“Paths to Freedom” (Sentieri di Libertà)—7 September 2023

One month ago today, on September 7, a spectacular four-day event opened in Italy.

“Paths to Freedom” (Sentieri di Libertà) was a celebration of both the 80th anniversary of the Italian Armistice and the subsequent breakout of thousands of Allied POWs from camps across Italy—including camp PG 59 in Servigliano. The escapees turned for help to local Italians, who courageously defied Nazi death threats to protect them.

“Paths to Freedom” was cosponsored by Casa della Memoria of Servigliano and the UK-based groups Monte San Martino Trust and the WW2 Escape Lines Memorial Society.

There were people in attendance from the UK, of course; however, a large number of attendees were from faraway places: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.

Although several in attendance had been to the site of PG 59 before, for many this was a first visit. For some, it was even their first time in Italy.

Many attendees came with partners/spouses, siblings, or children.

The event kicked off at 5 p.m. with an informal reception at the Gelateria Caffetteria Marcozzi in Servigliano piazza. Event planner Anne Copley had signaled in an advance email that she would be recognizable by her “trusty fluorescent clipboard”—a tool which we were to see flashing above her head on numerous occasions in the coming days as she shepherded us through tours and field trips.

Greetings and light refreshments were soon followed by our first event at the Casa della Memoria Museum, in the old railway station just outside the PG 59 camp walls.

Italian journalist Mario Calabresi’s held a compelling interview of Isabella Insolvibile on her new book Prigionia alleata in Italia, 1940–1943 (Allied Captivity in Italy, 1940–1943). This was preceded by an introduction by historian Costantino Di Sante.

Isabella Insolvibile specializes in the history of the Italian Resistance during the Second World War, with particular attention to Allied prisoners in Italian camps and Nazi war crimes committed during the German occupation of Italy. She is a technical consultant to the military prosecutors of Rome and Naples for investigations relating to Nazi massacres, and she is a member of the scientific committee of the Ferruccio Parri National Institute.

After the talk, we were led to a hearty welcome dinner at Ristorante Re Leone.

Monte San Martino Trust (MSMT) chair Nick Young and Anne Copley warmly welcomed attendees. Trust secretary Letitia Blake shared that on this very day five years ago the Trust‘s founder, J. Keith Killby, died. Keith would have been pleased to see the robust attendance at this special event in Servigliano, the camp from which he escaped in 1943.

The welcome dinner at Ristorante Re Leone was the first of many memorable meals event attenders would enjoy over the four days. We were treated to several multiple-course gourmet meals, each paired with local wines and often featuring regional dishes. The leisurely-served evening meals each spanned three to four hours. These unhurried evenings were perfect occasions to relax, chat, and forge friendships. 

Even lunches served at the Comune di Servigliano town hall—described in the itinerary as “light”—were a feast for eyes and taste buds. I have no doubt each attendee left Italy feeling pampered indeed.

Before the event, I had flown from the U.S. to Italy by way of London, meeting my friend Steve Dickinson for a day and a half of sightseeing before we continued on to Italy.

On September 6, Steve and I has a special treat at London Stansted Airport: since 2012 he and I had been in touch via email with Maggie Clarke; however, we had not met her face-to-face until we joined her and her husband Tony at the airport to board the same Ryanair flight to Italy!

It felt like family reunion of sorts, as Steve’s uncle Robert Dickinson and Maggie’s father Denis Crooks were very best friends during their internment as POWs in Italy. See “Robert and Denis—‘Best of Chums.’”

Read also “‘Paths to Freedom’—the Second Day,” “‘Paths to Freedom’—the Third Day,”and “‘Paths to Freedom’—the Fourth Day.”