Avenia Giacomo

Avenia, Giacomo Barbieri, Amelia Barbieri, Ostilio Ollari, Don Ernesto Ostilio Barbieri (b. 1897) and his wife, Amelia (née Prevoli), lived in the village of Calestano in the province of Parma. The Barbieri couple had three children: Giulia, Elena, and Alberto. The Mattei family from Fiume – Bruno, Valeria (née Tauber), and their daughter, Edit (later Zeckendorf) – were interned as civilian internees of war in Calestano. After September 1943, the Matteis were warmly welcomed into the home of the Barbieri family, who provided them with food and necessary items, as well as moral support. The local maresciallo dei carabineri (police inspector) Giacomo Avenia, helped them too, as he did other refugees from Yugoslavia hiding in the village. Whenever there were rumors about a German search, the Matteis were warned. Once they were almost caught, but their hosts and Avenia saved them. When the Germans asked if they were Jews, both Ostilio Barbieri and Giacomo Avenia denied it. The German officer warned them that if they were lying, their punishment would be death. Nevertheless, the two insisted that they were being truthful. When, on June 30, 1944, the Germans again conducted a raid on all the Jews, they broke into the Barbieris’ house. The Matteis were hiding on the second floor, but Ostilio, handcuffed by the soldiers, swore that nobody was there. He said that on the second floor there was only one bedroom, which he shared with his wife. Ostilio was sent to a concentration camp in Germany. However, even from there, he instructed his family to continue to take care of his wards, even to the point of helping them monetarily. Nevertheless, in July the conditions worsened, and the Mattei family contemplated leaving the village to find a safer place in another village in the mountains. In Canesano, they were under the protection of Don Ernesto Ollari. Once during a German search, both Don Ollari and Bruno Mattei were taken as hostages. They were warned that they wouldbe killed if any German would be hurt. Ollari used his influence to convince the German officer that Bruno was sick and needed to be in bed. Both were saved. After the war the Matteis kept up their contact with the Barbieri family, visiting each other, spending summer holidays together, as well as sharing happy family events. On August 2, 1999, Yad Vashem recognized Ostilio Barbieri and Amelia Barbieri, Giacomo Avenia and Don Ernesto Ollari, as Righteous Among the Nations.