In the heart of Italy’s capital, amid the hustle and bustle of city life, a unique narrative of history and humanity unfolds within the walls of a city bus. As it traverses the familiar path of No. 23 route, skirting Rome’s main synagogue, it murmurs stories of a 12-year-old boy evading Nazi deportation during the harrowing years of World War II, with the aid of compassionate tram drivers.
The mobile homage onto this unforgettable journey is one of the notable markers of the 80th-anniversary commemorations of this dark yet impactful era. During this time, the Nazi regime seized around 1,200 individuals from Rome’s sparse Jewish community, marking one of many acts of hatred and prejudice that gripped the city in the infamous reign of fear.
The initiation of this moving tribute was marked by Emanuele Di Porto, now aged 92, formerly one of those innocent lives ensnared in this wide net of persecution. The morning of October 16, 1943, witnessed Di Porto and his mother among the people unceremoniously taken from their homes in the neighborhood now known as the Old Ghetto. A heartbreaking moment of maternal bravery set him on an unexpected path of survival when his mother nudged him off a truck bound for the Nazi death camps.
His escape led him to the No. 23 tram stop, a route that would become his haven for the ensuing two days. His youthful tale of war-time terror found receptive ears in the tram drivers, who gently shared food and shelter with the young refugee. The moving story of his mother’s sacrifice never left his thoughts during these trying times.
Years later, Di Porto marvels at the sudden resurgence in the interest toward his personal tale of survival. Once a narrative shrouded in obscurity and personal introspection, it has emerged into the spotlight as a potent symbol of strength and endurance.
The concurrence of these anniversary events with the recent Hamas militant infiltration into Israel deepens the relevance and resonance of these remembrances. Each story and each memory pay tribute to the monumental human spirit that persevered in the face of horrifying adversity.
Di Porto’s journey of survival led him back to his father and siblings, following a chance recognition onboard the tram. His last memory of his mother remains imprinted as her act of sacrifice that fateful morning. His visit to the Birkenau Nazi death camp years later echoed with the sorrowful memory of his mother. He stood near his sister as she whispered, “Here is where Mamma died”.
Out of all the deportees from Rome, only 16 managed to outlive the horrifying confines of the Nazi death camps. Di Porto now stands among the last sentient witnesses of the grim morning that uprooted the lives of many in Rome 80 years ago. Despite the terror of the 1943 roundups under German occupation, the silent compliance of many Italians still remains a painful reminder of the innocent lives lost.
A visible reminder of the past, the No. 23 route bus continues on its path, carrying not just passengers but stories of courage and survival. It stands as a tribute to the indomitable human spirit that refused to succumb, even in the face of unimaginable horror.
