Rome's 20 day Holocaust commemoration

 ROME – The liberation of Auschwitz, the Holocaust, and the legacy of Fascism in Europe are the subject of solemn commemoration from Tuesday through Feb 15, despite high terrorism warning.

 Official celebrations will centered in the Vittoriano House of Memory and History and will include testimonies by Italian Holocaust survivors, films, and galleries commemorating the dark event in European history.

 The Italian role in the rise of Fascism will be of particular emphasis in the commemorations, centering around the rise of Fascism in Italy, its fall, Rome in1943-45, The Italian resistance against the Nazi’s and will culminate with celebrations themed around the liberation of Italy by the Allied forces.  

An event of particular importance to the entire commemoration will be held on February 1st at the Foyer of the Teatro Tor Bella Monaca, which will display what is said to be one of the largest and most vivid photo collections chronicling Holocaust and the rise of Fascism in Europe.

The exhibit was launched with the intended purpose to “maintain the moral legacy of perpetual memory, in a period of history that, if we think about it, is not too different from that which led to similar catastrophes.” According to the creators of the exhibit.  Rai news will also participate in the event, having several broadcasts throughout the entirety of the celebration with debates, movies, and documentaries all aimed at drawing attention to the war and subsequent massacres that tore Europe to pieces almost 80 years ago. 

Tuesday, January 27, “The Day of Remembrance” will begin at 9:00am at the Temple of Jupiter, with the hanging by the administration of the Roman Capital of a plaque in memory of Aldo and Bixio Pergola, two brothers who were employees of Capitoline, who, with numerous other colleagues of the Jewish religion were dismissed by the Governor following the promulgation of racial laws and were eventually deported and killed in Auschwitz. 

Al Teatro Villa Torlonia will host a screening at 10:30am of a documentary by Branko Schmidt, winner of the Special Jury Prize of Italian Doc at the Turin Film Festival. "Wolf ", which chronicles the Chief Rabbi Benjamin Murmelstein (1905-1989), who was the director of the Terezín ghetto, and was tasked with representing the Jewish community which had already been captured by the Nazi’s, and represents one of many examples of the heroism which will be the subject of commemoration throughout the festival.

The Italian Senate will also hold a ceremony commemorating the Roma people who were exterminated under Fascism.

As a precaution, Italian authorities have raised the terror alert, and have beefed up security around areas in which celebrations will take place, chiefly around Italian government buildings and the Jewish Ghetto. As of now no specific terrorism threats have been named.