NEWS An Italian School Rejects Being Named after Controversial King Who Signed Anti-Jewish Laws

itit luceraBy Pagine Ebraiche staff*

A high school in Lucera (Foggia, Apulia) asked to change the name of their because it had been named after Italian king Vittorio Emanuele III.

“Our school bears the name of the king who signed the anti-Jewish legislation that produced terrible consequences for Italians of Jewish faith, including their deportation to death camps. For this reason, we believe it is not appropriate, commendable nor educational that our school keeps on being identified by the name of this king who did nothing to stop that legislation,” declared a group of representatives of the school. Those who asked to change the name are the principal, teachers and students.

The proposal was introduced at the school general assembly by the principal Pasquale Trevisonne and was approved by the student body (about 600 students).

The decision came after an appeal launched by the president of the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities Noemi Di Segni to the Minister for Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini.

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