Italy marks 80th anniversary of WWII-era massacre in Rome with a concert honoring the dead durangoherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from durangoherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Irish Pimpernell and the Gestapo Chief
When Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty – the ‘Scarlet Pimpernell of the Vatican’ – heard the massive explosion in Rome on the afternoon of 23 March, 1944, he knew he had to act quickly. Rome’s worst nightmare was about to begin, but one that, typical of the man, would have a compassionate ending, as PAT POLAND explains.
On 3 September, 1943, at the height of the Second World War, the Italian government surrendered unconditionally to the Allies. Shortly after, German forces began occupying Rome, and King Victor Emmanuel III and government officials fled to the south leaving the Italian army leaderless and in chaos.