ITALIAN PRISONERS OF WAR: THE REAL STORY OF THEIR CAPTIVITY IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING WORLD WAR II
Dr Karen Horn, research fellow, International Studies Group, University of the Free State
Tuesday 28 January 1.00 pm COURSE FEES R110; Staff and students R55
The story of the Italian prisoners of war in South Africa during the Second World War is a relatively well- known one. Their presence as labourers on many farms and on road building projects among many others, left an indelible mark on the history of this country. The Italians also brought with them music, art and skilled craftmanship that enriched the dour Protestant existence of the South African population. Many Italian war veterans chose to return to South Africa after the war and, to keep the memory of their captivity alive, they formed the Zonderwater Block, a veterans’ society which is still thriving among the descendants of the former captives. It is also among this group that the legend of Colonel H.F. Prinsloo grew over time. He was the camp commandant of Zonderwater, the prison camp that became home to almost 100 000 Italians between 1941 and 1947. Yet all was not as it seemed. The archival documents reveal that the relationship between captives and captors was not always as amicable as the prisoners remembered; there were many escapes, conflict between prisoners who held different political beliefs, collaboration with right-wing anti-war organisations, to say nothing of forbidden fraternisation between captives and citizens. In a quest for historical accuracy, elusive as it may be, this lecture explores these competing histories.
Recommended reading
Horn, K. 2024. Prisoners of Jan Smuts: Italian Prisoners of War in South Africa in WWII. Cape Town: Jonathan Ball.
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