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The Roman route of the “Houses of Life” and the ruse of “K’s Illness”

The Tiber River in Rome, showing the Tiber Island on the left and the Ponte Fabrizio (Pons Fabricius) at the center. The dome on the right is the principal synagogue of Rome. By Nicholas Hartmann - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Tiber River in Rome, showing the Tiber Island on the left and the Ponte Fabrizio (Pons Fabricius) at the center. The dome on the right is the principal synagogue of Rome. By Nicholas Hartmann - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Rome’s many layers of history invite exploration, each revealing a distinct narrative and rich legacy. Among these stories is the “Houses of Life” initiative, by the Raoul Wallenberg International Foundation. This project highlights locations across the Eternal City—monasteries, churches, private residences, hospitals, and more—that became secret refuges for Jews during the Nazi occupation in World War II. One such site, the Fatebenefratelli Hospital on Tiber Island, harbors an extraordinary tale of resistance and ingenuity: the creation of the fictitious K’s Illness –a ploy that saved countless lives.

Rome under occupation and the deportation of the Jewish Ghetto

Following the Italian armistice with the Allies on September 8, 1943, German forces seized control of central and northern Italy. Rome, too, fell under Nazi occupation, transforming into a city gripped by fear. The Jewish community, already suffering under years of anti-Semitic laws, faced escalated violence.

On the morning of October 16, 1943, SS forces launched a mass raid on the Jewish Ghetto. Over 1,200 individuals, including families with young children, were dragged from their homes and deported to concentration camps, primarily Auschwitz. Only 16 survived. In the face of such systematic brutality, some citizens chose to defy the Nazis, risking their lives to protect those persecuted.

The Fatebenefratelli Hospital: A surprise sanctuary

Situated on the Tiber Island in the heart of Rome, the Fatebenefratelli Hospital occupied a strategic yet somewhat secluded location. Established in 1585, the hospital had long been a place of refuge for the vulnerable. During the Nazi occupation, its role evolved into something far more perilous.

The hospital’s chief physician, Giovanni Borromeo, alongside his colleagues Adriano Ossicini and Vittorio Sacerdoti, turned the facility into a covert shelter for Jews and political dissidents. Patients’ rooms and hospital corridors doubled as hiding places. However, as Nazi patrols scoured the city, a more elaborate ruse became necessary to ensure the fugitives’ safety.

Fatebenefratelli Hospital at Tiber Island

The invention of K’s Illness: A lethal disease that never existed

To deter Nazi inspections, the hospital staff invented a fictitious disease—Morbo di K, K’s Illness. Presented as a highly infectious and deadly condition, it was an audacious fabrication that played on fear and ignorance. The “K” in the name was a deliberate jab, referencing prominent Nazi officers Albert Kesselring and Herbert Kappler, key figures in the Roman occupation.

When SS soldiers arrived to inspect the hospital, doctors warned them of the disease’s severe contagion, which supposedly spread through the air. Afraid of contracting the mysterious illness, the soldiers quickly left, never venturing close enough to uncover the hidden refugees or their falsified medical charts.

This clever deception, executed with courage, provided a lifeline to dozens of Jews fleeing persecution.

The heroes behind the operation

The success of the K’s Illness strategy was driven by the courage and resourcefulness of three remarkable individuals:

  • Giovanni Borromeo: The hospital’s chief physician, a Catholic, who risked his life to protect Jewish patients. In 2004, he was posthumously honored as Righteous Among the Nations by the Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.
  • Adriano Ossicini: A young antifascist doctor who later became a psychiatrist and senator. Ossicini recalled the immense tension and solidarity of those times as defining moments of his life.
  • Vittorio Sacerdoti: A Jewish doctor who had escaped persecution himself and actively participated in implementing the K’s Illness plan.

These individuals, driven by justice and human compassion, defied religious and ideological divides to stand against oppression.

A testament to human solidarity

ceremonia casa de vida
Ceremony for the awarding of the title “House of Life” to Fatebenefratelli Hospital by the Wallemberg Foundation. ©SilviaCostantini

K’s Illness was more than a medical ruse; it symbolized the boundless creativity and courage of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Amid hatred and violence, Catholic and antifascist doctors worked together to protect Jewish lives, demonstrating that solidarity can thrive even in the darkest of times.

The story also resonates with poet John Donne’s reflection: “No man is an island, entire of itself.” The Fatebenefratelli Hospital became more than a physical refuge—it embodied the ideal of a “House of Life,” where all were sheltered and protected.

Recognition and legacy: A “House of Life”

In 2016, the Raoul Wallenberg International Foundation officially recognized the Fatebenefratelli Hospital as a “House of Life.” This honorary title is reserved for sites that provided sanctuary to persecuted individuals during the Holocaust.

The story of K’s Illness remains a powerful reminder that human fraternity transcends fear and division. In Rome’s labyrinth of history, the hospital on Tiber Island stands as a monument to the courage and compassion of those who refused to be bystanders. It invites us to remember the enduring impact of solidarity in the face of oppression.

This post is also available in: Español Italiano

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