Jonathan Ball Publishers and the Dante Alighieri Society invite you to the launch of Prisoners of Jan Smuts: Italian Prisoners of War in South Africa in WWII by Karen Horn.

Prisoners of Jan Smuts recounts the stories of survival and shenanigans of the Italian POWs in the Union through the eyes of five prisoners who had documented their experiences in memoirs and letters.

While many POWs seemed to appreciate the opportunities to gain new skills, others clung to the Fascist ideas they had grown up with and refused to work. Many opted to remain in South Africa once the war had ended, forging quite a legacy.

These included sculptor Edoardo Villa, who left an important mark in the local and international art world, and businessman Aurelio Gatti, who built an ice-cream empire whose gelato was to delight generations of South Africans.

Karen Horn will be in conversation with Prof. Anita Virga at the launch.

Event details

Date: Friday 10 May 2024
Time: 18:00 for 18:30
Venue: Dante Alighieri Society, 62 Houghton Drive, Houghton, Johannesburg
RSVP: johannesberg.segr@esteri.it
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Categories International Non-fiction South Africa

Tags Anita Virga Book events Book launches Dante Alighieri Society Johannesburg Jonathan Ball Publishers Karen Horn Prisoners of Jan Smuts