Italian military internees
Encyclopedia
Italian military internees ( Militär-Italienische Internierten - IMI) was the official name given by Germany to the Italian soldiers captured, rounded up and deported in the territories of the Third Reich in Operation Achse
in the days immediately following the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces (September 8, 1943).
After disarmament by the Germans, the Italian soldiers and officers were confronted with the choice to continue fighting in the ranks of the German army, or, otherwise, be sent to detention camps in Germany. Only 10 percent agreed to enroll. The others were considered "prisoners of war
". Later they were re-designated "military internees" by the Germans (so as to not recognize the rights granted prisoners of war by the Third Geneva Convention
), and finally, in the autumn of 1944 until the end of the war, "civilian workers", so they could be subjected to hard labor without protection of the Red Cross.
The Nazis considered the Italians as traitors and not as prisoners of war. The former Italian soldiers were sent into forced labor in war industries (35.6%), heavy industry (7.1%), mining (28.5%), construction (5.9%) and agriculture (14.3%). The working conditions were very bad. The Italians were inadequately fed or clothed for the German winter. Many became sick.
, decided immediately to accept the offer to fight alongside the Germans. This left a total of approximately 710,000 Italian soldiers deported into prison camps of the Third Reich with the status of IMI. By the spring of 1944, some 103,000 had declared themselves ready to serve in Germany or the Italian Social Republic
, as combatants or as auxiliary workers. In total, therefore, between 600,000 and 650,000 soldiers refused to continue the war alongside the Germans.
The estimates of losses among the IMI vary between 37,000 and 50,000. The causes of death were:
At the end of the war, several thousand former IMI ended up in the hands of French, Russians or Yugoslavs, and instead of being released, were kept in captivity for some time after the end of the war.
Operation Achse
Operation Achse , also called Operation Alaric, were the codenames of the German plans to forcibly disarm the Italian armed forces after their expected armistice with the Allied forces...
in the days immediately following the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces (September 8, 1943).
After disarmament by the Germans, the Italian soldiers and officers were confronted with the choice to continue fighting in the ranks of the German army, or, otherwise, be sent to detention camps in Germany. Only 10 percent agreed to enroll. The others were considered "prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
". Later they were re-designated "military internees" by the Germans (so as to not recognize the rights granted prisoners of war by the Third Geneva Convention
Third Geneva Convention
The Third Geneva Convention, relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. It was first adopted in 1929, but was significantly updated in 1949...
), and finally, in the autumn of 1944 until the end of the war, "civilian workers", so they could be subjected to hard labor without protection of the Red Cross.
The Nazis considered the Italians as traitors and not as prisoners of war. The former Italian soldiers were sent into forced labor in war industries (35.6%), heavy industry (7.1%), mining (28.5%), construction (5.9%) and agriculture (14.3%). The working conditions were very bad. The Italians were inadequately fed or clothed for the German winter. Many became sick.
Numbers of prisoners and casualties
The Germans disarmed and captured 1,007,000 Italian soldiers, out of a total of approximately 2,000,000 actually in the army. Of these, 196,000 fled during the deportation. Of the remaining approximately 810,000 (of which 58,000 were caught in France, 321,000 in Italy and 430,000 in the Balkans), more than 13,000 lost their lives during the brutal transportation from the Greek islands to the mainland and 94,000, including almost all of the Blackshirts of MVSNMVSN
MVSN can refer to:* The Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale of the Italian Fascist movement.* The Milice de Volontaires de la Sécurité Nationale better known as the Tonton Macoutes....
, decided immediately to accept the offer to fight alongside the Germans. This left a total of approximately 710,000 Italian soldiers deported into prison camps of the Third Reich with the status of IMI. By the spring of 1944, some 103,000 had declared themselves ready to serve in Germany or the Italian Social Republic
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
, as combatants or as auxiliary workers. In total, therefore, between 600,000 and 650,000 soldiers refused to continue the war alongside the Germans.
The estimates of losses among the IMI vary between 37,000 and 50,000. The causes of death were:
- the harshness and danger of forced labor (10,000 dead),
- disease and malnutrition, especially in the last months of the war (23,000);
- executions inside the camps (4,600);
- the allied bombings of facilities where they worked (2,700);
- others perished on the Eastern Front 5,000-7,000.
At the end of the war, several thousand former IMI ended up in the hands of French, Russians or Yugoslavs, and instead of being released, were kept in captivity for some time after the end of the war.
Ships sunk carrying Italian POW's
- DonizettiItalian ship Gaetano DonizettiThe Gaetano Donizetti was an Italian merchant ship, which sank on September 23, 1943 in the Aegean Sea, killing some 1,800 people on board, 1,576 Italian POW's and 220 guards and crew.- Background :...
, Sep. 23 1943, Rhodes, 1,796 killed. - Ardena, Sep. 27 1943, Kefalonia, 779 killed.
- Maria Amalia, Oct. 13 1943, Kefalonia, 550 killed.
- Mario RoselliItalian ship Mario RoselliThe Mario Roselli was an Italian cargo ship, which sank on 11 October 1943 in Corfu Bay, killing some 1,302 Italian POW's.- History of the ship :The Mario Roselli was built by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico in 1940...
, Oct. 11 1943, Corfu, 1,302 killed. - SinfraFrench ship SinfraThe Sinfra was a French cargo ship, which sank on 20 October 1943 at Suda Bay, Crete, killing some 2,098 Italian POW's.- Background :The Greek island of Crete had been captured by the Germans in the Battle of Crete in May 1941, and was occupied by a mixed German-Italian force...
, Oct. 20 1943, Crete, 2,098 killed. - PetrellaGerman ship PetrellaThe Petrella was an German merchant ship, which sank on February 8, 1944 north of Suda Bay, Crete, killing some 2,670 Italian POWs.- Background :...
, Feb. 8 1944, Crete, 2,670 killed. - OriaSS OriaThe SS Oria was a Norwegian steamboat, which sank on February 12, 1944, causing the death of some 4000 Italian prisoners of war. This was one of the worst maritime disasters ever, and probably the worst loss of life caused by the sinking of a single ship in the Mediterranean Sea.- The ship :The...
, Feb. 12 1944, Cape Sounion, 4,074 killed.
Some well-known IMI's
- Alessandro NattaAlessandro NattaAlessandro Natta , was an Italian politician and secretary of the Italian Communist Party from 1984 to 1988.-Before and during the World War:...
- Giovannino GuareschiGiovannino GuareschiGiovannino Oliviero Giuseppe Guareschi was an Italian journalist, cartoonist and humorist whose most famous creation is the priest Don Camillo.-Life and career:...
- Tonino GuerraTonino GuerraTonino Guerra is an Italian poet, writer and screenwriter who has collaborated with some of the most prominent film directors of the world.-Biography:Guerra was born in Santarcangelo di Romagna....
- Giuseppe TontodonatiGiuseppe TontodonatiGiuseppe Tontodonati was an Italian dialect poet.-Life:Giuseppe Tontodonati was born in Abruzzo a region in central Italy in the small town of Scafa in 1917. When he was a child he moved with his family to Pescara...
- Gianrico TedeschiGianrico TedeschiGianrico Tedeschi is an Italian film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1943 and 1994.-Selected filmography:* Il padrone del vapore * Non perdiamo la testa * The Law * Adua and Friends...
- Mario Rigoni SternMario Rigoni SternMario Rigoni Stern was an Italian author and World War II veteran.His first novel Il sergente nella neve, published in 1953 , draws on his own experience as a Sergeant Major in the Alpini corp during the disastrous retreat from Russia in World War II...