Obj. ID: 52100  Fosse Ardeatine Mausoleum Complex in Rome, Italy - Caves

Description

Passing from the light outside into interior darkness, one passes through rebuilt caves to the places where the victims were killed, and their bodies piled. First one passes a Christian chapel created by the A.N.F.I.M. Near the place where the bodies were piled is a small shrine with an inscribed passage from Psalm 130 in Hebrew and Latin. The gates on both sides of this are designed by Mirko Basaldella and are similar to the main entrance gate to the memorial.

Inscriptions

Inside caves, at the chapel (Italian)

A.N.F.I.M.

CAPPELLA GENTILIZIA

MARTIRI ARDEATINI

Translation: A.N.F.I.M. / Noble chapel / Ardeatine Martyrs

Inside caves

Italian

VORAGINE CREATA DALL ESPLOSIONE
DI UNA MINA COLLOCATA DAI REPARTY
DELLE S.S.. TEDESCHE PER IMPEDERE
L’ACCESSO AL LUOGO DELL’ECCIDIO

Translation: Chasm created by explosion of a mine placed by the departments of the German S.S. to prevent access to the site of the murders.

QUI FUMMO TRUCIDATI
VITTIME DI UN SACRIFICIO ORRENDO
DAL NOSTRO SACRIFICIO
SORGA UNA PATRIA MIGLIORE
E DURATURA PACE FRA I POPOLI

Translation: Here we were murdered, victims of a horrendous sacrifice. From our sacrifice may a better country arise and lasting peace between people

Latin

DE PROFUNDIS CLAMAVI AD TE DOMINE 

Hebrew

ממעמקִים קראתיך ה

Translation: Out of the depths I call You, O LORD [Psalms 130:1, translation from JPS 1985]

...FUMMO TRUCIDATI QUESTO LUOGO PERCHE
LOTTAMMO CONTRO LA TIRANNIDE INTERNA
PER LA LIBERTÀ CONTRO LO STRANIERO
PER LA INDIPENDENZA DELLA PATRIA.
SOGNAMO UN’ITALIA LIBERA GIUSTA
DEMOCRATICA.
IL NOSTRO SACRIFICIO E IL NOSTRO SANGUE
NE SIANO LA SEMENTA ED IL MONITO PER LE
GENERAZIONI CHE VERRANNO

Translation: ...We were killed in this place because we fought against internal tyranny for freedom against the foreigner, for the independence of the country. We dream of a free, just, democratic Italy. Our sacrifice and our blood are the seed and the warning for the generations to come.