Italian Prisoners of War in South Africa During the Second World War: Circumstances and Contributions

Abstract

AbstractOn the featureless plains of the South African Highveld, a sign, in Italian, reads Cimitero Militare Italiano. The signpost seems strangely out of place in the predominantly Afrikaans cultural landscape. The cemetery honours the 312 Italian prisoners of war (POWs) who remained behind in South Africa when their compatriots left at the end of World War II. Theirs was not a choice; they died waiting for the end of their plight. After the war, some POWs chose to stay in South Africa and adopt the country as their new homeland. Many more returned to South Africa over the next few years. These new South Africans contributed much to their adopted country, but even those that departed and never returned, left an indelible signature on the landscape of South Africa.Today, more than 73 years after the last Italian POWs were repatriated, their imprint is fading. However, even a cursory investigation reveals their contributions and their importance in shaping modern South Africa. A review of available literature sources and archival material, fieldwork and personal interviews were used as basis for the investigation of this underexplored piece of South African and Italian history. This chapter reports on the circumstances surrounding the incarceration of the Italian POWs, as well as the geographical extent and significance of their contributions to South Africa.KeywordsItalian POWsZonderwaterDuca d’Aosta schoolsSecond World WarZonderwater Block Association