How a Roman hospital became a savior during the holocaust

Day 343 / 365

During the holocaust, the Nazis searched for Jewish people everywhere and deported them into concentration camps. This was a definite death sentence for them. The Nazis didn’t even leave the ill behind, they searched and took people from the hospitals as well.

On 16th October 1943, they deported 1200 jews from various parts of Rome, from which only 15 survived.

Giovanni Borromeo, head physician of a hospital in Rome found a way to save some of them. He created a ward in his hospital and filled it with patients who, as he told the Nazis, were suffering from “K syndrome”. This K syndrome was however totally made up, and the patients were actually Jewish refugees hiding from the Nazis.

Giovanni told the Nazi troops that the disease was highly contagious, and described in terrible detail the effect it had on the patients. After that, he invited them to search the wards, but they were too afraid to do so.

Giovanni was truly a hero and has been recognized as one in Italy as well as internationally. He put his own life at risk to save the refugees.

This post is part of my 365 Day Project for 2019. Read about it here

Yesterday’s blog — Are office perks worth it?