Intellettuali in fuga dall’Italia fascista: Migranti, esuli e rifugiati per motivi politici e razziali

Abstract

The project draws attention to the emigration of intellectuals during fascism. Italy is usually considered a land of poor and uneducated migrants. But during the twenty years of Fascism, especially after the anti-Jewish laws, professionals, students and scholars, including foreigners, expatriated alone or with families to the Americas, England, Palestine, Switzerland. It is a limited but important phenomenon of brain drain, which in the case of Italy has yet to be investigated. Who were the people who forcedly left in search of freedom, work, and then salvation, and what did they do? Their names and stories were cancelled. In this volume, there is an attempt to reconstruct their lives thanks to foreign archives, letters and scattered memories. What difficulties did they face in their host countries? How many of them returned? The stories speak of irreparable losses to the detriment of the country, of responsibilities and injustices, but also of resources and talents of Italian culture, of commitment and determination. The project was promoted by the University of Florence and funded by the Tuscany Regional Authority, with the sponsorship of the New York Public Library, Council for At-Risk Academics, and J. Calandra Italian American Institute.Il progetto richiama l’attenzione sull’emigrazione intellettuale dal fascismo. L’Italia e di solito considerata terra di migranti poveri e senza istruzione. Ma durante il ventennio, specie dopo le leggi antiebraiche, professionisti, studenti e studiosi anche stranieri espatriarono soli o con le famiglie nelle Americhe, in Inghilterra, in Palestina, in Svizzera. \nE un fenomeno limitato ma importante di brain drain, per l’Italia non ancora indagato. Chi erano e cosa fecero quanti forzatamente partirono in cerca di liberta, lavoro, e poi salvezza? I loro nomi, le loro storie vennero cancellate. Qui si cerca di ricostruirle grazie ad archivi esteri, a lettere e memorie disperse. Quali difficolta incontrarono nei paesi di accoglienza? Quanti tornarono? \nLe storie parlano di perdite irreparabili a danno del paese, di responsabilita e ingiustizie, ma anche di risorse e talenti della cultura italiana, di impegno e determinazione. \nIl progetto promosso dall’Universita di Firenze e finanziato dalla Regione Toscana e patrocinato da New York Public Library, Council for At-Risk Academics, e J. Calandra Italian American Institute.