Book Review – “It Happened in Italy” by Elizabeth Bettina

It Happened in Italy tells the beautiful and relatively unknown story of the heroes in Italy during World War II who stood against the face of evil to do what they knew was right in their treatment of Jews interned in their country. The story of Jews in Italy is a stark contrast to the Jews interned in Germany. They were treated with dignity, even marrying, getting schooling and medical care. The heroes were the citizens of Italy, the guards of the prison camps, and the police officers who sent Jews in to hiding when the Germans arrived. Elizabeth Bettina tells the story from a personal vantage point, having spent part of her life in Campagna, Italy where one of the main internment camps was located. The story is worth the telling, and for this reason I highly recommend the book. I didn’t enjoy Bettina’s writing style, which seemed more like reading out of a personal journal than a book. And at times, it felt like the same story was being told multiple ways, and I struggled to keep my attention to the end. In spite of these points, I am glad I read it and know the story that honors the Italians for their courage and strength.