Relatives of six Italians who were hanged by German soldiers during WWII to get compensation after 80 years

Several Italian civilians, who are descendants of six individuals hanged by occupying German soldiers during World War II, are now set to receive a share of 12 million euros (USD 13 million), nearly 80 years after the tragic incident occurred. These civilians were subjected to collective punishment as retaliation for the killing of a soldier who had been foraging for food.

The compensation has been granted by an Italian court as recompense for the enduring trauma suffered by the victims’ families.

Mauro Petrarca, the great-grandson of one of the individuals killed, Domenico Lancellotta, shared, “We still commemorate the event every year. It has not faded from memory.” Domenico Lancellotta, a 52-year-old Roman Catholic and father of five daughters and a son, was among those who lost their lives.

Although nearly all of the surviving family members from that time have passed away, Italian law permits the transfer of owed damages to the heirs. Consequently, Petrarca is expected to receive around 130,000 euros (USD 142,000) according to the court’s ruling, which was issued in 2020.

Notably, the compensation will be paid by Italy and not Germany. This is due to Italy’s loss in the International Court of Justice, which challenged whether Germany could still be held responsible for damages related to World War II crimes and atrocities.

Some Jewish organizations in Italy have asserted that Germany should assume responsibility to fulfill its historical obligations. Victim advocacy groups are also concerned that Italy may be sluggish in addressing the flood of compensation claims, potentially burdening state finances.

Giulio Disegni, the vice president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI), emphasized the complexity of this matter from both political and legal perspectives. UCEI has been actively monitoring the issue on behalf of Jewish victims of Nazi atrocities.

In 2016, the German government funded a study that estimated around 22,000 Italians were victims of Nazi war crimes. This figure includes up to 8,000 Jews who were deported to death camps, as well as thousands more forced into slave labor in Germany.

The six men who were hanged suffered this fate in the Italian village of Fornelli. Their descendants are expected to be among the first beneficiaries of a newly established government fund designed to handle compensation claims.

The tragic event occurred just a month after Italy signed an armistice with the Allied forces, effectively ending its involvement in World War II and severing its alliance with the Nazis. In response, Nazi forces proceeded to occupy Italy.