PG 19 - Bologna - Due Madonne

Sheet by: Isabella Insolvibile

General data

Town: Bologna

Province: Bologna

Region: Emilia-Romagna

Location/Address: Caserma Due Madonne, Via Due Madonne, 9/2, 40139 Bologna - Bologna

Type of camp: Prisoner of War camp

Number: 19

Italian military mail service number: 3200

Intended to: officers

Local jurisdiction: Difesa Territoriale Bologna

Railroad station: Bologna

Accommodation: military quarters

Capacity: 1000

Operating: from 07/1943 to 08/09/1943

Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Guerrini, Col. Aldo Magagnoli

Brief chronology:
The camp operated during the summer of 1943; until the Armistice.

Allied prisoners in the Bologna camp

There are no data on this camp, except for the 31 July 1943 [TNA, WO 224/178]:
Date Generals Officers NCOs Troops TOT
31.7.1943   671 190 861
31.8.1943 2 830 7 181 1020

Camp’s overview

There are few documents concerning this camp: there are no specific data on the number of PoWs nor the Command. The camp was established in a barracks on the periphery of Bologna during the summer of 1943 and was intended for Allied officers.
During July, PoWs from the closed camp of Padula, and more from Sulmona and Chieti were transferred here. On 2 September 1943, the camp held 1,041 prisoners, mostly British. It was adequately supplied, but some goods were scarce, such as soap and tobacco.
After the Armistice, several prisoners managed to avoid capture by the Germans, but the latter opened fire on some of the runaways with machine guns installed outside the camp, seemingly prepared for this eventuality. One escapee was killed, and two were wounded.
The barracks later returned to their original use.

Archival sources

Bibliography

Online resources

Stories linked to this camp