Abstract

Taking as its starting point the fact that there is still no qualitative and quantitative assessment of the impact of the fascist racial laws on Italian classical studies, this article provides the first systematic survey of the subject. Section 1 presents a provisional estimate of the Jewish classical scholars persecuted by Italian authorities between 1938 and 1945, drawing up a list of names including full professors, lecturers, teaching assistants, members of cultural institutions and independent researchers. Section 2 develops a deeper analysis of qualitative data, focusing on two separate lines of research: one dealing with the dramatic changes in the living and working conditions of the victims; the other related to the conduct of classical scholars not affected by the anti-Jewish legislation. All these issues are discussed drawing on biographical information related to some distinguished academics variously involved in the persecution as victims, witnesses or executors: Carlo Anti, Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli, Evaristo Breccia, Gaetano De Sanctis, Mario Attilio Levi, Piero Treves, Arnaldo Momigliano, Medea Norsa, Edoardo Volterra.