Leonardo Marinelli was a Commander for the Guardia di Finanza

Guardia di Finanza

The Guardia di Finanza is a Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. Like the Carabinieri, it is part of the Italian Armed Forces. The Guard is essentially responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling; it has also evolved into Italy's...

 in Tirano

Tirano

Tirano is a town in Valtellina, located in the province of Sondrio, Northern Italy. It has about 9,044 inhabitants and is adjacent to the Switzerland-Italy boundary. The river Adda flows through the town....

, Italy. In 1943 he greatly assisted in the liberation of Jews from an internment camp in Aprica

Aprica

Aprica is a town and comune in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy, northern Italy. It is located on the eponymous pass, the most favourable one connecting Valtellina to Val Camonica.Its main activity is winter tourism.-External links:* * *...

.

Liberation of the Jews

Leonardo Marinelli was a Commander in the Guardia di Finanza

Guardia di Finanza

The Guardia di Finanza is a Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. Like the Carabinieri, it is part of the Italian Armed Forces. The Guard is essentially responsible for dealing with financial crime and smuggling; it has also evolved into Italy's...

 in 1943. He was stationed in Tirano and was in charge of the internment camp in Aprica. On September 12, Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII

The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....

 sent Giuseppe Carozzi, a young Italian priest with a request. The pope wanted Marinelli to liberate 300 Yugoslavian Jews from the internment camp and give them safe passage into Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

. Marinelli went against strict Nazi orders forbidding Jews, prisoners of war, or anyone who had not joined Benito Mussolini

Benito Mussolini

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....

's northern Italian Republic of Salo from crossing the border, and that same night let them escape from the camp. He even ordered guards to help carry the belongings of the Jews. After four days of travelling through unbeaten paths, the prisoners, being primarily led by Carozzi and another priest, Cirillo Vitalini, along with the help of Marinelli safely managed to cross into Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

.

Escape to Switzerland

Following the escape of the Jewish prisoners, the Nazis, which had not yet mobilized in that region, began sending more and more troops in an effort to stop illegal border crossings. They also put into effect a decree which proclaimed that anyone helping the Jews would be put to death. A captain from the SS confronted Marinelli, asking for collaboration and information. Marinelli agreed to his requests and the SS captain left. Marinelli, seeing the upcoming danger decided it was best to leave. On the 22 of September, of that same year, Marinelli, along with his family, fled to Switzerland. He remained in a refugee camp until 4 July 1945.