Prisoners of the San Sabba Concentration Camp during a bombing

Prisoners of the San Sabba Concentration Camp during a bombing

In a bare room, a man is chained to the wall surrounded by five other prisoners. The man at the back has a Star of David badge sewn onto his yellow shirt and is holding his hands in the air, whilst the other men appear to be shouting.

Label reads “142”; signed by the author; caption reads “(2) TRIESTE, RISIERA di S. SABBA, 10 GIUGNO 1944. Durante un violento bombardamento aereo su Trieste, dei detenuti fuggirono dalle celle, al pianterreno della Risiera dove erano stipate anche 7 persone per cella. A malapena vi avrebbero potuto stare solo 4, con un piccolo foro nel soffitto, e 2 tavolacci per sdraiarsi, la rappresaglia costò la vita a 20 persone. Così fù per il triestino P. R. assente ingiustificato dall O. T. lavoro obbligatorio, finito a colpi di mazza il 7 Aprile 1945. Della medaglia d’Oro friulana Cecilia Deganutti, le uccisioni venivano eseguite mediante gassazione, o colpi di mazza, o sgozzamento per mano di Wirth [Christian Wirth], un uomo feroce dalla frusta di cuoio, sempre in mano a mò di talsimano. FINE.”

Caption translates as: “(2) Trieste, San Sabba rice husking mill, 10 June 1944. During an severe air bombing on Trieste, some prisoners escaped from their cells located on the ground floor of the rice mill. The maximum capacity of each cell was four people, but they even managed to squeeze seven people in one. Each cell had a small hole in the ceiling and two benches where people could lie down. The retaliation cost 20 lives. So it was for P.R., from Trieste, who was absent without leave from his forced labour with the Todt Organisation. He was bludgeoned to death on 7 April 1945. Cecilia Deganutti, Friulan gold medal of military valour recipient. The killings were carried out by gas, bludgeon, or throat-cutting by Christian Wirth, a cruel man who always held a leather whip in his hand, as it were a lucky charm. The end”

One tempera on paper, pasted on mount board

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