Der Feind von nebenan : Judenverfolgung im faschistischen Italien 1936-1944

Discusses the persecution of Jews in Italy during World War II, noting that 8,500 Jews were deported, mostly to Auschwitz. During the nine-month Nazi occupation of Rome, which began in September 1943, 2,000 Jews were deported, 1,800 of whom did not survive. Anti-Jewish persecution was accepted by Italians and tolerated during the entire period of the war. There was no protest against the adoption of the racial laws in fall 1938, nor against the use of Jewish forced labor from summer 1942. Additional anti-Jewish practices were met with indifference or approval. States that the image of "italiani brava gente", which implied humaneness and fairness of all Italians, was not justified. Some denouncers in Rome lived near the former ghetto and surrendered Jewish victims in exchange for large sums of money, paid by the Germans. The police also participated actively in arrests of Jews. Originally presented as the author's thesis--Universität Göttingen. 408 pages ; 24 cm.