Silvio e Armida Palma Cappelli

On 6 April 1944, the hamlet of Tufo was surrounded by an SS Special Corps, which was searching the area for escaped PoWs. Silvio and Armida, who had three young children, Giovanni, Viviana, and Rosina, had been helping the Indian NCO J. Moffat and three others for about four months, and assisting other local families who were aiding more escaped PoWs near the hamlet.

As the Germans approached the place, they ran into Armida, who was perhaps guiding some escapees out of the village into the nearby woods. They fired, and she was killed on the spot.

Silvio, who had reached a nearby hut to warn the escaped prisoners of the danger, learned of his wife’s murder and assaulted a German soldier, trying to disarm him. After a brief fight, he managed to take the rifle, but was shot dead by another soldier.[1]

Domenico, Silvio’s father, witnessed the scene and, despite his old age, grabbed the rifle. However, he was not able to shoot, as he was promptly disarmed and beaten by the Germans, who took him to L’Aquila prison. He remained there until the arrival of the Allies.

Silvio and Armida’s three children were entrusted to their uncle and maternal grandfather.

The Germans managed to capture nine escaped prisoners.

Note:

[1] This episode is also present in the Atlante delle Stragi nazifasciste (although the date is marked as November 1943). However, the murder of the couple is listed as “a reprisal for a curfew violation” and there is no mention of their activities as helpers, even if this is stated in the ASC papers.