Stories of Memory: Jews from Trentino between 1938 and 1945

The Library of Besenello (TN) recently hosted the presentation of the book The Rediscovered Stories: Jews in the Province of Trento, 1938-1945, written by Maria Luisa Crosina. This work aims to give voice to a painful chapter in Trentino’s history, gathering significant testimonies from the Jewish community present in the region during the dark years of the Holocaust.

The volume comprises oral and written accounts, letters preserved as relics, and documents that have remained silent in archives for over fifty years. Each story encapsulates deep emotions and reflections that emerge from the evocative images contained within the vast book of collective memory.

A Dramatic Common Denominator

The narratives collected in the book present diverse experiences, yet all share a tragic common thread: being Jewish under the Nazi regime. “I wrote these pages so that the words of the living do not fade away and so that the dead may regain a thread of voice…” Crosina states in the introduction. The stories recount heartbreaking abandonments, separations from loved ones and daily life, dignity that was offended but never completely extinguished, as well as poverty that does not descend into spiritual misery.

Recognition for Research

For her commitment to historical research and the promotion of culture related to racial persecution, Maria Luisa Crosina received the Silver Gonfalone from the city of Arco in 2022. This recognition was awarded “for merits related to research and the promotion of culture,” highlighting the importance of her work in bringing to light the stories of Jews deported from Arco.

Every year, on January 27, in observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Municipality of Arco remembers Eva Haas Flatter, Arturo Cassin, and Gino Tedeschi, who were deported from Arco and died in Auschwitz. Leo Zelikowski, an honorary citizen of Arco and a survivor of the extermination camps, is also celebrated; his testimony represents an important message of peace and reconciliation.

A Valuable Contribution to the Community

The community of Arco expresses gratitude to Maria Luisa Crosina for recovering the stories of these four individuals and for making their courage against Nazi-fascist atrocities known. Her work not only promotes local culture but also ensures that the memories of racial persecution are passed down to new generations. The professor has managed to reconstruct a network of acts of solidarity that serve as a shining example in a time marked by darkness.

Through this meticulous work, Crosina has breathed life into stories that would otherwise have been forgotten, ensuring that such experiences are never again overshadowed by history.