The Story of the Entrepreneur Who Saved the Jews


credit:

In the 1940s, Gino Bonazzi and his business partner, Ermanno Somenzi, helped Jewish families in Italy hide from the Nazis in trucks carrying their silk products to Switzerland, the Local reports.

"During World War II, Gino Bonazzi, along with Ermanno Somenzi, undertook humanitarian efforts to hide Jewish families, especially children, in trucks carrying semi-finished products from Arzignano and the Bergamo area to Switzerland," reads a tribute to Bonazzi on the website of his company, Tessiture Seriche Bonazzi.

"In the 1950s, Gino Bonazzi, together with his family, embarked on transforming the former social mill in Arzignano into a modern weaving facility and founded Tessiture Seriche Bonazzi, which employed up to 150 workers and operated until 1976.

He was also involved in civic engagements, serving as Vice President of the Banca Popolare di Arzignano from 1922 to 1925, the first President of the Institute for Autonomous Public Housing in 1923, Mayor of Arzignano from 1924 to 1926, he held various other positions including President of the Magazzini Generali di Vicenza.

During World War II, Gino Bonazzi, along with Ermanno Somenzi, undertook humanitarian efforts to hide Jewish families

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