Date of birth:

06/12/1906

Place:

Campo di Giove

Province:

L'Aquila

Region:

Abruzzo

Assistance provided:

Food, shelter, clothing

Prisoners helped:

PoWs of various nationalities escaped from PG 78 Sulmona

Start date:

September 1943

End date:

January-February 1944

Description:

Maria, mother of four children, took on the farm work of her husband, who was at the front. In the autumn of 1943, she sheltered seven prisoners in her home for about forty days. Following a tip-off — although the soldiers had already been moved to a safer location — her house was searched multiple times. The Germans threatened Maria by holding a gun to her head, but she bravely denied ever seeing or sheltering Allied prisoners, thus preventing their recapture. Later, Maria was forced to evacuate with her family.

Bibliography:

F. Del Monaco, M.R.La Morgia, Sul sentiero della libertà. Storie dell’Abruzzo tra guerra e resistenza. Ianieri Edizioni, Pescara, 2023- R. Borri Marinucci, M. L. Fabiilli Faraglia, M. Setta (a cura di), E si divisero il pane che non c'era, Qualevita, Torre dei Nolfi- L’Aquila, 2009.

Archival sources:

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