Homefront

Piazza del Popolo, a quiet wintry day

Deutsches Bundesarchiv Bild 1011-312-0992-11A

Rome early 1944: two German Sturmgeschütze III - Sturmgeschütz 7,5 cm Stu.K. 40 Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 142/1) – parked at Piazza del Popolo eye-catching of the pedestrian and of the kids (how much enthusiastic? The German occupation was really oppressive. According of my mother’s memory the question of Roman citizens at this time was: when the Americans will arrive?). This photo, which act as pendant with the other similar picture from another view (see http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/746364-2), was take back to Via di Ripetta with on the right the left side of the Santa Maria dei Miracoli’s church. On the center the Egyptian obelisk of the Pharaohs Ramesses II and Merenptah (XIII Century before Christ), in background the Porta del Popolo (access/entry to/from the ancient Via Flaminia) with on the right the ancient and patriarchal Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo and on the left the old barrack of the Pope’s Gendarmerie today Caserma “Giacomo Acqua”, HQ of the Carabinieri Latium Region Command. On XIX Century, from the return of the Pope at Rome (1814) to the end of the Pontifical States (20 September 1870), the space between the Caserma and the Basilica was often used for erect the guillotine! A question for the military clothing’s experts: which it may be the unit of the German soldier on right-hand (a NCO?)? His greatcoat it seem unusual… The other serviceman with a briefcase seem an administrative unit’s member. In any case they not seem crewmember of the two AFV…Victor Sierra