La Famiglia Brunacci Ad Assisi...

Il 13 ottobre 2012

Assisi
 

The first Brunacci to come to Assisi was Chiara who arrived sometime in the 1400's. According to Maria (Brunacci), the family has been in Assisi per sempre (for always) and it certainly feels that way. Being in Assisi for so many hundreds of years, the Brunacci family is quite extended; it seems, now that I am aware of it, that the longer I am here, the more “parente della famigila” (relatives of the family) I am meeting. And so it was yesterday when Mario Brunacci (my wonderful 90 year old friend who has fast become a “pal”) took me to meet and visit with Maria and Liliana (nieces of Don Aldo Brunacci) so that I could learn more of what happened here during the war.
 

Mario picked me up a few minutes before 5:00 (He is absolutely punctual!) and escorted me for the very short walk. At the door I was warmly greeted by these two thoughtful and lovely ladies who quickly showed me to the chair they had prepared for me. After a few introductory words, our conversation began in earnest.

Liliana (the younger of the two) presented me with a couple of books. As they were the same ones that Mario had previously given me and Liliana's wanting me to keep at least one of her gifts, she asked me to return one of the books to Mario...I agreed and everybody was pleased.

Liliana was a young child during the war so, for her, life didn't seem too “out of the ordinary.” She did mention that there wasn't any sugar and people were given food ration coupons. Actually, for the most part, daily life in Assisi was relatively undisturbed; the city was protected because of the medical services it was providing for the German soldiers (Assisi was officially declared a hospital city) and, by and large, the local “puppet” government under Fortini did what it was told.
 

Jewish refugees from other countries were already in Assisi in 1943; notably some from France who had entered the country via Genoa. For those who weren't Italian, one of the most difficult tasks was learning the language without a native accent. According to Maria, a good number/most of the refugees were in hiding, although the Viterbi's, among others, lived in private apartments with the “semblance” of a normal life. Maria, who was a friend of Graziella Viterbi, told me of the many times the two girls would get together; it wasn't until after the war that Maria learned of Graziella's real identity and that she was Jewish. The convent where the refugees were hidden was cloistered so, with the exception of Don Aldo who was allowed in to hear confession, no men were ever allowed to enter; a good way to keep the German soldiers out. As there were often German planes flying over the city taking pictures, when the men wanted to go out in the garden, they would wear the habits and veils of le sorelle, pretending to be sisters of the convent.
 

Monsignor Nicolini, besides hiding some documents in his office, hid a Jewish candelabra and other valuables brought by the refugees in the ground underneath il vescovado (home of the bishop.) Everything was scrupulously planned out and done to ensure the safety and comfort of those who came to Assisi in search of protection.
 

As to the imprisonment and release of Don Aldo...Someone either suspected or knew of Don Aldo's work and posted a very public sign that he had helped the Jews. Il colonnello Muller (who was praised by both Maria and Liliana for his “ignorance” of the clandestine activity and for his support of the Assisani) had no choice but to have Don Aldo arrested. While he was in prison in Perugia, Don Also's sister went there and met with “higher ups” in the clergy, telling them all that had happened. Due to her efforts, a representative came from the Vatican telling the German authorities that Don Aldo was a citizen of il Vaticano (with its own government and laws) and, as such, was not a citizen of Italy and, therefore, not subject to the laws of Italy and needed to be released from prison. This, undoubtedly, saved Don Aldo's life as he had already been scheduled for a transport to Auschwitz that was to leave shortly thereafter...