There has been a lot of interest in World War II lately with the commemorations of the 80th anniversaries of the liberation of Rome and D-Day in Normandy. So, we would like to share the memories of longtime AMHS member Romeo Sabatini. Many of our members will recall that, for a long time, Romeo was our webmaster and Notiziario editor.

Below are Romeo’s recollections, as a six-year-old, dealing with the Americans coming to Rome in June 1944:

The liberation of Rome. One particularly joyful event was the liberation of Rome by the Allied Forces in 1944.   On June 4, the American soldiers entered Rome and paraded through the major downtown streets. I remember it as a sunny, warm day, with people joyously greeting the soldiers, some of them on tanks and jeeps, women hugging them, kissing them, and shouting gloriously. For me, it meant that now I could go freely and fearlessly to the nearby Villa Borghese Park, or walk the length of Via Piemonte to my elementary school, without encountering the ever-present S.S. guards in front of what was the German S.S. Command on Via Piemonte.  At that time, I thought  that the S.S. on the guards’ helmets stood for the year 44 because It was 1944. There was a real festive atmosphere in Rome that summer of 1944 after the liberation of the city, and it favored us kids who now felt free to roam the streets, to play in the parks, and to deal with the friendly Americans – some of us trying our best to earn a little money, or at least some candy from them.
 
 It was not easy for a family of six like ours to make ends meet during and right after the war, but we made it, thanks to the enterprising spirit and skills we had in our family. My father, who was a policeman before and during the war, lost his job when the Italian police force was disbanded in 1943, but he quickly found temporary jobs as a cook, his craft before joining the police force. He eventually returned to the police force in 1946. My mother, a skilled tailor and embroidery designer, found work at home, finishing dresses for various fashion houses, like Fontana and Schubert. My mother also made all the clothes for herself and the four children, and found the time, in partnership with her younger sister Carolina, to open and manage a stand at Piazza Vittorio, which is a major trade square in Rome, for selling dresses, linens, and other apparel.

My older brother Gianni, who was only 12 years old at the end of the war, contrived all sorts of schemes to make a little money, and in many of his endeavors he would take me along.  One time Gianni and I were tasked to distribute flyers in the streets of Rome advertising a big show at a Theatre Restaurant, the Casina Delle Rose, in Villa Borghese. We distributed the flyers all over the center of Rome, even near the Fontana di Trevi, but  it seemed like we could never finish. So, after a while, we just threw the remaining fliers down the sewers. As compensation, we also were admitted to the Casina delle Rose show. The place was full of people, so our incomplete distribution was sufficient anyway.  To this day, I vividly remember the magician’s clever tricks in that show.

In another endeavor in which I was involved, I would accompany my brother Gianni while he illegally sold wine out of his little cart to American soldiers encamped in the Villa Borghese Park. Our parents were not aware of such dealings. We picked up the Marsala wine at a store in Via Sicilia. We then put labels on them and sold the bottles to American soldiers camped on Corso Regina Elena. This profitable business stopped when my brother and I were arrested by American Military Police and Carabinieri. We were loaded on a jeep and driven home where the police searched for contraband liquor in our apartment on Via Umbria. They found nothing. After this incident and a scolding from father, we stopped selling wine. However, upon the suggestion of our mother, Gianni tried instead to sell silk scarfs to American soldiers.  Nonno Pietro had constructed a portable wooden tray for Gianni to peddle the scarves. Gianni complained that there was no business with the scarves, so he went on with another business consisting of peddling cigarettes he would somehow get from American soldiers and then sell for a profit to Italians, eager to smoke American cigarettes. I do not remember much about these dealings, except for one transaction involving a large can supposedly filled with American cigarettes.  When Gianni opened the tightly sealed can at home, in front of us, it was filled with mud.
 
Another event involving American soldiers happened in the Villa Borghese Park which was full of tents of encamped American soldiers. As I was walking towards the children’s movie house, appropriately named “Topolino” or Mickey Mouse Theater, I saw American soldiers throwing rocks at a fleeing young man. The kid had tried to steal something from a soldier’s tent, and was now running away for his life. The soldiers’ throws were powerful and fast, just like those of a baseball player. I had never seen so many rocks flying, and so near to my head, but the urchin got away unhurt. Luckily, I was not hit by any rocks.
 
One last anecdote involved my first experience with the English language.  The first few English words that I learned from my uncle Camillo were “please give me chocolate.” My uncle Camillo had come to visit us in Rome. He was now an officer in the newly re-established Italian Army and was wearing his bright new uniform. The story that I heard about him many years later from other members of the family was that, after Italy surrendered in 1943, my uncle joined the partisans to fight against the Germans in Abruzzo. Captured by the Germans, he was able to escape the night before he was scheduled to be shot. Anyway, one day, on my way to the park accompanied by uncle Camillo, I mustered enough courage to approach an American soldier and pronounced the fateful words.  The soldier was the first black person I ever saw. I vividly remember the soldier laughing, wide-eyed, throwing up his hands, indicating he had no chocolate, but he did give me a stick of chewing gum, a real novelty at that time.
 
Many Italian kids at the time decided to learn English, just to have some candy from the soldiers; others even invited soldiers to their homes. One time my brother Gianni brought an American soldier to our home. He must have been an Italian American because he spoke broken Italian to us. We sat him in the kitchen, and he gave us some canned goods and a large round loaf of very white bread wrapped in an American newspaper. Although I could not read English at the time, I became interested in the colored comics of the newspaper used as wrappings for the bread. They were probably from an American Sunday newspaper. Some of the comic characters like Popeye or Donald Duck were new to me. I met them again a few years later in the United States. When I was a teenager, I binged on cartoons shown during the Saturday’s children movie matinees.

July/August 2024

John Orlando Carmelo Scarnecchia was born on March 4, 1903, in Steubenville, Ohio. His parents, Fiorangelo and Maria, had emigrated from what was then called the Abruzzi region. When they became U.S. citizens, the family shortened its name to Scarne. They then moved to Fairview, New Jersey. John quit school after the eighth grade and learned from a local card shark how to cheat as a gambler. He also learned about crooked gambling devices, such as marked cards and loaded dice, at a nearby novelty store. However, his Roman Catholic mother dissuaded him from gambling and persuaded him instead to practice magic. John improved his skill at handling cards by learning and devising magical effects with cards. After much practice, he began earning money as a teen magician on the vaudeville circuit.

After World War I ended in November 1918, Scarne befriended Harry Houdini (1874-1926) who taught the teen many tricks. Soon, Scarne had himself tied up with ropes, placed in a bag, and tossed off a bridge into a river. He quickly freed himself. Articles were written about this stunt in many newspapers and magazines. Soon, he was hired as an advisor by many companies to make demonstrations and to teach lessons so that employees learned to detect frauds. Gradually, he became an expert not only at magical effects but also at all kinds of games. When the United States entered World War II on December 8, 1941, he was too old at 38 for the draft. However, he was hired in 1942 as a consultant by the U.S. Army which sent him to bases around the world to teach soldiers how to detect card sharks and dice cheats.

After World War II ended in August 1945, he published Scarne on Dice which was the first of 15 books that he wrote. He also co-authored 13 more books about games. His notoriety soon had him banned from all casinos in Las Vegas, except for the ones owned by Conrad Hilton who hired Scarne to assist him in identifying blackjack card counters and other cheats. The U.S. Senate created a Committee on Gambling and Organized Crime in 1951, and Scarne was called as “the nation’s outstanding gambling authority” to testify about the ways people are cheated. In 1952, Scarne invented Teeko, the first of three board games in which persons with good math skills won. He married Norma Kearney in early 1955 and a son was born to them before the end of the year. Scarne was so proud of becoming a father at 52 and of the success of his first game that he named his son, John Teeko Scarne. The couple had no more children.

Scarne published his autobiography, The Odds Against Me, in 1966. In 1973 Scarne was the technical advisor for the movie The Sting, and doubled for Paul Newman’s hands in scenes involving deck switching and card manipulation. Scarne authored his last book, Scarne’s Guide to Casino Gambling, in 1978. He died in North Bergen, New Jersey, at 82 on July 7, 1985.

Sources: (all accessed March 15, 2024)

LaGumina et al., The Italian-American Experience: An Encyclopedia, at pages 579-580, Garland Publishing, Inc., 2000.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Scarne

The beautiful, small town of Bussi sul Tirino is situated in the province of Pescara. It has approximately 2,471 inhabitants, known as Bussesi.
Located on the Tirino river, Bussi lies on the southern boundary of the Gran Sasso-Laga National Park. In the past, agriculture was the main activity in the village due to the abundance of water and fertile soil. At the beginning of the 20th century, the industrialization of Val Pescara fostered the creation of many industries, which are still active in the area.
The original settlement dates to around 1000, during the age of castles. The first mention of Bussi was in 1200, when it was among the areas controlled by the monastery of San Benedetto in Perillis. It was later a fief of the descendants of Berardo da Rajano, the Pignatelli, the Cantelmo, the Pietropaoli, and the Medici families.
The name “Bussi” seems to derive from the name of the boxwood plant, which was very common in the area during the Italic and Roman periods. The Buxio castle, then Bussio, is first mentioned in 1111 as the outer boundary of the territory of the Abbey of San Clemente in Casauria.
However, the history of the municipality dates back even further, to the Lombard era. In fact, outside the town, the Lombard tower of Sutrium still stands today, having served as a fortified outpost used to monitor the valley and enemy movements.
Bussi sul Tirino’s territory offers numerous natural attractions. As mentioned above, the town is bordered by the Tirino river, which originates from the Campo Imperatore water system and winds its way for 25 kilometers through three springs in the Capestrano area. Along its route, the river is fed by other small springs.
The climate is typically mountainous, with cold temperatures in winter and abundant rainfall in spring. During the summer, the town comes to life with events such as the Tirino Festival, which celebrates the river and local traditions.
Today it is known as a canoe spot with some of Europe’s clearest waters upstream to Capestrano.
Now the town is becoming known for its summertime blues and jazz concerts, collectively called “Bussinjazz.” Last year L’Associazione Bussinjazz was formed in memory of Mario Bucci, who has been called the best-known exponent of jazz in Abruzzo.

What to See

• Medieval castle
• Remains of the Romanesque church of Santa Maria di Cartignano, with three naves.

Important Dates

• Mid-June – Feasts of San Biagio and Sant’Antonio
• Late July – Feasts of Sant’ Anna and San Pantaleone
• Summer – “Bussinjazz,” blues and jazz music concerts.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bussi_sul_Tirino https://www.italyheritage.com/regions/abruzzo/pescara/bussi.htm https://terredamare.com/comuni/bussi-sul-tirino

Tradotto da Ennio Di Tullio

Provincia di Pescara, Regione Abruzzo

La bellissima cittadina di Bussi sul Tirino si trova in provincia di Pescara. Ha circa 2.471 abitanti, detti Bussesi.

Situato sul fiume Tirino, Bussi si trova al confine meridionale del Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso-Laga. In passato l’agricoltura era l’attività principale del paese perche dell’abbondanza di acqua e di terreno fertile. Agli inizi del XX secolo, l’industrializzazione della Val Pescara favorì la creazione di numerose industrie, tuttora presenti nella zona.

L’insediamento originario risale intorno all’anno Mille, nell’epoca dei castelli. La prima menzione di Bussi risale al 1200, quando era tra i territori controllati dal monastero di San Benedetto in Perillis. Successivamente, fu feudo dei discendenti di Berardo da Rajano, dei Pignatelli, dei Cantelmo, dei Pietropaoli, e dei Medici.

Il nome “Bussi” sembra derivare dal nome della pianta del bosso, molto diffusa nella zona in epoca italica e romana. Il castello di Buxio, poi Bussio, è citato per la prima volta nel 1111 come confine esterno del territorio dell’Abbazia di San Clemente in Casauria.

Pero, la storia del comune risale ancora più lontano, all’epoca longobarda. Fuori dall’abitato, infatti, si trova ancora oggi la torre longobarda di Sutrium, che fungeva da avamposto fortificato utilizzato per monitorare la valle e i movimenti nemici.

Il territorio di Bussi sul Tirino offre numerose attrattive naturali. Come detto sopra, il paese è confinato per il fiume Tirino, che nasce dal sistema idrico di Campo Imperatore e si snoda per 25 chilometri attraverso tre sorgenti nel territorio di Capestrano. Lungo il suo percorso, il fiume è alimentato da altre piccole sorgenti.

Il clima è tipicamente montano, con temperature fredde in inverno e abbondanti precipitazioni in primavera. Durante l’estate, il paese si anima con eventi come il Festival del Tirino, che celebra il fiume e le tradizioni locali.

Oggi è conosciuto come un punto per le canoe con alcune delle acque più limpide d’Europa a monte di Capestrano.

Ora la città sta diventando famosa per i suoi concerti estivi di blues e jazz, collettivamente chiamati “Bussinjazz”. Lo scorso anno è nata L’Associazione Bussinjazz in memoria di Mario Bucci, definito l’esponente più noto del jazz abruzzese.

Attrazioni del luogo:

• Castello medievale
• Resti della chiesa romanica di Santa Maria di Cartignano, a tre navate.

Date da ricordare:

• Metà giugno – Festa di San Biagio e Sant’Antonio
• Fine Luglio – Festa di Sant’Anna e San Pantaleone
• Estate – “Bussinjazz”, concerti di musica blues e jazz.

July/August 2024

AMHS members and friends enjoyed an evening at Nationals Park for the annual Italian Heritage Night on June 18 to see the Washington Nationals take on the Arizona Diamondbacks (Alas, the Nats lost 5-0). All attendees received a special jersey for the event. Pictured are (left to right) AMHS Treasurer Peter Bell, President Chris Renneker, 2nd VP Rico Allegrino, Tomasso Mazza, Ivan Jones, Ravi Ganesh and Frankie Yupari.

On July 13,  AMHS President Chris Renneker, Peter Bell, Barbara Friedman, and Sam Yothers were joined by members of the Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, all of whom work with Maria D’Andrea-Yothers. The group enjoyed a one-hour walk along the C&O Canal Towpath in Georgetown, followed by an excellent lunch of porchetta sandwiches from Porchetta District. Anyone looking for a great porchetta sandwich in the Washington, DC area – Porchetta District is the place to go (they cater too!). Photo credit: Maria D’Andrea-Yothers

AMHS President Emeritus Lucio D’Andrea and his wife, Edvige, are pleased to announce the marriage of their eldest granddaughter, Angela Pisoni. Angela married Daniel Hopper on July 12, in an intimate ceremony in Charlotte, NC, where the happy couple reside with their dog, Bruno. Congratulations Angela & Daniel, many blessings for a life of love and happiness. Photo credit: Fred Pisoni

July/August 2024