Explores the life of Erich Priebke, his trial, and the impact of his actions, with a focus on Giulia Spizzichino’s role in his extradition.
Erich Priebke was a German SS officer during World War II , known for his involvement in the Fosse Ardeatine massacre in Rome.After the war, he fled to Argentina , but was later extradited to Italy thanks to the efforts of people like Giulia Spizzichino . This article explores his life, actions, and people associated with him.
Giulia Spizzichino and her connection with Priebke
Giulia Spizzichino was a Roman Jew who lost 26 family members during the Holocaust , many of them killed at the Fosse Ardeatine . In the 1990s, she discovered that Erich Priebke , one of those responsible for the massacre, was living freely in Argentina.
Determined to obtain justice, Giulia fought for his extradition to Italy, providing key testimony that led to Priebke’s conviction.
Paolo Giachini: Priebke’s defender
Paolo Giachini was Erich Priebke’s defense attorney during his trial in Italy. Despite overwhelming evidence against his client, Giachini maintained his innocence and attempted to justify his actions during the war.
His defense sparked much controversy and debate on professional ethics and historical memory .
The Ardeatine Caves and Priebke’s Tomb
The Fosse Ardeatine is a memorial site in Rome where, on 24 March 1944 , 335 people were massacred by Nazi forces in retaliation for a partisan attack.
Erich Priebke was one of the main perpetrators of this massacre.
After his death in 2013 , controversy arose over his burial. Argentine authorities rejected Priebke’s request to be buried next to his wife in Argentina. The Diocese of Rome also banned the funeral from being held in any Roman Catholic church, and his hometown in Germany refused to receive his body, fearing that the grave would become a place of pilgrimage for neo-Nazis.
After several refusals, the family turned to the Society of Saint Pius X , a traditionalist Catholic group not in full communion with the Holy See, who agreed to hold the funeral in their church in Albano Laziale . However, the ceremony was interrupted due to clashes between fascist sympathizers and anti-fascist protesters. Eventually, Italian authorities seized the body and buried it in an undisclosed location . According to some sources, Priebke was buried in the cemetery of a former prison on an Italian island, possibly Pianosa or Capraia.
The decision to keep the location of the grave secret was made to prevent it from becoming a place of worship for neo-Nazi groups or being vandalized . To this day, the exact location of Erich Priebke’s burial remains unknown to the public.
The Children of Erich Priebke
Erich Priebke had two sons , Jorge and Ingo .
After World War II, the family settled in San Carlos de Bariloche , Argentina , where the children grew up.
Jorge Priebke still resides in Bariloche, while Ingo lives in New York . Both have maintained a low profile, but have spoken out publicly on some occasions, especially in relation to the legal issues and the burial of their father.
After Erich Priebke’s death in 2013, his children expressed their disappointment, citing the controversy surrounding his funeral and burial.
In a letter to the Prefect of Rome , they asked for silence to fall on the affair , stressing that they were shocked by the events following their parent’s death.
Interviews with Erich Priebke
During the 1990s, after his extradition to Italy, Erich Priebke gave several interviews in which he tried to justify his actions during the war.
In these interviews, he showed little or no contrition, claiming that he had acted under superior orders.
His statements sparked outrage and strengthened the resolve of many to ensure that the crimes of the Holocaust were not forgotten.
How was Erich discovered?
In March 1994 , an investigative team from the American broadcaster ABC News , led by journalist Sam Donaldson , tracked Priebke down in Bariloche. After discovering references to his involvement in the Fosse Ardeatine massacre in a local book, ” El pintor de la Suiza argentina ” by Esteban Buch , the team conducted extensive research, finding documents confirming Priebke’s role in the massacre.
Donaldson interviewed him, and Priebke admitted his identity and involvement in the massacre, justifying his actions as following orders from above.
The broadcast of the interview sparked international outrage, leading to Priebke’s arrest by Argentine authorities.
After a lengthy extradition process , Priebke was handed over to Italy in 1996 , where he was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity .