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 Recently I obtained a postcard postmarked 16-IX 1942 (September 16, 1942). Comparing it to a similar postcard from my collection, postmarked 24-VIII 1942 (August 24, 1942) , I noticed a difference in the wording in the lower left corner. The newer postcard, by one month, has a second line "ANNO GIUBILARE 1942-1943" (translated: JUBILEE YEAR 1942-1943). My copy of the Desmond O'Grady book Rome Revisited, a definitive book on Jubilee Years, was quickly pulled from the bookshelf. There was no mention of a 1942 Jubilee. It was time to consult the internet. Using Microsoft Copilot I quickly found out that in 1942-1943, under the leadership of Pope Pius XII, a Holy Year was celebrated. The Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica was opened on December 24, 1942, marking the beginning of the Holy Year. This was a special year was dedicated to spiritual renewal and the remission of sins, offering pilgrims the opportunity to receive plenary indulgence. The Holy Year concluded with the closing of the Holy Door on January 6, 1943, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The Holy Year was intended to provided a period of grace and reflection for the faithful during a time of global of WWII war years. This got me thinking about the major events from World War II leading up to the liberation of Rome by the Allied army. Once again Microsoft Copilot provided some answers: This lead me to ask about the German control of Rome, which was after the 1942-1943 Holy Year. Continuing my on-line information search I learned that after Italy signed the armistice with the Allies on September 8, 1943, German forces quickly moved to occupy Rome and Northern Italy. The German occupation of Rome lasted until June 4, 1944, when the Allies finally liberated the city. That prompted some question about the fate of Roman Jews during the Germans occupation Rome. During this period, the Jewish community in Rome endured severe persecution. On September 26, 1943, Herbert Kappler, the commander of the SS and Gestapo in Rome, demanded that the Jewish community deliver 50 kilograms of gold to avoid deportation. On October 16, 1943, a devastating raid on the Roman Ghetto led to the detention of 1,259 Jews by the Gestapo, with 1,023 of these individuals subsequently deported to Auschwitz. Of those deported, only about 7,000 Jews survived the horrors of Auschwitz. Not good, but well documented as I have seen several presentations on this. Most of these presentations are worth viewing. During the same period, Vatican City pursued a policy of neutrality under the leadership of Pope Pius XII. Despite the German occupation of Rome, Vatican City itself was not occupied. The Vatican organized extensive humanitarian aid throughout the duration and after the WWII conflict. On November 5, 1943, the Vatican was bombed for the first time during the war, causing significant damage but miraculously no casualties. A second bombing occurred on March 1, 1944, resulting in one casualty and further damage to Vatican buildings. Pope Pius XII's efforts to mediate peace and provide aid were notable.  Turning back to a compassion of the two 1942 postcards, both have the same postmark type. This postmark is described in the book Der Vatikanstaat Ein Philatelisched Handbuch, the handbook on Vatican postmarks (published in 1967, in German) as type V-3 and described as a "special stamp to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Pope Pius XII". Both postcards were mailed from Rome to the Milan province of Varese. Comparing the two postcards has been a lot of fun and touched on so many aspects of WWII history. Microsoft Copilot is a great tool for asking questions and getting footnoted answers, allowing one tp read the source document of the information presented. |
