wliwl

This was on a plaque attached to our apartment building in Rome. I'd love to know what it says.

Al compagno. Luigi Collalti. Deportato nel campo maledetto di Mathausen ove la ferocia Tedesca assurse a scienza ed a religione con eroica fermezza supporto il martirio gli fu di conforto la certezza nella vittoria proletaria che alimento le sue estenuate forze per arrivare in Roma dove il 13-7-1945 nelle braccia della madre spirava gli abitanti del rione posero. Roma 13-8-1945.

It is hard to tell on the plaque where there are sentence breaks (if any). The photo of the plaque is on this slideshow, it is the 11th picture from the end. Sorry I couldn't figure out how to get a link for just the one photo:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...q9zhi&Ux=0

lobo_mau

I think I can fulfil most of it. Please let some knowlegeable person to fill in the blanks.
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To fellow Luigi Collalti, deported to the cursed camp of Mathausen ... the German ferocity ... to science and to religion and with heroic strenght suffered the martyrdom with the only support of his certainty on the proletary victory which fed enough his weekened state to arrive to Rome where gave his last sights on the 13th July 1945, on the arms of his mother ... Rome 13-8-1945

lobo_mau

2nd trial.
To fellow (comrade) Luigi Collalti, deported to the cursed camp of Mathausen by the German (nazi) ferocity appealed to science and to religion and with heroic strenght suffered the martyrdom with the only support of his certainty on the proletary victory which fed enough his weekened state to arrive to Rome where gave his last sights on the 13th July 1945, on the arms of his mother / The inhabitants if Rione Posero / Rome 13-8-1945

Alec

To (our) comrade Luigi Collati.
Deported to the accursed (notorious) Ma(u)thausen (Concentration) Camp where German savagery (was) elevated to science and religion he faced martyrdom with heroic firmness. With the comfort of certain proletarian victory that fed the weakened forces he arrived in Rome on July 13 1945, where he died in the arms of his mother. Placed by the inhabitants of this neighbourhood. Rome August 13 1945.

flanneruk

Alec:

Excellent. But doesn't the "ferocia tedesca" sentence really mean "where German ferocity rose up against science and religion"?

Alec

la ferocia Tedesca assurse (raised or elevated) a scienza ed a religione (to the [state] of science and religion).

Just to modify the last part of my translation:
'...proletarian victory that fed (sustained) his weakened state he arrived in Rome...'

lobo_mau

Bravo Alex.
Thank you

wliwl

Thank you so much everybody! That's pretty sad.

wliwl

Alec: Is it OK with you if I put your translation on my slide online? Thanks.

nytraveler

This reminds me of the plaques all over Paris commemorating fallen Resistance fighters:

Ici est tombe - with the name and the date

sicula

Great photos. I just love to take pictures of signs and plaques. This one is really special. It inspired me to do a little research and find out who Luigi Collati was. Apparently he was one of a family of Collati's who who were taken to Auschwitz first and then on to Mauthausen. He was born in August 1913 so he must died only weeks short of his 32nd year.

I noted too that the word mother is capitalized (see Madre)and is preceded by "della" which means "of the" and not "his". "His mother" would read "sua madre" and "madre" would not be capitalized. All this leads me to believe that either "Madre" with a capital "M" is a reference to Mary or possibly the Church as in Chiesa Madre, i.e. he died (spirava) in the arms of the Church.

Alec

Possibly. The reference to 'proliterian victory' suggests he was a communist, but many Italian communists are also (usually nominally) Roman Catholic - maybe a reference to the fact that he had received the extreme unction, as it was then.

sicula

Yes but not necessarily. It is more than likely Luigi Collati was Jewish. It's also possible that the tribute includes a word commonly used in communist circles because its author(s) was a communist. It is also possible that the author(s), as nominal a Catholic(s), also thought of the deceased as a nominally Catholic Jew. Such paradox is not uncommon just odd.

wliwl

Actually, in that same line up of photos is another (!) plaque/shrine that I was wondering about. I think it is a pretty straight forward shrine thing to the Virgin Mary. It was on sort of a back alley near Campo de Fiori. It is in the same link that I posted above, the 13th and 14th photos from the end. I can't tell which way the text reads though, so it doesn't make much sense for me to type it...

By the way - thanks everybody for your help with this. My kids were so interested in what you have already written!

lobo_mau

While Alex and others don't show up, please accept my version as a first approach:
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Virgin (Mary) ispire chast thoughts in those who think and reflect in your misteries and your spirit which triggers love (although naif) and offer you their hearts.
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It is really beautiful in Italian.

sicula

After reading a little more on an Italian language site devoted to the deportation of Italians to Germany during WWII'd like to add a little more to the Luigi Collati story. Although Luigi certainly might have been Jewish, I now rather think not and that he was hauled off to Germany because he was part of a partisan brigade. Along with some 480 others, he and some of his relatives were rounded up by the facist regime and the nazis on January 5, 1944 and railroaded out Rome to Dachau. Once in Dachau, the Jews were singled out and sent to Auschwicz, while others went on to Mauthausen. Most of the deportees were older individuals as attested by the ages of the other members of Luigi Collati's family: Fernando (45 yrs), Furio (51 yrs), and Rinaldo (59 yrs).

BTW, the ubiquitous street shrines pre-date the christian era. The wording on your plaque probably reflects the same sort of sentiments that the Roman's addressed to their dieties.

wliwl

Sorry for the late thanks - I've been out of town. Thanks again everybody!!!