Andrea Gaggero

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Don Andrea Gaggero (born April 12, 1916 in Mele , † June 20, 1988 in Rome ) was an Italian Catholic priest.

Life

Andrea Gaggero first grew up with an uncle in Mele near Genoa and then moved to his parents in Sestri Ponente . The desire to become a priest grew in him early on. He entered the seminary in Chiappeto , but left it in 1938. Instead, he joined the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri . In doing so, he renounced a lucrative church career and joined a movement that was directed against the Counter-Reformation and, moreover, was fundamentally anti-fascist .

In 1940 he was ordained a priest and headed a church and a youth center in Genoa, which were located between the workers' quarters at the port and the residential areas of the wealthier bourgeoisie. He joined the armed resistance against Italian fascism . On June 6, 1944, he was arrested while carrying secret messages. He was interrogated and tortured for several days, but did not reveal anything. He was convicted when the fascists found his name in the pockets of a captured partisan leader. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and initially taken to the Bolzano transit camp. From there he was taken to Mauthausen concentration camp on December 14, 1944 .

He was liberated on May 5, 1945 and returned to Genoa. There he became president of the liturgical association of ex-deportees. He also joined the Partisans of Peace organization. He also kept in contact with communist and anti-fascist groups. This displeased the Church at the beginning of the Cold War . Because of "serious disobedience" he was then transferred to the lay status . This slowed his church career, but Gaggero was involved in the peace movement and, together with Aldo Capitini, created the peace march from Perugia to Assisi.

Andrea Gaggero died on June 20, 1988 of complications from a tumor.

Honors

literature

  • Andrea Gaggero . In: Irmgard Aschbauer, Andreas Baumgartner, Isabella Girstmair (eds.): Freedom is in fact alone. Resistance to National Socialism for religious reasons. Biographies and contributions to the 2009 International Symposium . Edition Mauthausen, Vienna 2010, ISBN 978-3-902605-17-7 , p. 57 f .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Gaggero, Andrea
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian Catholic priest
DATE OF BIRTH April 12, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH Mele
DATE OF DEATH June 20, 1988
Place of death Rome