Boetto Pietro

Boetto, Cardinal Pietro Delasem was a Jewish aid organization established in 1939 in Genoa, Italy, to come to the aid of the increased tide of Jewish refugees flowing into the port city. Its president was lawyer Lelio Vittorio Valobra, who throughout the years 1939–1942 acted to help the Jews, using whatever channels were available. After the armistice (signed between the Italians and the Allies) and the subsequent German invasion of Italy in September 1943, Valobra turned to Cardinal Pietro Boetto, the archbishop of Genoa, through the auspices of his secretary, Don Francesco Repetto (recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations in 1976) and requested help in rescuing Jews. Cardinal Pietro Boetto acquiesced and instructed his secretary to work with the organization. After most of Delasem’s leaders escaped to Switzerland, their activities with the remaining Jews continued. Delasem representative Massimo Teglio later recalled that after the occupation of Italy by the Germans, Delasem had to close its headquarters in Genoa, and all the operations to assist Jews, Italians, and foreigners were transferred to the Roman Catholic Church under Cardinal Boetto. With his approval and under his instructions, Don Francesco Repetto, Boetto’s secretary, organized the rescue operations, including food supplies, false documents, illegal hospitalization, and so on. The Genoese rescue network was also in contact with networks elsewhere—for example, in Florence. The cardinal often hosted Jews in his house as a first stop during their escape. On December 21, 2015, Yad Vashem recognized Cardinal Pietro Boetto as Righteous Among the Nations.