Page Twenty-Two

THE JEWISH NEWS

Reveal Jewish University
In Rome Despite Fascism

Racial Laws of 1938 Forced Students to Continue Education
in Institution Established as an Affiliate of Swiss
Catholic University from 1940 to 1943

By HARRY GREEN

(Copyright, 1945, Jewish Telegraphic Agenc•, Inc).

The story of an underground 'because war conditions made it
Jewish - university which func- impossible and also because there
tioned in Rome from 1940 to was no need for such supervision,
1943' and which, by special ar- since the professors of the
rangement with the Internation- "underground" university were
al. Catholic University of Fri- fully qualified ex-professors of
bourg, Switzerland, can now be Italian State Universities and
told.
some of them had world-wide
Its classes were held in a build- reputations in their fields. At
ing on Lungotevere Sanizio, in present many Jewish . students
the immediate neighborhood of are continuing their studies at
the Fascist Special Court for the Rome University with credits
Defense of the State, the tribunal from this Swiss University which
hearing political crimes. Its Presi- they have never seen.,
dent was Professor Castelnuovo,
Plans for new departments to
famous mathematician of Rome be opened at the "underground"
University, who - had been dismis- university were nearly complet-
sed because of the racial laws. ed when, after three months aca-
Outstanding members of the fac- demic years, poltical events • forc-
ulty Prof. Supino (engineering), ed the sudden discontinuance of
Prof. Piazza (chemistry), Prof. the whole work.: With Mussolini's
Luccarioni (geometeiy), Prof. fall upon the Allied invasion- of
Bisconcni (algebra), and Prof.
Cacciaputtoi (physics).

Friday, June 22, )945

Italy, the Germans themselves
occupied Rome and S. S. troops
set up their reign of terror. The
question in the minds of Rothan
Jews was no longer how to get
a university education but how
to save their lives.
Many Jewish lives were saved
by non-Jewish Italians, by the
Vatican, by Catholic monasteries,
convents a n d schools. After
Rome's liberation by American
and British troops, there was ob-
viously no reason for the "under-
ground" Jewish university to re-
open its, courses as all racial dis-
criminaiton at Italian State Uni-
versities was immediately abol-
ished. The "underground" Jew-
ish university, affiliated with the
Catholic 'University of Fribourg,
had, however, fulfilled its task
magnificently'by making it pos-
sible for a large number of stu-
dents to avoid the loss of three
valuable years.

Jewish Cager on All -American

Palestine Visas Await Orphans
Placed In Non-Jewish Custody

HY GOTKIN, speedy Jewish basketball player from St.
John's University in Brooklyn, receives a watch in token of his
selection on the All-American basketball team selected by 1,000
sports writers and coaches in a poll conducted by a national
magazine under the direction of HASKELL COHEN, Sports
Eidtor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. In the protograph
above left to right: Gotkin, Cohen, M. M. GOLDBERGER,
donor of the award, and COMMANDER CLAIR BEE making
the presentation.

PARIS, (JTA)—Palestine visas
are available for the 92 Jewish
children from Buchenwald camp
who are now being cared for by
the non-Jewish Committee of
Social Welfare of the Resistance,
it was announced by the local
office of the Jewish Agency.

Expell Jews in 1938

The Fascist racial laws of
October 1938 and subsequent
Government decrees, interpreting
then in an increasingly rigorous
way expelled the Jews from all
public and private schools. Jew-
ish congregations were, however,
allowed to establish elementary
and high schools for their child-
ren at their own expense. When
these schools were affiliated . with
the - National. -Organization - of
Secondary Schools (Ente Nazi-
onale dell' Insegnamento Medio),
their diplomas were recognized
as equal to those of State schools.
In a city like Rome, where the
Jewish population is large, the
system of separate Jewish schools
worked without great hardship
at first. A Jewish high school was
established in a small palazzo on
Celio Hill. When the bulding was
later confiscated by the Germans,
_allegedly- because it was needed
for a police station, the school
was transferred to a building on
Lungotevere Sanzio which . had
been used for a long time as a
Jewish orphan asylum and child-
ren's home. However, efforts by
Italian Jews to obtain permission
to organize university courses or
an institute of technology failed.

)_c

There Are Also
IOW EDISON
Agencies for Payment
of Your Electric Bills

SEVEN MILE

0

\r-t°

0

z

NAP`ek)*.

sLE

IMF

STOP IN WHEREVER
YOU SEE THIS SIGN

EDISON
BILLS
PAYABLE'
HERE •

‘>/?..,,,-

MILFORD *

'2_
rn
P

aiN
.0
S..,
A.

i 1

va

4

0

e -i

A.

1.
0 q

di*

............

°ix

There is

•

to

ti

HE ABOVE MAP SHOWS

.‘
\ANA

r

WARREN z

Complete ?.'heir Studies

Authorization for any Jewish
school above the high school level
was persistently refused. No Jew-
ish .students were admitted to
Italian • universities, a 1 t h o u g h
those who had already matriculat-
ed when the racial laWs were is-
sued were allowed to complete
their studies.
Under these circumstances
Prof. Castelnuovo worked out
'plans for an "underground" uni-
versity. They were discusSed with
a great many persons, both Jew-
ish and non-Jewish, and were ap-
proved by the board of directors
of the Jewish High School. Pro
fessor Sastelnuovo also suggested
that the classes be held in the
high school building, next door
to the ill-famed Fascist Special
Court, because no suspicion would
be aroused by the coming and
going of students and prOfessors
in a building which housed a
perfectly legal Jewish High
School. Also no one would sus-
pect that the Fascist laws are
being consistently Violated in the
immediate neighborhood of one
of the most dreaded Fascist in-
stitutions.

A.

>f

EDISON OFFICE
NEAR YOU
to save you time and travel!

you the shortest distance between two points—your home and your

nearest Edison office. Each of the 25 stars marks an office where you can take care of

all

your Edison business. By choosing the one near your home or your usual shopping section

you can save valuable time.

Each of these offices is well equipped to serve you without congestion or waiting. Use any

of them for bill payments, service inquiries, lamp exchanges, appliance repairs, turn-on

and turn-off orders and any other Edison business.

Remember that there are also more than 1000 Rill Payment Agencies in neighborhood

stores. You can pay your electric bill at any of these without extra charge. Look for the

familiar Edison sign in the store window.

Use one of these convenient neighborhood offices for Detroit Edison business

Special Arangentents

Classes started in . November
with two-year courses in
mathematics - and science, follow-
ing the regular schedules of Ital-
ian State universities for stu-
dents wishing to obtain a degree
in engineering and technology.
By a special arrangement with
the Catholic University of Fri-
bourg, Switzerland, the "under-
ground" classes in Rome were
recognized as classes of that Uni-
versity and the Jewish students
in Rome were enrolled as stu-
dents of the Catholic University
of Fribourg.
The University received the
right to send commissioners- to
all examinations. Actually, such
commissioners were never sent

1940

-

1—WASHINGTON BLVD OFFICE, 1132 Washington blvd at Stat.

14—GENERAL MOTORS OFFICE, West Grand Blvd at Second

2—FARMER STREET OFFICE, 1415 Farmer St of Grand River

15—HIGHLAND PARK OFFICE, 13953 Woodward at LaBelle

3—SECOND AVENUE OFFICE,'2000 Second Ave at Elizabeth

16—HAMTRAMCK OFFICE, 11361 Joseph Campou at Holm**

4—RIVER ROUGE OFFICE, .10625 W. Jefferson at Ook

17—CHENE OFFICE, 6463 Chene at Milwaukee

5—ECORSE OFFICE, 4468 W. Jefferson at Southfield

18—GRATIOT OFFICE, 9980 Gratiot at Harper

6—LINCOLN PARK OFFICE, 1680 W. Fort at Arlington

19—JEFFERSON OFFICE, 13314 E. Jefferson at Conlin

7—DEARBORN OFFICE, 22010 W. Michigon at Monroe

Branch Offices located he these stores:

8—VERNOR OFFICE, 7850 W. Vernor of Springwells

20—GARDNER'S PHARMACY, 3941 Oakwood at Allen

9—MICHIGAN OFFICE, 6301 Michigan at Livernois

21—CAMPBELL'S PHARMACY, 4500 Milford at 28th

10—WARREN OFFICE, 12830 W. Warren at Ookmon

22—BARTHWELL'S PHARMACY, 8600 Oaklond at Hague

11—REDFORD OFFICE, 21600 Grand River at Burgess

23—BARTHWELL'S PHARMACY, 5801 Hastings at Hendrie

12—GRAND RIVER OFFICE, 9836 Grand River at Livernois

24—FROMM'S HARDWARE, 17037 Kercheyol neor St. Clair

13—TWELFTH ST, OFFICE, 9115 Twelfth at Clairmount

25—NED'S AUTO SUPPLY CO., 14340 Gratiot near Seven Mile

TIIE DETROIT EDISON CO.

