1. Italian Canadians as Enemy Aliens:Memories of World War IITown HallColumbus Centre, April 5, 2011

2. Project GoalsItalian Canadians as Enemy Aliens: Memories of World War II Will acknowledge, commemorate and educate the general publicon the seldom referred to history of Italian Canadians during WorldWar II Promote understanding of the impact on Italian Canadians asbeing declared enemy aliens 3. Project Organization A national project, directed by Villa Charities and the Board of theColumbus Centre Funded by a grant from the Community Historical RecognitionProgram of Citizenship and Immigration Canada Working through with an Advisory Committee of academics and inconsultation with educators, Italian Canadian youth, and interestedmembers of the Italian Canadian Community The Project with launch on March 31, 2012 4. Project Process This national project will focus on recording the personal memoriesof those who were either directly affected by internment, an enemyalien designation, and other forms of discrimination, or who wantto share the experiences of family members The resulting national archive will include oral histories,photographs, documents, letters, other print materials and objects 5. Project Components Up to 75 oral histories Permanent exhibition housed at the Columbus Centre Online version of the exhibition User-friendly website of all resources for use byteachers, students, and the general public An academic publication 6. Historical Background On June 10, 1940, Italy declare war against Great Britain and herallies Almost immediatelyPrime MinisterMackenzie Kingannounced thedetainment andinternment of ItalianCanadians considered athreat to the safety ofCanada 7. Historical Background Approximately 700 were interned in camps on average for 16 months Around 30 000, including women and children were listed as enemyaliens Of these, many were fingerprinted, photographed, and ordered toreport monthly to the RCMP 8. Proposed Project ThemesThe Gender of Internment Italian internees were overwhelmingly male Only four Italian women were interned In many cases the men who were interned were the breadwinnersfor the family, meaning that family incomes were jeopardized 9. Preview of Oral HistoriesDOM ROMEOOn the internment of members of the Italian Canadian community 10. Friend or Foe? There were a number of cases where Italian Canadian men orwomen were interned or identified as enemy aliens while theirfamily members were actively serving in the Canadian forces 11. The Role of Fascism Fascism had multiple meanings for Italians in Canada For some Italians in Canada fascism was a source of pride forthose who faced discrimination in Canada For others, fascismwas seen as a violentand war-mongeringdictatorship whereworkers and leftistswere brutallyattacked for resistingfascist policies 12. Preview of Oral HistoriesALICE (PASQUALINI) DAPPOLONIA, wife of an InterneeSpeaking of day her husband, Santo Pasqualini, was interned and accused ofbeing a fascist 13. Preview of Oral HistoriesTONI CICCARELLI, ne BASSANO, designated an Enemy AlienOn witnessing the roundup of Italians at the Exhibition grounds in Toronto 14. The Italians who were not interned ordesignated enemy aliens Xenophobia and racism became more prevalent for Italians living inCanada after Italy declared war on England and France Although only a small number were interned, others experiencedphysical violence, vandalism of property, and/or were fired fromtheir jobs Though some non-Italians objected to the treatment of Italiansduring the Second World War, the majority of commentators weresupportive of the restrictive policies towards Italians 15. Project Updates At least 75 video interviews have been scheduled across Canadaand will be completed by July 2011 Project has received its first donation of archival materials from thefamily of an internee, to be stored at the Columbus Centre A number of other families have donated digital reproductions ofmaterials or are offering loans 16. Interview LocationsThe Prairies - 3Nova Scotia 5Sudbury - 3Montreal - 20Thunder Bay - 3Vancouver 5Ottawa - 3Windsor 5 Toronto - 16 Hamilton - 7 Niagara Falls - 5 17. Upcoming Events June 10, 2011: Anniversary and Commemorativeevent at Columbus Centre Public presentation and exhibition in conjunctionwith June 10th event Focus Groups 18. Image Credits (In order of appearance)Barbed Wire barricades at an internment camp where hundreds of enemy aliens were detainedduring WWII | Petawawa, ON | ca. 1940 | Photograph from the March of Time film Canada atWar | Wide World PhotosPortrait of Osvaldo Giacomelli | Petawawa, ON | ca. 1940 | The Giacomelli familyWooden model ship | ca. 1940 | Courtesy of Nancy BertolottiBassano family photo taken in Italy before the family immigrated to Canada | Guglionesi,Campobasso, Molise, Italy | March 1923 | Courtesy of Antoinette (Toni) Ciccarelli (ne Bassano)Letter to Mrs. Clementina Sauro regarding affidavits | December 3, 1940 | Courtesy of thefamily of Libero & Clementina SauroItalian Canadians from the Windsor community being detained by police | Windsor, ON | June12, 1940 | The Windsor StarItalian Canadian from the Windsor community being detained by police | Windsor, ON | June12, 1940 | The Windsor StarLeonardo Frenza with Ninetta, a month after his releaseCartier St., Montreal, QC April1942Courtesy of the family of Leonardo Frenza 19. Image Credits continuedOutdoor portrait of ItalianCanadian band members at Camp Petawawa |Petawawa, ON | 1943 | Courtesy of the Giacomelli familyLeonardo Frenza and Assunta Sauro Frenza | Montreal, QC | Date Unknown| Courtesy of the family of Leonardo FrenzaJoe Bassano and cousin. Although Joe was serving in the Canadian Army,his sister Toni Ciccarelli was identified as an enemy alien | Date Unknown |Courtesy of Antoinette (Toni) Ciccarelli (ne Bassano)The Sauro children in the Canadian services. Top L to R: Italo Sauro(Canadian Army) and Alberindo Sauro (Canadian Army). Bottom L toR: Enrico Sauro (Candian Air Force), Livio Sauro [shown in civilian clothing](Canadian Army), and Olindo Sauro (Canadian Air Force) | ca. 1940 |Courtesy of the family of Libero & Clementina SauroPortrait of Italian internees in vegetable garden at Camp Petawawa.Internees are holding banner with slogan Me Ne Frego | Petawawa, ON |ca.1940 | Courtesy of the Giacomelli family