Campagna internment camp

All of the prisoners were free to move through the streets and houses of the town, as they were welcomed by the inhabitants of Campagna as friends[citation needed].

[citation needed] Following provisions issued by the government, suitable structures for the detention of opponents of the fascist regime that were not in areas close to ports, important roads, railway lines, airports, or weapon factories were sought throughout Italy.

The structures were owned by the municipality and were used by the Military District of Campagna, once a year for the Royal Army officer cadets, for practical field exercises.

Equipped with water and electric light, it could house approximately 450 people, in addition to the guardhouse with accommodation for an NCO and six carabinieri.

Built starting in the sixteenth century on a clay hill to the northeast of the Casalenuovo district, it was remodeled several times following landslides that led to its demolition in the mid-1980s.

Only two of them were said to have died during the three years of its use as a concentration camp, and were buried in the city cemetery with funeral rites celebrated by two rabbis.

There was also a small synagogue set up in San Bartolomeo and, for a period, at the bishop's invitation, an interned pianist played the organ in the church during Sunday mass.

When they arrived, however, they found the camp empty; the prisoners had previously been warned by the locals and fled into the mountains.

Including a former Jewish refugee, about 300 civilians died in two heavy bombings conducted jointly by the British and Americans.

After the liberation on September 19, 1943, a refugee camp managed by the Allies was set up in the San Bartolomeo barracks building.