Category: World War II

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Cycling To Save Jews

Probably the most famous bicycle road race is the annual Tour de France. It is a grueling endurance test with 21 stages over twenty-three days. While it is considered the world’s premier cycling event each year, other countries host their own versions. For Italy, their premier event is the Giro d’Italia or Tour of Italy. Along with the Tour de France, the Giro is one of cycling’s “Grand Tours.” Don’t confuse the Giro with the Greek gyro—too many gyros and one would find it difficult to cycle up those hills.

The subject of our blog today is a two-time winner of the Tour de France (1938 and 1948) and a three-time winner of the Giro (1936,1937, and 1946). Remarkably, Gino Bartali won his races before and after World War II. While he was a popular and revered national hero and will be remembered in the cycling world for his many achievements, Bartali’s most enduring and humane accomplishments came during the war. However, it was not until after his death in 2000 that his resistance efforts became public knowledge.

The two top Italian cyclists before and after World War II: Gino Bartali (center left) and Fausto Coppi (center right). Photo by anonymous (c. 1940−1943). Private Collection. PD-Expired Copyright. Wikimedia Commons.
The two top Italian cyclists before and after World War II: Gino Bartali (center left) and Fausto Coppi (center right). Photo by anonymous (c. 1940−1943). Private Collection. PD-Expired Copyright. Wikimedia Commons.

Did You Know?

Did you know we have set up a Pinterest site with a lot of interesting images. We hope you’ll visit the site often as Sandy is continuously updating it with new and interesting photographs.  badgeRGB

Let’s Meet Gino Bartali

Gino Bartali (1914−2000) was born in Ponte a Ema, Florence, Italy into a poor farming family. Gino grew up to be a physically strong young man with a boxer’s face. He was a devout Catholic throughout his life and earned the nickname, “Gino the Pious.” At the age of thirteen, Gino got a job in a bicycle shop. Shortly afterwards, he began racing and quickly gained an excellent reputation as an amateur. At the age of twenty-one, Gino turned professional and the next year, he became the Italian champion by winning the Giro for the first time. Watch a memorial about Gino here. Read More Cycling To Save Jews

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Church Sanctuary

The old priest at Saint-Quentin was not an important man in the reckoning of the world. His church was small and unimpressive; only a fairly detailed map showed the village of Saint-Quentin, which was south of Tours, in the Indre-et-Loire. His cassock had seen much better days; he had been a fat man, but now the skin hung loosely under his chin. He was a parish priest of no renown, caring quietly and compassionately for his people. His curing of souls was a leisurely affair; he did not display particular zeal. He lived in a wine district and enjoyed a good bottle over which he would ruminate, without anguish, upon the sins and follies of humanity.

Map of the French department known as Indre-et-Loire. Note the dot indicating the location of the village, Saint-Quentin-sur-Indrois. Map illustration by anonymous (date unknown).
Map of the French department known as Indre-et-Loire. Note the dot indicating the location of the village, Saint-Quentin-sur-Indrois. Map illustration by anonymous (date unknown).

Did You Know?

This is a story told by Philippe de Vomécourt (1902−1964) in his book, An Army of Amateurs. It is just one of thousands of stories about nameless men, women, and children who risked their lives to save downed Allied airmen, Jews, and others from the grasp of the Nazis. Although this story took place in France, stories like it were repeated in all of the occupied countries and even those that were considered “neutral.” These brave people knew the ultimate penalty if they were caught but went ahead because it was the right thing to do. Monsieur de Vomécourt was one of the first leaders of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) F Section. He along with his two brothers, Pierre and Jean, established a réseau (network) in three separate territories of France, including Paris. We first met the Vomécourt brothers in our blog about La Chatte (click here to read the blog).

Pierre de Vomécourt. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Pierre de Vomécourt. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Philippe de Vomécourt. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Philippe de Vomécourt. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).

But the accident of war placed the village of Saint-Quentin just on the northern side of the demarcation line (later, the line was to be redrawn, placing Saint-Quentin in the free zone). The German patrols crunched through the streets. And the old cure, who could have lived out his days pottering about his parish, innocent of involvement in the war, saw a duty that he must perform. He must help people to cross the demarcation line, especially those whose lives were in peril. He must help the Jews; he must help escaping prisoners-of-war and airmen who had been shot down, all who were seeking to evade the Germans. Read More Church Sanctuary