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Italian Canadians as Enemy Aliens: Memories of World War II

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“We Were the Enemy“

Today, Italian Canadians are a successful group. They are businessmen, skilled professionals and innovators in every field. Famous athletes, politicians and others are easily recognized.

Not that long ago, the loyalties of Italian Canadians were questioned. During World War II, they were considered to be fascist sympathizers and potential terrorists. Italian Canadians were put under surveillance, and 31,000 were designated as enemy aliens. Of these, about 600 were taken from their families and held in prisons and remote camps. This is also part of the Italian Canadian story

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Featured Interview

From coast to coast, listen to compelling accounts from those who lived through World War II as Italian Canadians and enemy aliens. Family members recount the impact on not only the interned men, but also the home situation for the wives and children left behind. A national project, the collection includes 86 personal testimonies.

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Internee List

In 1940, 31,000 Italian Canadians were officially designated as enemy aliens. Of these, about 600 were taken from their homes and separated from their families. They were held in prisons and remote camps. An online commemorative wall honours these internees

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  • Photograph of Canadian soldiers, at railway station, Kingston, ON, ca. 1943. Rino Albanese is among the young men. At the age of 18, Rino Albanese and his twin Philip enlisted in active service with the Canadian military. They were trained at Petawawa, where most of the about 600 Italian Canadian internees were housed. At the same time, the twin's father, Giovanni was designated as an enemy alien. The brothers were sent overseas where they served with the Canadian forces in England, Holland, and Germany.
  • Postcard from Ruggero Bacci, written in Italian, to his sons Alfo & Aldo Bacci, on March 31, 1943. Internee Bacci writes to his children that he is pleased to hear that everyone is well. Bacci tells his eldest son Aldo to remain at home, even if he is only receiving a paltry pay. Under no circumstances should Aldo leave his mother before his father's release. He advises the youngest son Alfo to take a herbal oil to "return to health". He tells them, he's done all he can to secure his release and is awaiting the results. Bacci was interned for almost three years. In his absence, his wife Erminia (Minnie) suffered a serious nervous breakdown and was hospitalized at length. Bacci's oldest son Aldo was forced to quit high school to help support the family. When his father was released and returned home, Aldo received notice that he was conscripted into the Canadian Army; however, he did not serve overseas. This document forms part of a collection of documents and other materials on loan by the Bacci family.
  • Clip from newspaper article, Hamilton Spectator, featuring photograph of parishioners of St. Anthony of Padua, Hamilton, ON, 1912. Photograph shows five rows of men standing outside a building exterior, presumably the church. A large union jack flag appears in the left background. The caption reads, "The men of St. Anthony's of Padua in 1912. From this group have sprung many of Hamilton's successful families. Among them some of the Italian community's first businessmen."
  • Wood mallet, made in Camp Petawawa, 1940-1942. Comprised of two to three wood pieces, including the handle, the head, and a possible plug to secure the handle to the head. Resin or glue is visible and was likely used to secure the handle to the head. The head is comprised of a small branch (2.75 inches long) with a diameter of 2 inches. The exterior bark remains in place. The mallet appears to be roughly finished. As a result, it may have had a utilitarian purpose and actually been used in wood working. This mallet is part of a group of wood objects collected and preserved by the family of internee Girolamo (George) Capponi. The mallet along with other wooden objects in the collection, may have been made by Capponi himself. He had written to his wife asking for wood-working tools.
  • This is a sepia photograph of Thomas Joseph (Tom) and Leah Carbone, taken in their home in Brantford, ON in the early 1960s. The couple is seated together on an armchair with a multi-coloured polka dot pattern. They are smiling at the camera and holding hands. Tom is wearing a brown suit with a white collared shirt and multi-coloured tie. Leah is wearing a multi-coloured short sleeve dress with a collar. Her wavy hair is cut short. Behind them are several household furnishings like a bookcase and a lamp. This photo was taken by their longtime Jewish friend, Hyman (Rozie) Rozovsky; at the time, Rozie and his wife Gladys were visiting the Carbones. The Carbones and the Rozovskys remained good friends throughout the years having first met at the Buffalo Ankerite Gold Mines Ltd. during the 1930s. Tom and his family lived in Timmins when World War II broke out. He was one of many arrested on June 10, 1940; he was interned until November of 1940.
  • Photograph of Rino & Philip Albanese, at military training in Petawawa, ON, ca. 1943. At the age of 18, Rino Albanese and his twin Philip enlisted in active service with the Canadian military. They were trained at Petawawa, where most of the about 600 Italian Canadian internees were housed. At the same time, the twin's father, Giovanni was designated as an enemy alien. The brothers were sent overseas where they served with the Canadian forces in England, Holland, and Germany.
  • Oil painting on card stock of the barrack buildings and an internee in late summer/fall at Petawawa Internment Camp. Two barracks or dormitories are visible in the background. An internee with a red circle on the back of his jacket is seen in the right foreground. A flower garden is visible in the left foreground. In the central mid-ground are trees with leaves that are beginning to change colour. Barracks were wooden, single-storey structures which ranged in size depending on the camp — those at Petawawa contained 60 internees and had toilets, sinks, showers, and electric lighting. Regardless of location, the barracks contained wooden tables and benches, and a wood stove for heating in winter. Internees slept on bunk beds with a thin mattress. Every barrack was assigned a number and was represented by an appointed barrack leader. Internees had to keep their barracks clean. Barracks were inspected daily. Not much is known about the artist of this work — Oscar Bendl — other than he was presumably a German-Canadian internee who interacted with the Italian Canadians also held at Camp Petawawa. This painting was among the materials owned by internee Giacomo Venzon.
  • Notice warning against the transmission of messages, parcels, newspapers and other articles to internees in any of the Canadian internment camps. The warming, which features the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada at the top, was issued by the Director of Internment Operations in Ottawa on March 11, 1940. The notice states that anyone found guilty of transmitting such materials without prior consent of the Director of Internment Operations will be found guilty under the Defence of Canada Regulations and "shall be liable on Summary Conviction to a penalty not exceeding Twelve Months Imprisonment and a fine of $500.00 or on Indictment to a penalty not exceeding Five Years Imprisonment and a fine of $5,000.00." It is unclear whether this notice was posted at internment camps for visitors to see prior to being admitted into the camps or whether they were sent to family members or friends prior to being allowed to visit internees at the internment camps. During World War II, Germans Canadians were the first ethnic group to be interned in Canada. After Mussolini's war declaration on June 10, 1940 the Canadian government gave the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) orders to arrest Italian Canadians considered at threat to the nation's security. Although there were 26 internment camps in Canada during WWII, Italian Canadians males were interned at three camps: Petawawa, Kananaskis and Fredericton/Ripples.
  • This is a charcoal sketch of an internment camp with view of guard tower and an internee by Jemma Kim in 2012. It is part of a series of sketches created for use in the Italian Canadian as Enemy Aliens: Memories of WWII permanent exhibit. The view is of the barbed wire fence and guard tower and an unidentified internee. The internee is running beside the barbed wire fence. The barren tree suggests it is winter or fall season. During World War II, Italian Canadians were interned at three internment camps. They were located at Petawawa, ON, Kananaskis, AB, and Fredericton, NB. There are many other internment camps in Canada which also housed German Canadians, Ukrainian Canadians, and other POWs both during the First and Second World Wars.
  • Black and white photograph of the royal motorcade with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during the Royal Visit through Niagara Falls, ON on June 7, 1939. The vehicle is a 1939 Lincoln convertible sedan. The King and Queen are being accompanied by the Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD), the most senior cavalry regiment in Canada. Crowds of onlookers line both sides of the street. The 1939 Royal Visit was the first visit of the reigning monarch to Canada. Large crowds greeted the royal couple throughout the cross-country tour. The tour began in May of 1939 in Quebec City. From here the King and Queen travelled west by rail, visiting most of the major cities and finally arriving in Vancouver. Then they travelled through the United States, along with Prime Minister Mackenzie King. The tour ended with a visit to the Maritimes and Newfoundland, departing from Halifax. On June 7, 1939 the Royals passed through Southern Ontario on their way to Washington, DC for a meeting with President Roosevelt. It would be the first state visit to the United States by a reigning British monarch.
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June 10, 1940…

On this date, Italian Canadians became the Enemy.
Were these individuals a threat to Canadian democracy?

This exhibit combines history and memory, presents a complicated story, and raises many questions.

View the historical timeline & significant events