Israel’s Yad Vashem has named cyclist Gino Bartali “Righteous Among the Nations”. This is the official memorial for Holocaust victims. He acted to save 800 Jewish people during World War II.
He was a devoted Catholic. But he helped archibishop Ella Angelo Dalla Costa of his native Florence and rabbi Nathan Cassuto from September 1943-April 1945 in lifesaving activities. Jews and Christians formed a network to help save local Jews after the German occupation of Italy and during the deportation.
Bartali was a messenger who hid false documents and papers in his bike and transported them to various cities while saying he was training. He took great risk with his own life in doing so.
There will be a ceremony in Italy to honor Bartali in the coming months.
