Italian pride and determination.

Italian pride and determination.

In late September 1943, soon after Italy surrendered to the Allies, Paolo was captured by the Germans at his isolated location on Sazan Island, Albania.

Along with other Italians, he was to be transported back to Italy. But, due to unusual circumstances, that did not happen.

 Instead, his return was delayed by two years!  In the  following passage , Paolo describes what he and others faced when they arrived in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. 

“It was tremendously cold in Belgrade. There was nothing to eat. 

The snow had started to fall, and the camp was a mess. It was an exceptionally large camp.

While in Belgrade, the Germans gave us three choices. The first choice was to fight with them. The second choice was to work for them. 

The third choice was to be a prisoner of war. I told Guido and Bernardo that I didn’t want the first two choices and that I wanted to be a POW. So, Guido and Bernardo decided to do the same. 

Thus, the three of us agreed to be prisoners of war. After all, WE WEREN’T FACISTS!  From that point forward, the three of us decided to stay together.

His biography, mostly taken directly from his audio recordings, covers Paolo’s remarkable life, including his detailed accounts of his POW years. 

Paolo eventual came to the United States, but remained a proud and loyal Italian the rest of his life.

His biography, “A Gaetano in America,” is available in paperback and eBook editions through Amazon and other booksellers.