Rita Zucca
Encyclopedia
Rita Luisa Zucca was an Italian-American radio announcer who broadcast Axis
propaganda to Allied troops in Italy and North Africa. She became known as one of the "Axis Sally
s", along with Mildred Gillars, who broadcast out of Berlin, Germany.
She returned to Italy in 1938, working as a typist and renouncing her American citizenship three years later to save her family's property from expropriation by Mussolini's government.
decided to try and emulate the German radio’s Axis Sally
broadcasts of Mildred Gillars. In the summer of 1943, the Italian national radio network in Rome hired the 30-year-old Zucca with this aim in mind, in spite of her losing a typing job in 1942 for copying an anti-Fascist pamphlet.
Zucca was teamed with German broadcaster Charles Goedel in the program 'Jerry's Front Calling'. Much to Gillars' chagrin, Zucca was also referred to as Axis Sally
. Zucca's trademark sign-off was "a sweet kiss from Sally", and she was often mistaken for Gillars.
According to one account, Zucca signed onto each show by uttering "Hello Suckers!" and her signature tune was "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
.
Her broadcasts sometimes used intelligence provided by the German embassy in Rome in an attempt to confuse Allied troops. One notable example came on July 8, 1943, the night before the invasion of Sicily. Zucca's broadcast that night told "the wonderful boys of the 504th Parachute Regiment" that "Col. Willis Mitchell's playboys the 61st Troop Carrier Group
are going to carry you to certain death. We know where and when you are jumping and you will be wiped out."
As the Allied armies advanced north into Rome, Zucca retreated north with the Germans in 1944 and resumed broadcasting from Milan. There, in September 1944, the broadcast crew of Jerry's Front was attached to a German military propaganda unit called the Liberty Station. By then Zucca was pregnant. Her son was born on December 15, 1944. She returned to the microphone 40 days later and continued until her final broadcast on April 25, 1945.
A correspondent from the American military magazine Stars and Stripes
, said that Zucca's well-known crossed-eye condition did nothing to detract from her attractiveness: "True, her left eye is inclined to wander—but that cooey, sexy voice really has something to back it up."
Newspapers in America were far more scathing. "Soft-Voiced 'Sally from Berlin' Found to Be Ugly Ex–N.Y. Girl" was a typical headline, with descriptions of the young mother as "[as] ugly and unattractive in person as her voice was appealing." Another journalist called her "cross-eyed, bow-legged and sallow-skinned."
Zucca was then tried by an Italian military tribunal on charges of collaboration. On March 29, 1946 she was sentenced to 4½ years in prison, but was released after 9 months. She was barred from returning to the United States.
movie Miracle at St. Anna
, Zucca was depicted by Alexandra Maria Lara
. She was also depicted as a historical figure in A. Edward Cooper's novel Triumph of the Third Reich and Nona Hengen's novel Palouse Pilot.
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
propaganda to Allied troops in Italy and North Africa. She became known as one of the "Axis Sally
Axis Sally
Axis Sally can refer to:*Mildred Gillars, German-American female radio personality during World War II, best known for her propaganda broadcasts for Nazi Germany...
s", along with Mildred Gillars, who broadcast out of Berlin, Germany.
Early life
Zucca's father, Louis, owned a very successful restaurant in New York's midtown in the 1930s and 1940s, called Zucca's Italian Garden. Located at 116-118-120 West 49th Street, the restaurant had its own promotional postcards which displayed a distinctly refined setting. Zucca spent her teenage years in a convent school in Florence and, as a young woman, had worked in the family business.She returned to Italy in 1938, working as a typist and renouncing her American citizenship three years later to save her family's property from expropriation by Mussolini's government.
Axis Sally
As the Allied invasion of Italy progressed, the Fascist government of Benito MussoliniBenito 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....
decided to try and emulate the German radio’s Axis Sally
Axis Sally
Axis Sally can refer to:*Mildred Gillars, German-American female radio personality during World War II, best known for her propaganda broadcasts for Nazi Germany...
broadcasts of Mildred Gillars. In the summer of 1943, the Italian national radio network in Rome hired the 30-year-old Zucca with this aim in mind, in spite of her losing a typing job in 1942 for copying an anti-Fascist pamphlet.
Zucca was teamed with German broadcaster Charles Goedel in the program 'Jerry's Front Calling'. Much to Gillars' chagrin, Zucca was also referred to as Axis Sally
Axis Sally
Axis Sally can refer to:*Mildred Gillars, German-American female radio personality during World War II, best known for her propaganda broadcasts for Nazi Germany...
. Zucca's trademark sign-off was "a sweet kiss from Sally", and she was often mistaken for Gillars.
According to one account, Zucca signed onto each show by uttering "Hello Suckers!" and her signature tune was "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
"Between the devil and the deep blue sea" is an idiom meaning a dilemma—i.e., to choose between two undesirable situations .-Possible origins:...
.
Her broadcasts sometimes used intelligence provided by the German embassy in Rome in an attempt to confuse Allied troops. One notable example came on July 8, 1943, the night before the invasion of Sicily. Zucca's broadcast that night told "the wonderful boys of the 504th Parachute Regiment" that "Col. Willis Mitchell's playboys the 61st Troop Carrier Group
61st Air Base Group
The 61st Air Base Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 61st Air Base Wing of Air Force Space Command. The unit is stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California....
are going to carry you to certain death. We know where and when you are jumping and you will be wiped out."
As the Allied armies advanced north into Rome, Zucca retreated north with the Germans in 1944 and resumed broadcasting from Milan. There, in September 1944, the broadcast crew of Jerry's Front was attached to a German military propaganda unit called the Liberty Station. By then Zucca was pregnant. Her son was born on December 15, 1944. She returned to the microphone 40 days later and continued until her final broadcast on April 25, 1945.
Arrest
As the Axis army finally collapsed, Zucca went by train to her uncle’s home in Milan, where she took refuge until her identification and arrest on June 5, 1945.A correspondent from the American military magazine Stars and Stripes
Stars and Stripes (newspaper)
Stars and Stripes is a news source that operates from inside the United States Department of Defense but is editorially separate from it. The First Amendment protection which Stars and Stripes enjoys is safeguarded by Congress to whom an independent ombudsman, who serves the readers' interests,...
, said that Zucca's well-known crossed-eye condition did nothing to detract from her attractiveness: "True, her left eye is inclined to wander—but that cooey, sexy voice really has something to back it up."
Newspapers in America were far more scathing. "Soft-Voiced 'Sally from Berlin' Found to Be Ugly Ex–N.Y. Girl" was a typical headline, with descriptions of the young mother as "[as] ugly and unattractive in person as her voice was appealing." Another journalist called her "cross-eyed, bow-legged and sallow-skinned."
Trial
All attempts by the American government to prosecute Zucca for treason broke down when it became clear that she had renounced her American citizenship before she had started broadcasting. The FBI's J. Edgar Hoover wrote to the Justice Department, "In view of the fact that she has lost her American citizenship, no efforts are being made at the present time to develop a treason case against her."Zucca was then tried by an Italian military tribunal on charges of collaboration. On March 29, 1946 she was sentenced to 4½ years in prison, but was released after 9 months. She was barred from returning to the United States.
Fictional depictions
In the Spike LeeSpike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
movie Miracle at St. Anna
Miracle at St. Anna
Miracle at St. Anna is a 2008 war film, directed by Spike Lee and written by James McBride, based on McBride's novel of the same name. The film was released on September 26, 2008, and is set during World War II, in fall of 1944 in Tuscany and in the winter of 1983 in New York City and Rome...
, Zucca was depicted by Alexandra Maria Lara
Alexandra Maria Lara
Alexandra Maria Lara is a Romanian-born German actress. She performs predominantly in leading roles in a variety of historical and crime films...
. She was also depicted as a historical figure in A. Edward Cooper's novel Triumph of the Third Reich and Nona Hengen's novel Palouse Pilot.