Non-collaborating POWs built this presepio—an Italian nativity scene—near Schofield Barracks, Hawai’i, January 5, 1945. The Islamic architecture suggests a North African setting. Courtesy National Archives.
The Calandra Institute’s current exhibition Creativity and World War II Italian POWs in the United States, curated by Laura E. Ruberto and Joseph Sciorra, can now be explored via a digital 3D model. View it here. To learn more about the exhibition click here, view the catalog, or read a brief description:
The exhibition presents creative work made by Italian soldiers who were imprisoned by the Allied forces during World War II, focusing on those held in the United States. These objects, often made from salvaged materials, ranged in size from a small inlaid ring to a large Catholic chapel with a 65-foot bell tower. There is no archive or collective depository about World War II Italian prisoners of war in Allied hands. To document this creative work, the exhibit pulls from research completed by co-curator Laura E. Ruberto (Berkeley City College), including historical photographs, rare remaining artifacts, oral testimonies, written accounts, family memories, and private collections.The exhibition, designed by Polly Franchini, brings together a selection of these objects, images, and stories to present this little-known history. Highlighting the artistry of incarcerated Italian servicemen (some of whom maintained allegiance to Fascism) is not meant to trivialize the atrocities of war or to minimize the resistance of those who fought at great sacrifice. Rather, it offers an opportunity to reflect on the myriad ways that identity and imagination are shaped materially during the adverse conditions of war.
The public can also view the gallery in person at the Calandra Institute’s Midtown Manhattan location. It will be on view from 9am to 5pm,Monday to Friday, until September 26.
Fedeltà: Soldati. Prigionieri. chronicles the experiences of Italian prisoners of war (POWs), mostly captured in North Africa and Sicily, who are sent to Letterkenny Army Depot outside Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during World War II. The film documents the POWs’ journey from war to peace and shows how their impact is still felt today. Shot in both the United States and Italy, the documentary includes interviews with family members of the prisoners and utilizes original archival documents and footage from the families and the US Army as well as other sources associated with the Italian Service Units, those Italian soldiers who renounced Fascism and agreed to collaborate with the United States after Italy’s surrender in 1943.
In conjunction with the Calandra Institute’s exhibit about World War II Italian POW artistry in the United States.
Post-screening discussion led by Joseph Sciorra, John D. Calandra Italian American Institute.
Delve into the multifaceted narratives of World War II Prisoners of War (POWs) as their descendants share compelling insights during this roundtable discussion. Through a hybrid format blending online and in-person participation, this event offers a unique opportunity to explore the scholarly, artistic, and visual representations of their fathers’ and grandfathers’ captivity experiences.
Speakers: Yemane Demissié, New York University; Laura E. Ruberto, Berkeley City College; Mark Pedri, United States; Anton Pulvirenti, Australia; Elisa Longarato, Italy
This event is part of a series on “Memory, Memories, and Memorialization of WWII Italian Captivity” organized by Elena Bellina (New York University) and Giorgia Alù (The University of Sydney) and co-sponsored by NYU’s Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, The University of Sydney, The John D. Calandra Italian American Institute (Queens College, CUNY), and the Centre for Italian Modern Art (CIMA). The events aim to investigate how World War II Italian POWs have narrated their long captivity experiences, as well as how these narratives have been recollected and memorialized in Italy, America, Australia, Asia, and Africa.
Those attending in person please RSVP by calling (212) 642-2094.
For online participation, please register in advance for the webinar:
