In a significant move towards international acknowledgment, La Sapienza University has presented its groundbreaking project, “1938-Sapienza Leggi Razziali,” at the Italian Consulate in New York. This project, born out of a renewed interest in the historical examination of anti-Semitic policies and the expulsion of Jews from Italian universities during the fascist regime, aims to catalog, select, and make accessible documentation related to these historical injustices at the University of Rome following the racial laws of 1938.
The unveiling of the project at the Italian Consulate adds a global perspective to the importance of understanding and acknowledging historical injustices. La Sapienza University’s initiative to present its findings and objectives internationally emphasizes the universal significance of delving into the dark chapters of the past to foster awareness, education, and remembrance.
The initiative commenced with the mapping, cataloging, and indexing of archival materials held at the Sapienza Historical Archive. This documentation is now publicly available through the “1938-Sapienza Leggi Razziali” portal, offering an easily accessible, open-access database that continues to grow. Delving into a relatively late branch of Holocaust studies, the project focuses on the origins, characteristics, and specificity of fascist anti-Semitism, examining its impact on various sectors, including education, scientific communities, and local realities.
The University of Rome, being the largest institution in Italy and a flagship under the fascist regime, stands out as a crucial case study that has been inadequately explored until now. The project aims to analyze and reconstruct the impact of racial laws and anti-Semitism on the University of Rome from various perspectives, including the role of academic governance in enforcing discriminatory measures, the effects on the academic community, the infiltration of racist ideologies into education, and the enduring effects over time.
The project has so far identified around a hundred individuals affected by racial laws through meticulous examination of the Ufficio del Personale archive. The work not only reconstructed the biographies of those persecuted but also uncovered their academic, scientific, familial, and social networks, contributing to a better understanding of the contextual environments.
Based on the achieved results, the project’s future directions include further research in the Sapienza University Historical Archive and other national and international archives to fill documentary gaps. Additionally, the project aims to expand its focus to other aspects of anti-Semitism’s impact on the University of Rome, including attempts to instill anti-Semitic ideology through courses and the removal of Jewish culture from academic life.
The collaborative effort is led by Umberto Gentiloni, with Marco Di Maggio, Serena Di Nepi, Federico Goddi, Manuele Gianfrancesco, Cinzia Iossa, Nica La Banca, and Stefano Mangullo contributing their expertise to bring to light this dark chapter in the history of the University of Rome.
