Jews Saved in Assissi in WW2 and Catholic Resistance To euthanasia

When I went to Umbria, the part of Italy associated with Francis of Assisi, I could see interesting stories about Francis of Assisi everywhere. We saw paintings, murals, stained glass windows. statues of Francis with birds. And the stone bed where he slept. 

This was all in a trip around Perugia, the capital of Umbria, to show us the less well known parts of Umbria.

Assisi was already well known, with its giant basilica.

Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in Assisi. Wiki.

Yes Umbria has a few surprises. Perugia, the capital, at least the capital for students learning the Italian language at the university, is a classic hilltop city. The cathedral is at the top. Seen from afar.

but come closer. Enter the city.

Etruscan Entrance

Even more striking and unusual is the giant Etruscan gateway, the entrance to the city, built into the sheer cliffside. 

You can see how large it is compared to the people. The angle of this photo shows the sky above. However, when you are near it, you can see the sheer cliff face behind it on the left.

Underground City

Plus the underground tunnels of the old underground Etruscan city, now an underground market place.

 There the delights of modern Italy cannot erase the awe you feel at going underground to the hidden city of people who lived so long ago that we have only little statues to tell us who they were and what they did. 

(Along came the Romans. As we all know, the Romans were the winners, with straight roads, efficiency and ruthlessness later associated with Germans.) The association of Rome with Romance came later.

Meanwhile, what of the kindly caring ascetic Francis who talked to the birds and lived simply and founded the order of Franciscans, Yes, it is easy to find plenty online and in person about St Francis the birthplace and burial place of St Francis of Assisi in the main centre of Assisi.

What I didn't know was the Assisi's secret stories, that Assisi also had a Jewish connection in WWII. Hiding Jews in far off monasteries and convents to save them.

Useful website
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisi_Network
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_resistance_to_Nazi_Germany
http://www.visit-assisi.it/en/
umbriatourism.it
http://www.montesubasio.it/en/assisi-christmas-nativity/
http://www.italia.it/en/home.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi

Author
Angela Lansbury, Travel Writer and Photographer, author and speaker. Please save and share links to your favourite posts.
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
I and my family have lived in the UK, Spain, the USA and Singapore. I am a travel writer and photographer and teacher of English A level and English as a foreign language.

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