Guelfo Zamboni
Encyclopedia
Guelfo Zamboni was an Italian diplomat who saved hundreds of Jews during the Holocaust.
, then part of Tuscany
. The last of eight sons, he belonged to a family devoted to handicrafts. His parents wanted him to become a clergyman, but they died early in his life and left him an orphan. He decided to attend school when he became older and faced the hardship of earning a living while studying. At 19 he fought as an infantryman in World War I
, from 1916 to 1918, and was honored with a Bronze Medal of Military Valor
and a War Merit Cross as he had been seriously wounded.
After the war he received a degree in Economics and Trade. In 1925 he took the exam that began him in his diplomatic career. He would be a coworker of Bernardo Attolico in Berlin
, and learned and became fluent in German
.
, a town occupied by Nazi Germany
.
At that time, Thessaloniki hosted the world's largest community (56,000) of Sephardic Jews
, many of Italian descent. In June 1942, the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg began the systematic confiscation of the town's archives, libraries, and manuscripts, all of which were sent to the Institute for Jewish Studies in Frankfurt am Main. Between March and August 1943 the Germans deported nearly all of Thessaloniki's Jewish population to concentration and death camps.
Zamboni could not have prevented the tragedy, but he did everything he could to rescue Italian Jews. He also managed to extend provisional Italian citizenship to 280 Greek Jews. These certificates of Italian nationality, with the handwritten mark "provisional", were handed to many people who did not speak or understand Italian, made quasi-legal by claiming distant relatives. He later said: Their number eventually reached 350. Zamboni thus saved them from deportation as well.
Zamboni left Thessaloniki on 18 June 1943 to return to Rome
. His work in rescuing Jews was continued by his successor, Giuseppe Castruccio. Castruccio would later organize a «rescue train» that transported Jews with Italian passports to Athens
, which at that time was under Italian occupation.
Zamboni's behaviour was observed by one of his coworkers, Captain Lucillo Merci, a liaison officer with the German forces and the author of a detailed diary of those events.
and in Thailand
. He was the Italian Ambassador to Thailand until 1961.
In 1992 the State of Israel
awarded Guelfo Zamboni with the title of Righteous among the Nations
. He was thus awarded a place in Jerusalem's "Yad Vashem
". In 2002 the then Israeli Ambassador in Italy, Ehud Gol, traveled to Santa Sofia to place a stone in Zamboni's memory.
Guelfo Zamboni never asked for recognition of his aid and remained quite unknown in Italy
until the eve of his 95 birthday (1992), when he gave his first interview after being awarded the title of "Righteous among the Nations". In 2008 the Italian Embassy in Athens published the book Ebrei di Salonicco 1943, i documenti dell'umanità italiana, edited by Antonio Ferrari (Corriere della Sera
), Alessandra Coppola (University of Padua
), and Jannis Chrisafis (a Greek journalist). This book reports the telex
sent to Rome by Zamboni. His story also inspired the theatrical work Salonicco '43 by Ferdinando Ceriani, Gian Paolo Cavarai and Antonio Ferrari, previewed at the University of Tel Aviv on 23 September 2008 during a celebratory evening organized by the Italian Cultural Institute.
Early life
Guelfo Zamboni was born at Santa SofiaSanta Sofia, Italy
Santa Sofia is a comune in the Province of Forlì-Cesena in the Italian region Emilia–Romagna, located about 80 km southeast of Bologna and about 35 km southwest of Forlì....
, then part of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
. The last of eight sons, he belonged to a family devoted to handicrafts. His parents wanted him to become a clergyman, but they died early in his life and left him an orphan. He decided to attend school when he became older and faced the hardship of earning a living while studying. At 19 he fought as an infantryman in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, from 1916 to 1918, and was honored with a Bronze Medal of Military Valor
Bronze Medal of Military Valor
The Bronze Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.It was established by Charles Albert of Sardinia on March 26, 1833, along with the higher ranking Gold and Silver Medals for Military valor...
and a War Merit Cross as he had been seriously wounded.
After the war he received a degree in Economics and Trade. In 1925 he took the exam that began him in his diplomatic career. He would be a coworker of Bernardo Attolico in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and learned and became fluent in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Rescuing the Jews of Thessaloniki
In 1942 Zamboni was appointed Consul General for Italy in ThessalonikiThessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, a town occupied by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
At that time, Thessaloniki hosted the world's largest community (56,000) of Sephardic Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, many of Italian descent. In June 1942, the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg began the systematic confiscation of the town's archives, libraries, and manuscripts, all of which were sent to the Institute for Jewish Studies in Frankfurt am Main. Between March and August 1943 the Germans deported nearly all of Thessaloniki's Jewish population to concentration and death camps.
Zamboni could not have prevented the tragedy, but he did everything he could to rescue Italian Jews. He also managed to extend provisional Italian citizenship to 280 Greek Jews. These certificates of Italian nationality, with the handwritten mark "provisional", were handed to many people who did not speak or understand Italian, made quasi-legal by claiming distant relatives. He later said: Their number eventually reached 350. Zamboni thus saved them from deportation as well.
Zamboni left Thessaloniki on 18 June 1943 to return to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. His work in rescuing Jews was continued by his successor, Giuseppe Castruccio. Castruccio would later organize a «rescue train» that transported Jews with Italian passports to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, which at that time was under Italian occupation.
Zamboni's behaviour was observed by one of his coworkers, Captain Lucillo Merci, a liaison officer with the German forces and the author of a detailed diary of those events.
Post war
After the war's end Zamboni was put in charge of diplomatic missions in BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. He was the Italian Ambassador to Thailand until 1961.
In 1992 the State of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
awarded Guelfo Zamboni with the title of Righteous among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
. He was thus awarded a place in Jerusalem's "Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
". In 2002 the then Israeli Ambassador in Italy, Ehud Gol, traveled to Santa Sofia to place a stone in Zamboni's memory.
Guelfo Zamboni never asked for recognition of his aid and remained quite unknown in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
until the eve of his 95 birthday (1992), when he gave his first interview after being awarded the title of "Righteous among the Nations". In 2008 the Italian Embassy in Athens published the book Ebrei di Salonicco 1943, i documenti dell'umanità italiana, edited by Antonio Ferrari (Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
), Alessandra Coppola (University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
), and Jannis Chrisafis (a Greek journalist). This book reports the telex
Telex
Telex may refer to:* Telex , , a communications network** Teleprinter, the device used on the above network* Telex , a Belgian pop group...
sent to Rome by Zamboni. His story also inspired the theatrical work Salonicco '43 by Ferdinando Ceriani, Gian Paolo Cavarai and Antonio Ferrari, previewed at the University of Tel Aviv on 23 September 2008 during a celebratory evening organized by the Italian Cultural Institute.
Sources
- Daniel Carpi, A New Approach to Some Episodes in the History of the Jews in Salonika during the Holocaust. Memory, Myth, Documentation, dal II volume di The Last Ottoman Century and Beyond: The Jews in Turkey and the Balkans 1808-1945, edited by Minna Rozen, The Aviv University
- Aldo Viroli, «Zamboni, "Giusto" romagnolo», La Voce di Romagna, 12 January 2009, pag. 25.
- Angelo Bitti Esce dagli archivi, un pezzo alla volta, la tragica storia ..., Società Italiana per lo Studio della Storia contemporanea (Italian Society for the Study of Contemporary History) SISCO