

AND SIGN AT THE POLICE STATION.

WE COULD WALK AROUND.

WE COULD DO ANYTHING,
BUT NOT AFTER 8:00 AT NIGHT.

OTHER THAN THAT,
WE LIVED LIKE ALL THE ITALIANS.

WE HAD THE SAME COUPONS.
WE HAD A FURNISHED ROOM.

I WAS IN SCHOOL
AT THE SALESIAN NUNS,

AND THEN, IN 1943,

THE GERMANS OCCUPIED
CITTà di CASTELLO

AND THE BISHOP SENT FOR ME.

HE SAID, "I HEARD ON THE RADIO
THEY'RE ARRESTING ALL THE JEWS.

GO AND TELL YOUR PARENTS
THAT YOU HAVE TO RUN AWAY."

AND MONSIGNOR SCHIVO
WAS READY TO HELP US.

-[ CHUCKLES ]

-WHEN THE GERMANS CAME,

THE ENTIRE STORY OF OUR SURVIVAL

WAS IN THE HANDS
OF MONSIGNOR SCHIVO.

HE WORKED WITH THE PARTISANS,

SO HE KNEW WHAT THE GERMANS
WERE PLANNING,

SO HE MOVED MY FATHER TO A
DORMITORY ACROSS FROM SEMINARY.

AND MONSIGNOR SENT MY MOTHER
AND I TO THE SACRO CUORE,

PLACED AS NUNS.

YOU KNOW, THE TALMUD SAYS,

"HE WHO SAVES ONE PERSON
SAVES THE UNIVERSE."

MONSIGNOR SCHIVO SAVED
A LOT OF PEOPLE.

[ DOOR CREAKS, SLAMS ]

[ CHURCH BELLS DINGING ]

-HE SAVED SO MANY PEOPLE.

-HE SAVED SO MANY PEOPLE.

-THEY DEPORTED THEM
OR PUT THEM AGAINST THE WALL.

-NEVER CAME BACK.

[ LAUGHS ]

-READING THE STORY WHAT HAPPENED
TO US IS ONE THING,

BUT LIVING IT
IS MUCH MORE INTENSE.

WE LIVED IT.

[ PEOPLE SHOUTING IN ITALIAN ]

[ ENGINE SHUTS OFF ]

[ SHOUTING CONTINUES ]

[ POUNDING ON DOOR ]

[ BABY WAILS ]

[ SHOUTING CONTINUES ]

-[ SHOUTS IN GERMAN ]

[ DOORS OPEN ]

[ MEN SHOUTING IN GERMAN ]

-BY THE TIME THE FIRST JEWS
ARE DEPORTED FROM ITALY,

MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL DIE
IN NAZI CAMPS

HAVE ALREADY BEEN MURDERED.

ITALIAN RESCUERS WILL FACE
THEIR HARDEST CHALLENGES

IN THE DAYS AHEAD.

-SI.

-CERTO.

-CERTO.

-SI.

-MM.

[ SHOUTING IN DISTANCE ]

-OH. [ SNIFFLES ]

[ SNIFFLES ]

-[ SPEAKING ITALIAN ]

[ BOTH LAUGH ]

-I'M VERY PROUD.

-PROUD OF HIM. YEAH.

-OF MY FATHER.

-THE NAZIS FIND
1,694 JEWS IN ROME

AND DEPORT THEM ALL
TO AUSCHWITZ.

BUT MORE THAN 10,000
AVOID CAPTURE,

THANKS TO DR. BORROMEO
AND OTHER ITALIAN RESCUERS

WITH THE COURAGE
TO DEFY THE NAZIS.

-THE WAR RAGES ON,

WITH ITS VICTIMS, ITS PAIN,
AND ITS FEROCIOUS ATROCITIES.

THERE IS HATRED, VENGEANCE,
AND MALICIOUS GOSSIP.

IT'S SO MUCH INJUSTICE,
SPURRED ON BY BLIND FANATICISM.

-THE GERMANS RELENTLESSLY
HOLD THE LINE AT MONTE CASSINO,

80 MILES SOUTH OF ROME.

DESPITE OUTNUMBERING THEM
THREE TO ONE,

THE ALLIES ARE UNABLE TO BREAK
THROUGH TO NORTHERN ITALY

FOR MONTHS.

UNTIL THEY DO,
THE S.S. AND ITALIAN FASCISTS

CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR JEWS.

-WE HAD A NANNY WHOM I ADORED
CALLED ISABELLA,

AND ISABELLA HAD A LOVER,
A CARABINIERI.

ONE NIGHT,
SOON AFTER THE ARMISTICE,

THIS CARABINIERI --
HE WAS CALLED UGO --

CAME TO THE HOUSE.

HE RISKED HIS LIFE,
AND HE WARNED US.

HE SAID,
"YOU HAVE TO DISAPPEAR."

[ BELL DINGING,
INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

AND WE ARRIVED AT PADUA STATION,

WHICH WAS ALREADY IN A STATE
OF TOTAL CONFUSION.

AND WE WERE WITH MY GRANDMOTHER
GEMMA AND HER OWN MOTHER.

AND WE ALL GOT ON THE PLATFORM.

WE HEADED TO THE SOUTH.

THEY HEADED TO THE NORTH,
TO TURIN.

AND WE ONLY KNEW WHAT HAD
HAPPENED TO THEM AFTER THE WAR,

QUITE A LONG TIME AFTER THE WAR.

WE DID GO TOWARD THE SOUTH.

THE IDEA WAS TO ARRIVE AT ROME.

THEN THE TRAIN STOPPED BECAUSE
THE RAILS HAD BEEN BOMBED,

SO MY FATHER DECIDED,
"LET'S TRY SOMEWHERE ELSE."

PERFETTO.

[ LAUGHS ]

[ CONVERSATION IN ITALIAN ]

AND SO WE WENT TO OSIMO,

TO SEE A GRAND LADY,
LE MARCHESA GALLO,

WHO HAD WHAT TO ME LOOKED LIKE
AN IMMENSE PALACE.

SHE WAS SHELTERING
A LOT OF PEOPLE,

AND THE FAMILIES KNEW EACH OTHER

AND SHE SAID, OF COURSE,
"I'LL HIDE YOU."

[ CHUCKLES ]

PALAZZO GALLO WAS
THE MAIN PALAZZO OF OSIMO,

SO WHEN THE GERMAN COMMAND
ARRIVED IN OSIMO,

THEY DECIDED TO TAKE IT OVER.

AND SO THEY SAID TO THE WAITER,
THE BUTLER,

THE SERVANT,
AND LE MARCHESA GALLO

IMMEDIATELY PRODUCED PAPA,

WHO WAS VERY ELEGANT,
SPOKE SOME GERMAN,

AND SO HE APPEARED
IN WHITE GLOVES.

WE WERE HOPING, REALLY,
PROBABLY, TO POISON THE FOOD,

RATHER THAN --

BUT FOR SEVERAL DAYS,

HE WAS THERE AS
THE VERY ELEGANT BUTLER,

AND THE FAMILY DOWN THERE,
THE FAMILY OF THE BUTLER.

[ CLOCK CHIMES ]

I WAS QUITE INTIMIDATED

BECAUSE THE HOUSE WAS GRAND.

SHE WAS GRAND.

AND WE WERE TRAINED TO BOW
WHEN WE SAW HER.

MY FATHER INVENTED GAMES,

TRIED TO ALWAYS TELL US STORIES

AND MAKE US FEEL THAT WE WERE
LIVING NORMAL TIMES.

MY MOTHER WAS MUCH MORE
APPREHENSIVE,

ALSO BECAUSE, I THINK,

BEING A WOMAN,
SHE WAS MUCH MORE --

SHE COULD SEE MUCH MORE CLEARLY
THE THREAT.

ONE DAY, WHEN MY PARENTS
WERE PLAYING BRIDGE

WITH LA MARCHESA GALLO,

THE FOURTH PLAYER WAS A FORMER
MAYOR [SPEAKING ITALIAN]

AND WHILE PLAYING,

THE PODISTA
LOOKED AT MY FATHER AND SAID,

"BUT YOU'RE NOT CORRADO PRINZI.

YOU ARE LUXARDO SERVADIO.
I RECOGNIZE YOU."

HE GOT UP AND LEFT.

ON THE FOLLOWING DAY,
HE WENT TO SEE LE MARCHESA.

HE SAID, "LOOK, WE'VE BEEN
FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME,

AND I SHOULD REALLY
DENOUNCE YOU,

AND YOU WOULD BE SHOT.

BUT INSTEAD,
I GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF DAYS

TO GET RID OF THESE PEOPLE."

-[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]

-AND LA MARCHESA
THEN CALLED PAPA AND SAID,

"LOOK, LUXARDO,
YOU MUST NOW DISAPPEAR.

YOU MUSTN'T BE HERE.

YOU GO TO THE COUNTRYSIDE."

SO MY FATHER DISAPPEARED,

AND SUDDENLY WE DIDN'T SEE HIM

AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD
HAPPENED TO HIM.

MY MOTHER WAS ALONE
WITH THESE TWO SMALL CHILDREN.

THEN, FINALLY,
THE EIGHTH ARMY LIBERATED OSIMO.

BUT AFTER THREE DAYS,
THE GERMANS TOOK IT BACK AGAIN,

SO WE WERE WARNED IMMEDIATELY.

THEY CAME AND SAID,
"YOU MUST DISAPPEAR.

YOU MUST CROSS THE LINES.
YOU MUST GO TO PORTO RECANATI.

JUST A FEW MILES AWAY,
THERE WAS LIBERTY.

AND SO MY MOTHER
AND MY SISTER AND I,

ON ONE BICYCLE,
WITH OUR POSSESSIONS,

WE LEFT OSIMO.

IT WAS NOT VERY HOPEFUL

THAT WE WOULD GET
TO THE OTHER SIDE.

SO, FINALLY,
WHEN WE GOT TO PORTO RECANATI,

TOOK MONTHS BEFORE WE FOUND
MY FATHER --

OR, RATHER, MY FATHER FOUND US.

I HAVE TERRIBLE SADNESS

AND FEELING OF GUILT
TOWARDS LA MARCHESA GALLO,

THIS EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN

WHO, IN FACT, RISKED HER OWN
LIFE BY HIDING US.

AFTER THE WAR,

I FEEL WE ALL SHOULD HAVE GONE
AND SAID THANK YOU.

WE WERE TOO HUMILIATED,

TOO READY
TO HIDE TO OURSELVES FIRST.

SO BY THE TIME I WENT
TO PALAZZO GALLO,

SHE HAD JUST DIED.

I SAW THE DAUGHTERS,

AND I REMEMBER SORT OF
LOOKING FOR THE PLACE,

FINDING IT, RECOGNIZING IT,
PRESSING, YOU KNOW, THE BELL,

AND ONE OF THE DAUGHTERS
CAME OUT,

AND SHE EMBRACED ME, CRYING,
BOTH OF US.

AND MY POOR ENGLISH HUSBAND
WHO WAS WITH ME

DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT THE HELL WAS HAPPENING.

[ LAUGHS ]

AND SO IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL.

AND I THEN SAID,
"I'M SO SAD NOT TO SEE HER,

'CAUSE SHE WAS
AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN."

[ CONVERSATION IN ITALIAN ]

[ BELL DINGING ]

-SEPTEMBER 1943 --

GINO BARTALI IS SUMMONED
TO THE DUOMO

BY HIS FRIEND
CARDINAL DALLA COSTA,

ARCHBISHOP OF FLORENCE.

AFTER THEIR MEETING,
BARTALI OFTEN LEAVES HOME,

DISAPPEARING ON HIS BICYCLE
FOR DAYS AT A TIME.

HE SETS OFF AS IF
HE WERE BACK IN TRAINING,

BUT NEVER TELLS ANYONE
WHERE HE'S GOING,

NOT EVEN HIS WIFE.

-WHAT BARTALI'S DOING,
WHERE HE'S GOING, AND WHY

REMAINS A SECRET
FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE.

BUT YEARS LATER,
HE TELLS ONE PERSON.

[ BELL TOLLING ]

-THERE IS NO WRITTEN EVIDENCE
OF HIS WARTIME ACTIVITIES,

ONLY THE TESTIMONY
OF A FEW WITNESSES

AND, 50 YEARS LATER,
WHAT BARTALI HIMSELF

BEGRUDGINGLY ADMITS
TO HIS BIOGRAPHER.

-I PUT MYSELF TO WORK
WITH MY FRIEND BERTI

TO HELP JEWS FLEE THE COUNTRY.

THAT'S WHEN MY TRAVELS STARTED
TO ROME AND ASSISI.

-MY FRIEND BERTI GETS DOCUMENTS
FROM CARDINAL DALLA COSTA

AND GIVES THEM TO ME TO DELIVER
TO THE BISHOP IN ASSISI.

I HIDE THEM
IN THE FRAME OF MY BICYCLE.

I DON'T WANT TO KNOW
WHAT IT'S FOR,

IN CASE THEY CATCH ME.

-BARTALI HAD A SPECIAL PERMIT
TO RIDE ALL AROUND TUSCANY,

BUT THERE WAS STILL DANGER.

WHEN HE WAS RIDING HIS BICYCLE
WITH FALSE DOCUMENTS,

IF THE NAZIS FOUND OUT,

THEY WILL KILL HIM IMMEDIATELY,
ON THE SPOT,

NOT BY BRINGING HIM TO COURT

OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT --
NOTHING.

THEY WILL KILL HIM ON THE SPOT.

-ONE OF BARTALI'S DESTINATIONS

IS THE BASILICA
OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI,

A CENTER OF CLANDESTINE ACTIVITY

OVERSEEN BY THE BISHOP
GIUSEPPE NICOLINI.

FATHER ALDO BRUNACCI
AND OTHER PRIESTS

FIND HIDING PLACES
FOR THE REFUGEES.

-I FOUND OUT LATER THAT
THE DOCUMENTS I WAS CARRYING

WERE I.D. CARDS
WITH FALSE NAMES.

THEY MADE IT POSSIBLE

FOR JEWS IN HIDING
TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY

AND REACH THE FREED TERRITORIES
IN THE SOUTH.

-MORE AND MORE REFUGEES
FIND THEIR WAY TO ASSISI.

TO FULFILL THE GROWING DEMAND,

THE UNDERGROUND RECRUITS
LUIGI AND TRENTO BRIZI,

WHO HAVE A PRINTING PRESS
IN THEIR SHOP

NEXT TO
THE ST. FRANCIS BASILICA.

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]

[ BELL TOLLING ]

-BARTALI ALSO RIDES TO FARNETA,

PART OF AN UNDERGROUND NETWORK

EXTENDING FROM FLORENCE
TO GENOA AND ASSISI.

IT IS A COMPLEX ORGANIZATION
BROKEN INTO INDEPENDENT CELLS

TO AVOID BETRAYAL BY SPIES.

NO ONE KNOWS
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE OTHERS.

THIS MONASTERY IS A REFUGE
FOR THOSE FLEEING THE NAZIS,

INCLUDING MANY JEWS,

WHO WERE TAKEN IN BY THE MONKS

AND THEN MOVED TO TOWNS
IN THE NEARBY MOUNTAINS.

-THE NAZIS TAKE 150 PRISONERS --

MONKS, PARTISANS,
ITALIAN DESERTERS, AND TWO JEWS.

THE S.S. INTERROGATES, TORTURES,
AND MURDERS 49 OF THEM.

THEY SEND THE REST
TO LABOR CAMPS, WHERE MANY DIE.

BUT IN THE 11 MONTHS
BEFORE THE MASSACRE,

MORE THAN 200 JEWS ESCAPE
DEPORTATION BY THE NAZIS,

THANKS TO THE COURAGE
OF FATHER GABRIELE COSTA.

HE IS AMONG THE FIRST
TO BE SHOT.

-THESE ARE TERRIBLE TIMES,

BUT A SENSE OF DUTY
AND HUMAN SOLIDARITY

KEEPS US GOING.

WE HAVE TO BE CUNNING [CHUCKLES]

TO SAVE OUR OWN SKIN
AND OTHERS IN DANGER.

-26 MONASTERIES
AND CONVENTS IN TUSCANY,

INCLUDING MANY THAT ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE CLOISTERED,

OR SEALED OFF
FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD,

BECOME PART OF
THE CLANDESTINE NETWORK.

THEY PROVIDE HIDING PLACES
FOR HUNDREDS OF REFUGEES.

-THE JEWISH KIDS WERE HIDDEN
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,

AS SOON AS THE PERSECUTION
STARTED.

AND I AM ONE OF THE CHILDREN

WHO WERE SAVED
BY THE NUN OF SETTIGNANO.

-I AM SURE THAT A LOT OF THE
NUNS KNEW THAT WE WERE JEW,

BUT OFFICIALLY,

ONLY THE MADRE SUPERIORA KNEW
ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE WERE JEW.

NAZI OFFICERS
WERE COMING TO THE CONVENT

TO LOOK FOR JEWISH CHILDREN,

AND THEY ASKED THE CHILDREN
TO STAY IN LINES

AND SAY THE CATHOLIC PRAYERS --

"AVE MARIA," "PATER NOSTER."

AND THE MADRE SUPERIORA

WAS STAYING BEHIND
THE GERMAN OFFICER,

SAYING WITH HER LIPS WITHOUT --
NOT LOUD --

THE PRAYERS IN ORDER TO ENSURE

THAT THE CHILDREN
WOULD SAY THE RIGHT WORD.

[ BELLS TOLLING ]

-WE JUST ACTED SPONTANEOUSLY

EVERY TIME THESE DESPERATE
HUMAN BEINGS

CAME KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR,

UNDER THE THREAT OF ARRESTS,
CONCENTRATION CAMPS,

SHOOTINGS, AND WARS.

[ CONVERSATION IN ITALIAN ]

[ TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS ]

[ CONVERSATION IN ITALIAN ]

[ GATE CREAKS ]

-VIRGILIO VIRGILI,
THE MAN WHO HELPED US,

IS MERCEDES' FATHER.

-[ SPEAKS IN ITALIAN ]

-SI. SI.

AFTER A TIME, VIRGILIO THOUGHT

IT WAS GETTING TOO DANGEROUS
FOR US IN SECCHIANO,

SO MERCEDES, HER FATHER,
MY PARENTS, AND I

STARTED ON A LONG JOURNEY
BY FOOT.

-AND THEN MERCEDES
AND HER FATHER LEFT...

...AND WE PROCEEDED ON
TO WHERE THE ALLIES WERE,

AND WE WERE DELIVERED TO THEM.

AND ONLY YEARS LATER
DID I FIND OUT

ABOUT WHAT MERCEDES' FATHER
WENT THROUGH.

HE WAS PICKED UP BY THE NAZIS,

AND FOR THREE DAYS,
HE WAS TORTURED,

AND HE DID NOT LIVE LONG
AFTER THAT.

-STRANGELY ENOUGH,
I'M LOOKING FOR AN EMPTY TOMB.

IT'S THE TOMB OF MY GRANDMOTHER.

MY FATHER, FOR A LONG TIME,
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED

AND WENT ON
LOOKING FOR TRACES OF HER.

[ ROOSTER CROWS ]

AFTER THE WAR,
SOME LETTERS ARRIVED,

SENT FROM THIS CAMP
CALLED FOSSOLI.

MY MOTHER BURST INTO TEARS.

-JUNE 14, 1944 --

WE ARRIVED FOUR WEEKS AGO
LAST NIGHT,

WEAK FROM HUNGER
AND LACK OF SLEEP.

WE ARE IN LOW SPIRITS.

PHYSICALLY, MOTHER'S DECLINING.

THIS IS MY GREATEST SORROW.

-AND THEN THEY WERE SENT
FROM FOSSOLI TO AUSCHWITZ.

PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT CAMPS BY THEN,
BUT IT WAS UNIMAGINABLE.

MY FATHER, HE USED TO GO

TO THE RAILWAY STATION IN VERONA
AFTER THE WAR,

WAITING FOR THE TRAINS OF THESE
FEW PEOPLE COMING BACK,

AND ONE DAY FOUND ONE RELATIVE,

AND SHE WAS A SURVIVOR
FROM AUSCHWITZ.

AND HE SAID, "PLEASE TELL ME
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY MOTHER."

AND SHE SAID, "SHE WAS LUCKY,"
AND HER MOTHER WAS LUCKY,

BECAUSE THEY WERE SELECTED
IMMEDIATELY

AND SENT INSIDE A GAS OVEN
ALMOST AT ONCE,

SO THEY WERE SPARED, EITHER WAY,
THE HORROR OF THE REST.

SO, THIS IS THE TOMB
OF MY GRANDFATHER, CAVOUR.

HERE IS MY GRANDMOTHER.

PAPA TOLD ME
WHEN I WAS QUITE YOUNG

WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO MY
GRANDMOTHER AND TO HER MOTHER.

I STARTED HATING EVERYBODY,
WHICH I OVERCAME, OF COURSE,

AND I FELT THIS GREAT INJUSTICE

OVER THESE UNNECESSARY
MARTYRDOMS OF ALL THESE PEOPLE.

BUT I MUST SAY
THERE WERE ALSO GOOD THINGS,

BECAUSE THERE IS A SIDE
OF THE ITALIANS WHICH IS WARM,

WHICH SAVED, WHICH TOOK PITY,
RISKING A LOT.

AND THAT, I ALWAYS REMEMBER.

-THE END OF '44, MY MOTHER CAME
TO THE CONVENT AND TOOK ME OUT

AND BROUGHT ME
TO THE SAME CELLAR

IN WHICH THEY WERE HIDING.

GINO BARTALI SAVED MY LIFE
AND THE LIFE OF MY FAMILY.

THAT'S CLEAR, BECAUSE THEY WERE
NOT HIDDEN IN THE CELLAR.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO.

AND SO WE WERE SAVED

BECAUSE WE WERE FRIENDS
OF GINO BARTALI --

BUT NOT ONLY GINO BARTALI.

A BIG PART OF THE ITALIANS
IN THAT PLACE --

THEY SAVED JEWS.

IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN
WHY THEY DID IT,

BUT MOST OF THE ITALIANS
WERE SAVED

JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE,
WHO EVEN DIDN'T KNOW THEM,

JUST COULD NOT UNDERSTAND
WHY YOU SHOULD KILL SOMEBODY

JUST BECAUSE
HE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

[ CHOIR SINGING IN ITALIAN ]

-IN 1948, AGAINST ALL ODDS,

HIS STRONGEST YEARS LOST
TO THE WAR,

GINO BARTALI TRIUMPHS AGAIN
IN THE TOUR de FRANCE,

10 YEARS AFTER HIS FIRST WIN.

HIS VICTORY HELPS UNITE

AN ITALY STRUGGLING
TO GET BACK ON ITS FEET.

BUT BARTALI IS RETICENT IF ASKED
ABOUT HIS WARTIME ACTIVITIES.

WHEN THERE IS A RUMOR FLOATING

OF HIS CONNECTION WITH ASSISI
AND THE RESISTANCE,

HE SHRUGS IT OFF,

SAYING HIS SILENCE
IS OUT OF RESPECT

FOR THOSE WHO RISKED MORE
THAN HE DID.

-SOME MEDALS AREN'T MEANT
TO BE WORN ON YOUR SHIRT,

BUT ON YOUR SOUL.

[ SINGING IN ITALIAN CONTINUES ]

[ SONG ENDS ]

[ INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYS ]

[ MUSIC CONTINUES ]

[ SONG ENDS ]

[ GIUSEPPE VERDI'S "LA FORZA
DEL DESTINO 'OVERTURE'" PLAYS ]