Launched in September 2024, Allies in Italy (1940–1943) is a groundbreaking collaboration between the Istituto Nazionale Ferruccio Parri and the Monte San Martino Trust. Now eight months in, it has already made substantial progress in documenting the experiences of Allied prisoners of war and the remarkable Italians who risked everything to help them, building on previous research into PoW camps accessible at www.alleatiinitalia.it.
The project has assembled a strong team of researchers, historians and technical staff. Their mission: to shed light on individual and collective acts of resistance and compassion during one of the most complex chapters of the Second World War.
Key achievements so far include:
- Archival research: A systematic review of key documents from the US National Archives (NARA), the Imperial War Museum, and the UK National Archives took place in autumn 2024, including a research visit to London by several team members.
- Micro-stories of helpers: Forty short narratives are being written to highlight the Italians who assisted Allied prisoners. These stories are deeply human, often touching, and shine a light on the courage of ordinary people. Around ten have been completed so far, with translations due to begin soon.
- Escape stories: In parallel, twenty prisoner escape accounts are being written by researcher Mara Piconi, with half already drafted and the remainder due for publication online this June.
- Database of helpers: A digital database is being developed to record the names and stories of Italians who helped PoWs. Once complete, it will serve as a vital resource for both historians and descendants.
- Translation of Isabella Insolvibile’s book: A significant milestone for the project is the forthcoming English publication of La prigionia alleata in Italia 1940–1943, by historian Isabella Insolvibile. The book explores the political, social and human dimensions of Allied captivity in wartime Italy. An English translation, funded by MSMT and the Parri institute, will be launched at a dedicated event in London this autumn, bringing new insights to English-speaking audiences.
Looking ahead, four public events are being planned: one in London and three across Italy (in the north, centre and south). More details will be shared in the summer.
The original collaboration agreement with MSMT was forged by Prof Paolo Pezzini, who has now stepped down as the institute’s president. The task of overseeing Parri’s network of 68 institutes, which conduct research into the Resistance and contemporary history, has fallen to his successor, Prof Paolo Corsini. In addition to his career as a professor of history at Parma University, Prof Corsini has been mayor of Brescia and has also represented the Democratic Party in parliament and the Senate.
