Italian who saved children from WWII massacre dies aged 96

Rome — 

Milena Bernabo, awarded 1 of Italy's apical civilian honors for redeeming 3 children from the Nazis during World War II, died Sunday aged 96, section authorities said.

Bernabo was awarded the golden medal for civilian merit for redeeming her young neighbors during the August 1944 massacre of Sant'Anna di Stazzema, successful Tuscany, successful which 560 radical died.

Then aged 16, Bernabo had been led unneurotic with chap villagers into an outhouse and targeted by German instrumentality weapon fire.

Bernabo was wounded, according to the citation.

But she managed to flight with Mario, five, and 10-year-olds Mauro and Lina, from the gathering arsenic it was acceptable connected fire.

The trio she saved were contiguous to spot Bernabo person the valor grant astatine a ceremonial successful the cardinal metropolis of Lucca successful 2005.

Officials astatine the clip hailed her bravery arsenic an illustration of galore Italians' "silent resistance" to Nazi concern during the second portion of World War II.

"Throughout her beingness she was an ambassador of peace, reminding the young radical she encountered of the Nazi-Fascist massacre of Sant’Anna di Stazzema," the bureau of the politician of Stazzema, Maurizio Verona, told AFP successful an emai

"Milena remembered with the anticipation that those who listened would recognize that Fascism and Nazism were implicit evils of the past period and that the institutions and their representatives would enactment to physique a amended future."

Two different women from Sant'Anna were awarded the aforesaid grant -- Cesira Pardini, who died successful 2022, and Genny Bibolotti Marsili, who died the time of the massacre.

They were each "heroines," Mayor Verona told the ANSA quality agency, hailing Bernabo's spot and determination to support the representation of what happened alive.