121.Italian Prisoners of War

image_pdfDOWNLOAD PDF

and the Montagu connection

Compiled by : Leo van der Sande

Italian Prisoners of War in South-Africa
How it started: World War II began on September 1939, when Germany attacked Poland. Two days later Britain and France declared war on Germany. Despite the “Pact of Steel”, Italy at first remained neutral. On June 10, 1940 shortly before Germany defeated France, Italy joined the war as Germany’s ally. The war underwent a fundamental shift after Italy, Germany and Japan joined forces to form the AXIS POWERS with the intention of establishing a new world order. The participation of Italy in the Second World War was characterized by a complex framework of Ideology, Politics and Diplomacy, while its military actions were heavily influenced by external factors.

Benito Mussolini entered WW II on the side of Adolf Hitler with plans to enlarge Italy’s territorial holdings. He had designs on an area of Western Yugoslavia, Southern France, Corsica, Malta, Tunisia, part of Algeria, an Atlantic port in Morocco, French Somaliland and British controlled Egypt and Sudan. However, as the war progressed, Italy’s military failures and the changing dynamics of the conflict, led to a shift in its relationship with Germany.

There were several key reasons why Italy eventually “betrayed” Hitler and switched sides.

  1. Military failures: Italy suffered a series of military defeats in North Africa, the Balkans and Eastern Front. These military setbacks eroded Italy’s standing as a reliable ally.
  2. Frustration with Germany: Benito Mussolini was frustrated by Germany’s dominant role and its disregard for Italian concerns.
  3. Allied landings in Sicily: The allied forces launched the invasion of Sicily. The successful landings and the subsequent push northward put Italy at risk of a full scale invasion.
  4. Ousting of Mussolini: In July 1943 Mussolini was removed from power by king Victor Emanuel III and was arrested. The new Italian government began exploring the possibility of reaching a separate peace with the allies. These negotiations were kept hidden from Germany until the last moment.
  5. Ending of war: On September 8, 1943, Italy signed an armistice with the allies, effectively ending its military co-operation with Germany. On May 2, 1945, Surrender signed by General Vietinghoff goes in effect.
  6. Total losses: Army: 246,432 , Navy: 31,347,  Air Force: 13,210, Fascist Army: 13,021 Civilian losses: 153,147.

Italian prisoners of war arrive in South-Africa:

A Total of 93,000 Italian Prisoners Of War (POW) were captured by the British Army in Libya and Abyssinia and sent to South-Africa. Officially they were prisoners of Great-Britain, but on request of the British Government South-Africa stationed these men in prisoner of war camps throughout South-Africa. These prisoners, and the thousands of other Italian POW’s, who soon began to follow them, were moved to the East African ports, whence they were shipped south to Durban. From there they were moved by train to Pretoria, ending their long journey at a relatively small tented camp adjoining an existing UDF training camp located at a place known, somewhat uninvitingly, as Camp Zonderwater (without water).

That is where the will to get organized, to promote initiatives, to create from nothing all started. What miracle arose from it? Language schools, primary schools for illiterate and technical/vocational schools with specific textbooks; libraries, literature and literature awards, a camp magazine, theatre plays (17 active theatres) musical activity, handicraft, sports and recreational activity,  (16 football fields with 2 running tracks and stands, 80 areas for playing bowls, 16 fencing fields, 6 tennis courses, boxing and Greco-Roman wrestling rings, basketball and volleyball fields, etcetera). Last but not least: religious assistance.

Undoubtedly, various elements helped in the achievement of such a miracle:
At first the camp was distressingly badly organized and a British delegation sent to inspect it, was sharply critical of affairs there. However, late in 1942 everything changed with the appointment as Camp Commandant of Colonel H F Prinsloo (above), the eldest son of the famous Boer leader of the victory at Spioenkop in January 1900. Colonel Prinsloo, a friend of Smuts and a member of a distinguished Afrikaans family, had as a young boy himself been imprisoned with his mother in a British concentration camp at Ermelo during the Anglo-Boer War – an experience which doubtless had coloured his attitude towards the Italian POW’s now in his charge. He was a man who, it would very soon become clear, stood no nonsense from anybody. He restructured and massively improved Camp Zonderwater in every way, rapidly gaining the trust and friendship of the POW’s and at the same time demanding and receiving substantial support from GHQ in Pretoria for the upgrading of ‘his’ camp. Conditions improved rapidly and Camp Zonderwater soon became one of the finest POW camps in the world, being run strictly in accordance with the numerous and exacting requirements of the Geneva Convention of 1929.

In the second place the concrete support by associations like YMCA and the moral and material assistance of both the International and the Italian Red Cross. Moreover, the presence in South Africa of an always active and helpful background represented by the local large and wealthy Italian community Zonderwater was a little more than 40 kms far from Pretoria and slightly farther away from Johannesburg. Also the countrymen from Cape Town actively cooperated within the Assistance Committees for the Italian POW’s which were timely formed and gave their generous contribution.

Further, the work carried out by the Mutual Assistance Fund within the POW’s with fraternal solidarity. Lastly, constructing an enormous hospital with 3000 beds. It was almost exclusively assigned to our medical officers and those of the Carolina Health House.

One could argue that we are lingering only on the positive sides of this mastodontic grief city. Fraudulent events and unwise behavior belong to all detention camps, but they are more part of dishonesty than they are of history: while escapes, common to all detention sites, are a part of the latter one. Many were attempted but few succeeded. Bob mentioned that not many prisoners attempted to escape but the few who did, were invariably picked up along the Pretoria to Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) railway line as they all tried to get beyond the borders of S.A. to Mozambique which was a Portuguese colony at that time and Portugal was a neutral country during the 2nd World War.

The prisoners generally behaved in an exemplary manner and were cooperating with the camp authorities. Very soon thousands were used all over South Africa for tasks as varied as building such magnificent structures as the Du Toitskloof and Outeniqua passes and to harvesting grapes and clearing prickly pears. Among the prisoners were many men of surpassing ability, such as Eduardo Villa, later to become one of South Africa’s most acclaimed artists. At the end of the war the prisoners had by law to be repatriated to Italy but large numbers had been so impressed with South Africa during their time here that they returned as soon as possible, greatly enriching our nation.

Words of the Roman poet Horace: Non omnes morientur – “They shall not completely die” – and today the fading memory of Camp Zonderwater fortunately lives on in a fine exhibit in the South African National Museum of Military History, a very rare historical volume produced by the prisoners themselves in July 1944, an active but shrinking “Zonderwater Block Association” of old prisoners and, one would like to believe, innumerable memories in thousands of Italian (and South African) families of this quite extraordinary place in our history – a place of which we can and should truly be proud. But perhaps the last words – fitting words indeed – should be those of Col. Prinsloo in July 1944:

“Those who have helped to shape the policy of this Camp have tried to divest themselves from all feelings of revenge and retaliation. Our principle was: discipline coupled with human understanding, firmness mingled with kindness and a deep desire to take into account the peculiarities of the Italian character and the inevitable sufferings of life behind barbed wire. … We feel that for many years to come when problems of prisoners of war will be discussed the fair name of our country will gain lustre and prestige.”

When the South African government realized that many Italian prisoners had diverse and urgently needed skills such as road construction, forestry and woodworking, agriculture and grape growing, they were dispersed to places throughout South Africa.

During this time they came into contact with the local farming community and were employed as farm labourers, builders, chefs, gardeners, mechanics and various other tasks. Many friendships and even marriages were established during this time. Some of the Italian prisoners came back to South-Africa and visited the farms and families where they were employed. Others returned after the war back to Italy, but because of the war the unemployment in Italy was high and a lot of them returned back to South-Africa and stayed as permanent residents.

Picture: “Transnet Heritage Library Photo Collection”

 This also applies to the Worcester region. From Camp Kleinplasie 1,500 POW were put to work in the agricultural areas of Robertson, McGregor and Montagu, among others. There was also a plan to have the unpaved path through the Cogmanskloof upgraded by Italian road builders. A plan that, ultimately, did not go ahead with the Italians, because the Du Toitskloof pass was given priority. Two Labour camps were opened for the construction of the Du Toitskloof pass: HUGUENOT CAMP (Worcester side) and KEERWEDER CAMP (Paarl side).


From the desk of Emilio Coccia

Curator Zonderwater Museum

“I attach the documentation regarding Maj. R.S. MILLER, Camp Commandant at Worcester. I have received from a researcher who got some information from Maj. Miller’s son and I am not sure if everything written there is correct, i.e.:
There were never “trainload after trainload of prisoners” moved from Zonderwater for their transfer to Canada; Only German soldiers were transferred to Canada, after a short internment in the Pietermaritzburg camp.  Sheelah van Schoor was the owner of the Cascade Farm, in Ceres, and married Michele Lombardi in  October  1943 (the marriage of a POW with local women was illegal by Military Law [Special Proclamation] but was legal by Civilian Law).  In spite of a plea for relief by the then Mrs. Lombardi to the P.M. Jan Smuts, Michele was returned to Zonderwater and thereafter in May 1944, transferred to the UK”.


Italian POW Camp Commandant Worcester

Major Robert Stanley Miller (mainly called Bob) was born in 1896. fought in the 1st World War and attended voluntary military training with the 2nd Royal Natal Carbineers between the two world wars and at the outbreak of the 2nd World war in 1939 was a Major and 2nd in Command at the Regiment as he was 44 years old he was over combatant age and was transferred out of the regiment to a non-combatant post. He first was stationed at Zonderwater with the Infantry Reserve Training Battalion. Where he trained junior infantry officers in field tactics – did spend 6 months in Egypt and then was posted as 2nd in Command of Italian Prisoner of war Camp at Zonderwater. Bob took it upon himself to walk around inside the camp, mingling with the prisoners, completely on his own, his only protection being a Webley .45 revolver, strapped to his belt. He fraternised freely and constantly with selected prisoners and became very friendly with a certain Sergeant-Major. They would spend many hours together in friendly discourse. This man corresponded with Bob after he returned to Italy.

 Of course with so many men gathered together there were representatives of many trades and professions amongst these prisoners. The South African Governments policy towards the prisoners was very benign and all were encouraged to try and occupy themselves as best they could within their individual abilities and interests. Bob recalls attending many recitals of classical music put on by the orchestra that had been suitably provided with instruments. A friend of Bob gave Bob a log of kiaat wood and carpenters made Bob a set of dining room chairs. At a show held by the prisoners Bob bought an oil painting, an intricately carved trinket box and a horse- riding crop made from bone as shown in the photo.

A memorable occasion was when the King & Queen of Greece (who were given asylum in South Africa by General Smuts and the S.A. Government after Greece was invaded and occupied by the German Wehrmacht) visited the prison camp to see how the prisoners were accommodated and treated. The Royal couple was entertained to dinner in the Officers Mess and as Bob was Mess President of the Officers Mess it was his pleasant duty to present the Queen with a bouquet of flowers. Bob mentioned that not many prisoners attempted to escape but the few who did were invariably picked up along the Pretoria to Lourenzo Marques (now Maputo) railway line as they all tried to get beyond the borders of S.A. to Mozambique which was a Portuguese colony at that time and Portugal was a neutral country during the 2nd World War. At one stage Bob was placed in Command of an operation that was to move a whole shipload of German prisoners to Canada. Trainload after trainload of prisoners made their way from a short stay at Pietermaritzburg to Durban where they embarked for their transfer to Canada. Bob did in the end, not go on the journey as at the last minute he asked for compassionate leave to visit his 12yr. old son who nearly died of peritonitis as a result a neglected burst appendix. Soon after this Maj. Miller was appointed to command a new Italian Prison Camp that was opened at Worcester in S.W. Cape.

This camp was opened so that the Italian prisoners could be employed on the wine farms of the Cape. The farmers were desperately short of staff as many of their coloured workers had joined the army (Cape Corp). The Agricultural Show Grounds in Worcester was hastily made over to accommodate the prisoners. The Office block and S.A. army officer’s rooms were in what was originally a farmhouse on the show grounds. This was an old building with walls about 3 foot thick and a thatched roof. It has now been beautifully restored and upgraded and is the residence of the Principal of the Technikon that is there now.

Farm House in Worcester Show Grounds now upgraded (2024)

Many of the farmers used the prisoners to do building work on their farms. The local building contractors complained that the prisoners were depriving the builders of their work. So an agreement was come to that the prisoners would undertake no major building work. This agreement was not strictly observed by the farmers so the building contractors appointed inspectors to go around to the farms to see what buildings were being erected and by whom. The farmers soon were alerted to this situation and it is said thereafter when an inspector approached a farm where illicit building was taking place – he (the inspector) would arrive on the scene to find a big bunch of Italian “dagga boys” but no bricklayers to be seen anywhere! The prisoners on the farms naturally intermingled and related to their employers and inevitably romances grew from these associations. Prisoners were forbidden from marrying South African citizens. Maj. Miller used to visit all the farms where prisoners were employed to observe working conditions, standard of rations and accommodation. He was very perturbed when arriving at the farm of a certain Mrs. van Schoor (a widow) to be told she was now Mrs. Lombardy and introduced her prisoner husband to him! Maj. Miller told her that her marriage was illegal and continued to address her us Mrs. van Schoor on his visits to that farm! I think this man was one of the comparatively few prisoners who was not repatriated at the end of the war. lt was a rule of the Geneva Convention that all prisoners must return to their home countries at end of war. Those who wished to continue to live where they were held as prisoner, were to return home first then emigrate in the normal way.

The prisoners were issued with two sets of working clothes to work on the farms. The clothes were well wearing and comfortable but for some reason the prisoners took an intense dislike to the headgear that they were provided with. Many a prisoner appeared on C.O.’s (Commanding Officer’s) orders when returning to the prison camp after working for a stint on one or other farm.

The charge on which he had to appear was “loss of headgear”. They made all sorts of excuses and reasons for having lost this article. On one occasion when trying a prisoner for this offence he said to the prisoner “I have heard all sorts of stories about how you men lost your hat now please tell me something original as to how you came to lose your hat.” The prisoner replied that his employer had taken a fancy to his hat so he had given it to him ! Maj. Miller said that the prisoner should hardly expect the S.A. government to be the provider of his largesse to his employer and that the cost of the hat would be deducted from his wages.

Maj. Miller and all the officers in that camp had Italian batmen to see to their clothes and general welfare and Italian cooks cooked the food for the Officer’s Mess. Italian people generally seem to like highly spiced food and in particular invariably add garlic to any meal dish. Maj. Miller had a simple upbringing on a farm and could not accustom himself to these highly spiced meals, He had the cook on the carpet on numerous occasions about this matter. Someone later heard the cook telling one of his friends – “ de Majorie say – if I put garlic in his food – he cut my bloody throat!”

Another story of the time concerns one of the doctors in Worcester who on almost every occasion when an Italian prisoner was referred to him was diagnosed appendicitis and did an emergency appendectomy and of course charged the S.A Government for the cost of it all. Maj. Miller had the unpleasant task of confronting the doctor about the matter. The doctor asked Maj. Miller whether he was in a position to judge any operation to be necessary or unnecessary. Maj. Miller replied that he was unable to do that, but he was seriously thinking of getting second opinions when patients were diagnosed with appendicitis.

There was another prison camp at du Toit’s Kloof. These prisoners built the wonderful du Toits Kloof pass with its tunnels on the N1 between Cape Town and Worcester thus eliminating the Bain’s Kloof pass which was a very windy and narrow road. Prisoners also worked extensively on Chapman’s Peak drive outside Cape Town – that scenic drive that is so well known. There are many other works performed in the Western province and indeed all over S.A. that was done by Italian Prisoners of war during that period.

When the war ended there was an enormous logistics challenge to repatriate all these prisoners – it took time and although the war ended in 1945 it was beginning of 1947 before Maj. Miller was discharged from the army with a promotion on the day of his discharge to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.


Worcester Italian POW Cemetery.

From the desk of Emilio Coccia

There was a cemetery for Italian POW’s in Worcester, but all the bodies were exhumed by the Italian government and reburied at Zonderwater near Pretoria. Descendants of the Cuchilillo, Pace, Pileggi and Vanzaghi families still live in Worcester and the surrounding area.


Some of the POW’s who could be traced

The Nuy Valley

From the Nuy Wines website

Barbieri Idro

In the Nuy Valley, from 01-06-1943 an Italian worked at the Sonja wine company. At the first meeting they asked for his name, but the Italian thought they wanted to know his profession in Italy. He then replied: Barbieri Idro (hairdresser from the town of Idro). From then on he was called Barbieri Idro.

 One day Barbieri was busy loading wine barrels filled with red muscadel onto a train when one of the barrels broke loose from its ties and rolled over him. He was taken to hospital at Wynberg by ambulance, but died on the way. He was buried at Worcester Cemetery. In February 2016 his remains were exhumed and transferred to Zonderwater Italian Cemetery, due to vandalizing and desecration at Worcester. A year later the owner of Nuy Wines brought from Pretoria the white cross with Barbieri’s name and it was planted in the little garden just outside the winery, on top of the hill as a memorial.  To commemorate Barbieri Idro, Nuy Winery has decided to name a limited series of barrel aged red muscadel in his honour.

Some prisoners of war passed away during their time in South-Africa and during the 1980’s families of these men visited Nuy valley to commemorate their loved ones!


Costabile Di Sibbio

McGregor

Information from his son Vito

A transfer is authorised and so starts a new life

Costabile Di Sibbio

Picture: Vito di Sibbio

An Italian was also employed in McGregor during and after World War II. Costabile Disibio, son of Vito Di Sibbio, was born in Urbaribo, Connecticut USA on 16-05-1916. Costabile and his brother  joined the Italian army. They were captured in the battle of Tobruk after they no longer wanted to fight, because they no longer agreed with Hitler’s views. They were shipped to Durban, but near Cape Town the ship was shot at by a German U-boat and then sank. Costabile and his brother lay in the seawater for hours and were eventually rescued. The German U-boat was short thereafter torpedoed by an American Navy ship.

After the war, one brother emigrated to the United States and another brother went to Australia. Costabile came to Worcester via Camp Zonderwater. Later he was put to work together with another Italian (name unknown) at the Olifantsdoorn farm just outside McGregor.

He died on October 12, 1993 and is buried, together with his wife Elisabeth Viljoen, at the local McGregor cemetery.

Picture: Vito di Sibbio

His son Vito and Vito’s brother still work the family fruit farms in McGregor.


Giovanni Salvadori:

Information from the Wederom website

During the Second World War Italian Prisoners Of War (POW) were sent to the farmlands as working-people. Among them, an officer older than the rest: Giovanni Salvadori, was one of 10,000 Italian military men captured by Jan Smuts in Tobruk in December 1940. He was shipped to Worcester whereafter he worked and stayed on the farm Wederom. The friendly officer in a white apron cooking his brinjals and offering them to taste. He was a Northerner and his fellow POW’s were from the South of Italy. Though different, he was well respected by his peers. This lead to Giovanni and his roommate Nanni building their own barn as their dwelling away from the tented camp. Giovanni remained optimistic and left behind a legacy being honoured on the farm today. Giovanni is remembered as a joyful cook that smelled of old oil who loved his cooking products and art.

Pictures: Wederom website

 While serving his time on the farm, he left an interesting mural on the wall of his barn. The elements of the painting include the farmhouse, rows of vineyards, a tented prison camp surrounded by barbed wire, the watch tower  and people going about their daily business. He included himself as the cook with a massive smile on his face. The artwork depicts daily life, the barn, labourers and farmlands at Wederom.  

What is remarkable about the art (and what speaks volumes of its creator), that the painting exudes a feeling of happiness. The artwork has been restored with the help of Jan Corewyn. Today the barn showcases its iconic illustrations as an open-to-the-public POW-museum. A further tribute to Giovanni Salvadori can be found in every namesake bottle of Giovanni Salvadori Vino Rosso !


Rosolino Trasforini

Montagu

Thank you for all the help Fernanda.

Rosolino Trasforini with daughters Rina(L) and Marie.

Picture and document: Trasforini family

Nine Prisoners Of War stayed at Killarney Farm, in Akkerboom, between Montagu and Barrydale, on January 31, 1944. Federico Angrisano, Mario Zoli and Rosolino Trasforini were there from 10-06-1946 to 05-01-1947.

The farm still has the same name (2023)

After the war Rosolino Trasforini requested not to be repatriated to Italy and received an emigrant permit on January 17, 1947. He was immediately released by farmer J.L. Conradie from Killarney Farm. “He came from Northern Italy and looked down on people from Southern Italy. He could sing beautifully and regularly sang Italian songs at social gatherings. Was very fit and a hard worker, especially when it came to garden maintenance. When he laughed – which happened often – it sounded like a stream of water from a mountain river. We loved him very much and my father always said: “Rosolino, you are my right hand”, says Dolf Nel, owner of Rietvlei Farm where he worked.

Picture: Ina van Wyk

Anelma Oosthuizen remembers Rosolino this way: “My father often talked to Mr. Trasforini and Trasforini said that he came from Bologna in Italy. (he spoke of Balonika). He took care of the chicken farm. Rosolino Trasforini was married to Martha Haasbroek, both long since deceased. They had two daughters together Marie and Rina. Rina is the beautiful child with braids in the middle row (2nd from left) in the above photo. She went to the Rietvlei farm school.”

L/R: Alex Neethling, Anneleen, Piet Uys en Marie Trasforini 1965 Matric farewell

Picture: Alex Neethling

Rosolino and Martha were not allowed to have contact by Martha’s mother. So they wrote notes and put them under the saddle of a horse. The horse was constantly sent back and forth and that way they still had contact.

Martha and Rosolino

They got married in Montagu after the war and went to the NG church (there was no Catholic Church and Community). Rosolino was first a foreman and later a manager at Kobus Conradie’s Killarney Farm. There were two other Italians on the farm: Mario and Corna. Because Rosolino spoke neither English nor Afrikaans and only Afrikaans was spoken on the farm, communication was mainly through sign language. After his release, in addition to his regular work, he also became a reservist at the Montagu police and he was very proud of that.

Pictures: Trasforini family

Paul Fouche: Ek het net ‘n stukkie toevallige inligting oor Trasforini. Trasforini was ‘n plaasvoorman by die Nels. Groot hoenderboere en kwekers. Drie seuns, Johan, die oudste, jonger as ek en ‘n tweeling waarvan ek die name nie kan onthou nie. Die Nels se plaas was op die Barrydale-pad in die Rietvlei-omgewing. Trasforini het twee dogters gehad. Die oudste, Marie, was van st. 6 af saam met my in die klas. Haar jonger suster se naam kan ek nie onthou nie. Marie is aan die einde van st. 8 uit die skool om vanaf Januarie 1965 in die apteek te werk. Die apteek was toe nog in die klein gedeelte aan die linkerkant van Basson se winkel, voorheen Goldblatt’s store, op die hoek van Kohler- en Badstraat regoor die hoofingang van die Montagu-hotel. Marie het langs ons geloseer.

Marie Trasforini was bewus van my gevroetel aan elektroniese goed onder die leiding en besieling van oom Lou Kriel. Eendag bring sy haar pa saam met sy stukkende, ou draradio onder die arm. Vreemde fout, wat ek net nie kon vaspen nie tot een aand, wat ek om ons eetkamertafel saam met Marie en een of twee ander bekendes, sit en kaartspeel. Ek verloor hewig, want my kop is by die radio met die vreemde probleem. Skielik onthou ek ‘n wenk van oom Lou, los die kaarte net so en storm na my werkkamertjie. ‘n Halfuur later plak ek die radio tussen die kaartspelers neer, klokhelder aan die speel op ons gewilde LM radiostasie van weleer.


Carol Churchill 2023/05/28

“As jy nêrens regkom nie, probeer die NGK se lidmaat-, trou- en doopregisters vir die dorp waar die mense gewoon het. Ek sê dit omdat Italiaanse geïnterneerdes in spanne op plase uitgeplaas is om te werk. My oupa het ook sulke spanne van Zonderwater op sy Bolandse plaas gehad. My ma-hulle het hulle die Talies geroep. As Italianers, assume ek, hulle was almal oorwegend/almal Roman Catholic en ek vermoed daar was nie eintlik RC kerke in die kleine gemeenskappe waar hulle beland het nie. So het hulle, of party, maar plaaslik geassimileer Een van Oupa se Talies het gekatkiseer en is aangeneem in NGK op Oupa se dorp. Ook gedien op NG Kerkraad en Inni NGK getroud met Hugenote nasaat v buurdorp. Gerespekteerde bouer en lid van die gemeenskap Soos onse bloed Hy het my ma geroep: Seester. An Sy kinners het vertel: Pappie sê mos nie Marmite nie, Pappie sê mos Mirmeet. Daai Talies het so veel respek en liefde vir Oupa en Ouma gehad, hulle het Oupa en Ouma geroep: Pappie en Mammie, agter my ma en haar susters an. Elkere span het sy eie kok/chef gehad wat vir hulle, hulle eie Italiaanse kos gekook het !


ILittle Sanctuary Montagu

Hugh Tevis Jr. built the Manor House, a luxury home for his family. According to the present owner Mr Mynhardt (2019), Tevis somehow obtained the services of Italian POW’s to build the Manor House and surrounding gardens. Local stone which was quarried on the premises was used for many of the building projects.   

The Manor House

Picture: “Transnet Heritage Library Photo Collection”

At least one Italian POW left his mark at the Little Sanctuary swimming pool

The name of the Italian POW who made and placed this marble ornament is inscribed on the base of statue. (As per Mr Mynhardt)


’n Herinnering van Ina Van Wyk: Om aan te las by die Italiaanse krygsgevangenis: daar was ‘n sersant Gauché op Montagu. (Hy en sy vrou en ongetroude dogter Hettie) het in ‘n kleinerige huis in Kerkstraat onderkant die kerk gewoon. Ek dink dit was die tweede huis van die hoek af. Hy moes gereeld ‘n draai by die krygsgevangenes wat in Cogmanskloof gewerk het, gaan maak. Hulle het omtrent beduie en gekla: “poetaat, poetaat, poetaat”. Toe sou hy uitvind hulle is moeg om patats te eet, want dit was al wat hulle te eet gekry het: patats.

Ina kon weens tyd nie meer inligting verskaf nie. Die enigste aanname wat uit haar geheue getrek kan word, is dat krygsgevangenes deur die plaaslike munisipaliteit gebruik is vir enige aantal werke waar handearbeid nodig was. Die plaaslike polisie is waarskynlik toe versoek om beheer oor die krygsgevangene-werkmag te neem. Ten spyte van ons beste pogings kon ons nie vind waar hulle gehuisves is of hoeveel van hulle deel van die werksparty was nie.


Die Koo

Concordia Farm:

According to Nella Burger a Koo resident, there were at least 5 farms in the Koo and Keisie area where Italian POW’s worked. Thanks to her excellent memory, she was able to give us some information about two Italian POW’s who lived and worked on the farm Concordia from January 31, 1944. According to Nella there were still three wooden boxes in her attic which had belonged to the Italian POW’s who has worked on the farm. The boxes were for some reason never sent to Italy. We were given permission to look at the contents of the attic and via a rickety staircase we reached a huge attic filled with all kinds of things. It took us hours to search the entire attic.

Picture: Montagu Museum

The inside of the attic as seen from the door

But we finally found a wooden box with (probably) the name of one the Italian POW’s written on it. S. Borille Oreste, Via Nuova Bovolenta, Padova, Italia. In the wooden box was a separator. Separators are centrifuges which in those years were used for separating liquids. For instance, cream from milk. They have tubular discs or angular chamber bowls. Separators continuously operate in terms of discharges of the liquid phase.

In the former living room of Nella’s house there is still a fireplace that was built by one of the POW’s. The farmer’s wife was not at all satisfied with the construction. She thought the black borders were terribly ugly. The Italian apologised by saying:”Madam, I can’t do better. I’m not a construction worker!”

Pictures taken onsite in 2024


Iets van Gerald Batt af

My pa(regs) staan saam met Oupa Gerald en my pa se broer oom Japie, in die Koo langs die winkel gedurende een van my Pa se vry-passe gedurende die oorlog. Daardie tyd was die Italianers reeds by Oupa-hulle en het daar gebly en gewerk.

In die agtergrond van die foto is diestalle vir al die vee. Hier moes die Italianers elke dag ook gaan sorg vir die vee. Hulle moes lusern sny vir die diere, ander droë voer en water verskaf.

Vir die tweede wêreldoorlog van 1939 tot 1945 is die mans opgeroep om te gaan oorlog voer en die vroue het alleen tuis gebly, maar die wêreld was veilig en hulle het sommer maklik die deur laat oopstaan, of net die onderdeur met ‘n werwel toegemaak.

Italiaanse krygsgevangenes wat in die interneringskampe (interment camps) op Worcester was, is gehuur om op die plase te kom werk vir ‘n sjieling vergoeding per dag.  Daar was heelwat boere in die Koo wat Italianers gehuur het en hulle moes self die Italianers op Worcester gaan haal. Die boere moes die Italianers ook een keer per jaar weer terug neem Worcester toe om te gaan registreer en ook nuwe khaki klere te kry. Hulle het in die Koo gewerk tot na die tweede wêreldoorlog.

Oupa Gerald het ook twee Italianers gehuur en hulle het aan huis gebly en in die buitekamer geslaap. Om mekaar te verstaan, was maar ‘n probleem in die begin en Oupa het maar die meeste van die kommunikasie in engels gedoen. Die kinders kon darem ook later beter met hulle gesels en speletjies speel. Hulle het al die werk op die plaas gedoen soos om goed hot en haar te karwei van die pakstoor af winkel toe of huis toe. Hulle moes ook die plaasdiere versorg en sorg dat alles rondom die huis en winkel netjies is en dat die tuin versorg was ens.

Hulle het ook in die huis gewerk en gereeld vir Ouma uit die kombuis gehou en dan die heerlikste pasta geregte gemaak. Hulle het saam met Oupa en Ouma-hulle aan tafel geëet en het ook skottelgoed gewas.

Op ‘n slag sê die Italianers vir Ouma dat die meisiekinders lui is en nie genoeg werk nie. Daardie jare was die huis se vloere met beesmis gesmeer, want daar was nie juis ander vloerbedekking beskikbaar nie. Toe die Italianers weer ‘n slag by Ouma gaan kla oor die meisekinders, beveel hulle die twee Italianers aan om die vloere skoon te maak en op te vryf. Dit was harde werk want jy moes op jou kniëe werk. Daarna het hulle nie weer gekla nie en gesê dit is darem baie harde werk.

My Tannie Mabel het my die staaltjie vertel wat sy nou weer onthou het.

Na WW2 moes al die Italianers eers weer terug gaan Italië toe, Daarna kon hulle weer emigreer na SA as hulle wou. Soos jy weet, Oupa Gerald het die winkel “Batt’s Stores” (vandag is ‘Oupa Batt se Winkel’) in die Koo besit. Oupa het gereeld goedere vir die winkel bestel by handelsreisigers wat daar aangedoen het vanaf Kaapstad of Worcester. Die goedere is dan met die spoorweg-busse gestuur en in die Koo by die winkel afgelaai.

So drie jaar na die oorlog kom daar ‘n nuwe reisiger vanaf ‘n besigheid in Kaapstad by Oupa se winkel aan om goedere te verkoop (daardie tyd het hulle van travellers gepraat). Dit is toe al die tyd een van die Italianers wat by oom Walter Knipe in die Koo gewerk het en na die oorlog na SA ge-emigreer het. Oupa het hom goed geken want oom Walter se plaas was nie te ver van Oupa se winkel af nie. Hy en Oupa het glo baie lank gesels en amper vergeet van besigheid doen.

Oupa by sy lorrie voor die huis, langs die winkel. Met hierdie lorrie het Oupa baie goed gaan haal op Montagu en Ashton en ander plekke en die Italianers was die manne wat moes op en aflaai.

Oupa se lorrie êrens agter die huis.

Just for interest, here is a photo of my Dad(middle cap) in Rome during the war.

Pictures: Gerald Batt

 While Oupa Gerald used Italian POW’s in the Koo on his farm, my Dad fought in Italy – how ironic.


From Mariette Le Roux (b: Burger).

Her parents were Adrie & Joey Burger (b: Batt) who lived in the Koo. According to Mariette her mother lived in a house in the vicinity of the Batt Store. I would guess that the POW who made the doll for her came from one of the surrounding farms.  She explains what she remembers her mother telling her. “Dit is nou Sannie Maans (the name her mother gave the doll). Die pop wat my ma by ‘n Italiaanse krygsgevangene gekry het. Haar heel eerste pop. Sy was al 13 of 14 jaar oud.  Dit moes dus 1946 of 47 gewees het. Sy het die pop al die jare gehou en wou dit vir museum skenk. Ek is nie seker wat daarvan geword het nie.”


Vorster House:

This house is accessed via the Laatsrivier turnoff from the R318 and it was the home for a group of POW’s. (This group is spoken about on the next page by both Monica Meyer (b.Prins) and Adamus Stemmet.

Pictures taken onsite in 2024


Monica Meyer provides the following information


 Adamus Stemmet writes in 2023/05/29:

“Ek onthou twee Italiaanse  krygsgevangenes . Een,  Francesco ,  het vir Oom Gert  Vorster gewerk  en een vir sy seun, Oom Hendrik,  op Hoenderverdors.   Oom Hendrik het ‘n boormasjien gehad.

Daar het baie  skoolkinders   by Oom Gerthulle loseer. Francesco het saam  met ‘n paar seuns in ‘n kamer geslaap . Hy was ‘n gentlemen tipe. Tenspyte van ‘n taalprobleem het die kinders  baie  van hom gehou. Ons moes  met geradbraakte Engels en gebare taal klaarkom. Engels was vir hom soos vir ons ‘n vreemde taal.  Hy het ons seuns leer dambord speel. Oom Gert het op een van Oom Danie Prins se plase geboer. Hy het nie   trekker gehad nie en Francesco moes   met muile ploeg. Ek was die touleier . Sy mooi hantering  van die muile en ook  van  my wanneer die muile my hakskene raakgetrap het, het ‘n blywende in druk op my gemaak.

Luigi het by Oom Hendrik Vorster gewerk.  Hy was duidelik van ‘n ander  klas as Francesco. Hy was ‘n knorrige oom en ons was vir hom  bang. Ons kinders het die groot  mense hoor praat dat    

” Luigi ‘ alweer’ moeilikheid gemaak het ”  en  Worcester toe geneem is waar hy aan die kampkommandant rapporteer is. Ons het nooit gehoor  wat hy verkeerd gedoen het en wat daar gebeur het nie. Die grootmense het gese Luigi is ‘n moeilikheidmaker. Hoe kan ek nie onthou nie.

Daar was twee kampe op en naby Worcester: Keerwater Camp,  waar krygsgevangenes die Dutoitskloofpas gebou het. Terloops die kruis wat hulle op die hoogste piek gebou het, is nou nog sigbaar. Die ander kamp was in Worcester. By  hierdie kamp was ‘n kampkommandant in beheer. Hiervandaan is krygsgevangenes  na ‘n groot gebied  soos byvoorbeeld tot op  Willowmore uitgeplaas en  beheer.”


Did you know?

Picture: “Transnet Heritage Library Photo Collection”

After more than 90,000 Italian prisoners of war were placed in Camp Zonderwater near Pretoria, they were soon  distributed throughout South Africa. 1,500 ended up in Worcester and found shelter on the grounds of Kleinplasie (Worcester Museum 2024). From there they were distributed throughout the area. These POW’s were known to be excellent road builders and that skill was put to good use. The DuToitskloof Pass is a good example of this, because the work on this pass was largely done by Italians from Worcester. The intention was that Ashton and Montagu would also make good use of the Italian road builders for the renovation and expansion of the Cogmanskloof.

Thomas Bain: One of the many passes built by Thomas Bain was the one through the Cogmanskloof . That kloof has played an important role in the history of this area long before the village of Montagu came into existence. The areas on either side of the kloof were known as Voor-Cogmanskloof and Achter- Cogmanskloof. Dutch colonists gave the kloof these names. One of the indigenous Khoi groups, the Cochaquas, moved inland and reached the site of present-day Ashton and Montagu around 1700. The colonists also called the Cochaquas Cochemans and Cockemans. The kloof thus became Cogmanskloof.

The original path was a cart track that more or less followed the river, but that river had to be crossed 8 times. Floods regularly washed away the path, preventing travel for months. A plan was therefore made in 1861 in which prisoners would help with the construction. That was not a success and eventually the help of Thomas Bain was called in. The road was completed in 1877. Traffic increased and the tunnel and road had to be considerably widened around 1945. Because Italian prisoners of war had become known as excellent road builders and they were available in nearby Worcester, these Italians would carry out the upgrading work. Unfortunately, that plan could not go ahead this way, because the Italians were called in to build the Dutoitskloof Pass. Government considered the Dutoitskloof Pass to be more important than the Cogmanskloof Pass. It was not until 1953 that the work on Cogmanskloof was finally completed, but without the input of Italian Prisoners Of War!


Emilio Coccia Curator Zonderwater Museum

In February 2024 Rudi Allmayer was able to meet with Emilio Coccia and his wife while he was on holiday at Voëlklip in the Western Cape and ask him some questions.

Question: How did POW’s get assigned to Worcester?

Answer: The assignment of POW’s was a needs driven process. POW’s were seen as part of the war time solution to the provision of food for the country (SA). Farmers made known their needs to a division of the Smuts war time government. The government then approached POW’s at Zonderwater and asked for volunteers. The volunteers were then loaded onto trains and transported to Worcester. At Worcester they were taken to the Showground where they were sorted out and assigned to waiting farmers. The skills focus was on farming and any other skills the POWs had was incidental. Farms were visited by Labour Unions of the day to ensure that the POWs were not doing work reserved for South Africans.

Question: How did POW’s get assigned to projects (farms, construction) in and around Worcester?

Answer: The only work officially assigned and government supported was farming. This only applied to the POW grouping that relates to our story.

Question: Did the party who wanted the POW have to pay a fee?

Answer: Yes. As soon as the POW was removed from the care of the military authorities they stopped getting their soldiers pay and were paid by the famers. According to records they received 1 shilling per day from the farmers. In addition the farmer had to provide food, accommodation and clothing. The farmer was also required to lock the POWs in their accommodation overnight.

Question: How long did they work on projects? Was there some sort of contract?

Answer: The farmer’s needs dictated how long the POWs contract with the farmer lasted. If a farmer had 10 or less POWs in his care he was visited on a random basis to ensure the POWs were not ill-treated. If the farm had more than 10 they were visited monthly.

Question: Were POW graded i.t.o. their risk profile?

Answer: Only POW’s with clean disciplinary records were offered the opportunity to volunteer for farmwork.

Question: Could they stay in RSA after the war?

Answer: Yes. Neither South Africa nor Italy had formal diplomatic structures in place to handle requests from POWs. A formal structure was set up in SA, which included representation from Italy, to process POW requests. One of the qualifying requirements was the POW must have spent at least two years in SA.

Question: Were officers and foot soldiers all treated the same when it came to work assignments?

Answer: No. Officers belonging to fighting units were separated from the foot soldiers and all sent to India. The only Italian officers in SA were in support roles such as doctors and chaplains.

Question: Why were the POW’s buried in Worcester removed to Zonderwater?

Answer: Soldiers remains belong to their country as opposed to a private individual whose remains belong to their family. It had been brought to the attention of the Italian government that a number of their military cemeteries around RSA were being vandalized and it was decided where necessary to relocate fallen soldiers to Zonderwater.

Rudi says: “He is a man, with an absolute passion for the history of Italian Prisoners of War. His contribution to the preservation of Italian POW history in South Africa can only be described as STUNNING and it was a pleasure to spend some 3 hours with him and his wife.


South-African and Italian Members of the Board,  controlling Camp Zonderwater, Pretoria.

Administration Staff Camp Worcester:

Sitting in front (left to right): Cpls. H.C. Watson, W.R. Holloway, A.J. Roelof, J.G. Palm, Pte. C.J. Gouws, Cpls. W.J. Esterhuizen, J.L. Myburgh. Second row (left to right): Cpl. (Miss) H.H. de Witt, Sgt. (Mrs) C.M.J. Rossouw, CSM. A. V. Frost (DCM),  Lt. G.J.C. Strydom – Adjutant and Q.M., Maj. R.S. Miller, V.D. Camp Commandant, Capt. J. Howes, 2nd I/C, Capt. G.C.J. Breedt. O.E. Inspector, W.O. A.C. Ellis (Pay Section), Cpls.(Miss) R. Filmalter, (Miss) L.J. Coffey.

Pictures: Emilio Coccia

Epilogue:

On May 2, 1945, the war came to an end for good, which cost the lives of enormous numbers of soldiers and civilians. The prisoners of war returned to their homeland. It was a complicated process that lasted until 1947. However, a large number of former prisoners soon came back to South Africa. They returned – now as permanently employed and normally paid workers – to the farms and companies where they had worked for several years. During the war, they were prisoners of war, now they were free workers.

Ending up as a war prisoner in a camp is of course a situation that’s never desirable. Yet the reception in South Africa was an example for the whole world. Despite the war, there was still humane treatment. The prisoners of war lived like human beings and South Africa had to deal with professionals who were extremely valuable to the whole country. Professional knowledge and skills, still applied today!


We sincerely thank all the contributors, especially Emilio Coccia.


Extracts of information was also obtained from the following sources:

“Prisoners of Jan Smuts”, by Karen Horn. Jonathan Ball Publishers.

www: zonderwater.com

https://ditsong.org.za

https://theheritageportal.co.za

Heinie Heydenrych: “30 Stories oor Montagu en sy mense”


image_pdfDOWNLOAD PDF