October 16, 1943: a date on the civil calendar or a conundrum in Italy’s history? A review of recent historiography

This review analyses some recent studies dedicated to the deportation of the Jews of Rome, which allow us to focus on some important historical issues related to that event and to reflect upon its importance for the identity and memory of contemporary Italy. According to the author, four main themes emerge from these researches. First, the need to place the Roman affair within the overall policy of Nazi Germany towards the Jews in occupied Europe. Second, the role of the Catholic Church in this specific context. Third, the behaviour of institutions and society during and after the months of German occupation. Fourth, the ways of transmission of the memory of October 16, 1943 in the republican age, beyond institutional obligations, ceremonials and the rhet-oric of politics. The publications examined in this review open new research perspec-tives on these aspects, they help to focus on the contours, limits and conditioning of the processes of memory construction and suggest to study this subject in its implica-tions and long-term consequences, in a close and dialectic relationship with Italy's contemporary political and cultural events.

Keywords: Deportation of the Jews of Rome, historiography, memory, identity, history of republi-can Italy, Catholic Church

Mario Toscano, 16 ottobre 1943: una data del calendario civile o un problema della nostra storia? Note su alcune recenti pubblicazioni in "MONDO CONTEMPORANEO" 1/2019, pp 119-140, DOI: 10.3280/MON2019-001005