My Name is Vittoria

By Dafna Vitale Ben-Bassat

Based on a True Story from the Italian Holocaust

Love and remorse in the midst of war

Vittoria Vitale was born to a noble Jewish family in the north of Italy at the very same year that Mussolini met his Jewish lover. With the onset of World War II, her life is carried by a swirl or atrocities, decisions, farewells and remorse that will scar her forever.

MORE ABOUT THE STORY

In the northern Italian town of Biella, 1942, Jewish mother Vittoria watches as her peaceful world crumbles under the shadow of war. When the Nazi threat reaches their doorstep, she and her family make a desperate bid for survival, attempting to escape to Switzerland. But at the border, Vittoria faces every mother’s nightmare: She must choose between risking her entire family’s safety or leaving one child behind.

This powerful true story illuminates a lesser-known chapter of the Holocaust – the plight of Italian Jews and their harrowing journeys to safety across the Swiss border. Through Vittoria’s eyes, we witness both the darkness of humanity and the triumph of friendship, loyalty, devotion and maternal courage.

There is also a character in the story who truly earned the title of “Righteous Among the Nations,” and there is a tree in her memory at the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem.

Inspiring and thought provoking read, a love story with history we should never forget. A simple story well written to let us know of some of the experiences of life in WW2 and beyond.

Deborah Hatton

Author Dafna Vitale Ben Bassat weaves a powerful historical fiction based on a true story. With fascinating twists and turns, it will easily captivate the reader from the first page to the last. The author paints a dramatic and riveting tale of loss and despair, survival and human triumph in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a compelling story that will have you mesmerized from the opening chapter.

Piaras

A stirring historical drama about the life of a Jewish family during WW II

This is the story of one unforgettable woman, supporting her husband and children under impossible conditions. It is also the story of a Jewish family who feels safe from war because of its status and wealth, and wakes up to a disasters reality. More than anything, it is the story of the entire Italian Jewish community in face of the Holocaust – a story of disaster, overcoming and eventual immigration to Israel as a part of the Zionist movement.

Behind every successful man stands an insightful woman

Daly life soaked in historical consequences, family ties and general atmosphere, aromas, sounds and tastes, based on thorough research, interviews and original historical manuscripts. A drama of loss and despair, survival and human triumph with unforgettable characters that stay with you long after the last page.