[1][2] In 1944, it was the site of a notorious Nazi crime against humanity committed by a part of German 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS during World War II.

In the morning of 12 August, about 560 villagers and refugees (including 130 children) were murdered and their bodies burnt in a scorched earth policy action.

During an investigation of the military attorney Antonino Intelisano, 695 files about war crimes in Italy during World War II were found in a wooden cabinet, known as the Armadio della vergogna (armoire of shame), located in a palace of Rome.

[4] Since 2000, it has been the site of the Italian National Park of Peace (Parco Nazionale della Pace) with memorials and a museum dedicated to the massacre.

[6] The massacre inspired the novel Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride, and Spike Lee's film (2008) of the same title that was based on it.