9 September 1943 Summary

Porto Sant'Andrea

Renzo Leoni lives with his forward-thinking mother, Lidia. Renzo, always courageous, wanted to fly at a very young age. A member of the Italian Royal Air Force, he survived the war on Absyssinia, escaping five airplane wrecks, as well as being lost in the air and low on fuel. Renzo drinks to soothe his scars, physical and mental. Renzo has spent the previous evening with his new acquaintance, Dr. Schramm, fascinated by Schramm's sympathy and patriotism for Germany. Renzo's brother in law, Tranquillo Loeb, scolds him for being out at night with a Nazi. Renzo and Lidia resist Loeb's frantic warning that every Jew in Italy is in mortal danger, as well as his invitation to flee to Switzerland. Lidia considers herself an Italian who celebrates Passover and although her children went to Torah Talmud classes, they also attended Catholic schools...