The University of Padua and the Anti-Jewish Laws

The paper examines the impact of fascist racial laws on the University of Padua, focusing on their effects on professors, students, and administrative staff. Before 1938, the university was a hub of openness and integration for the Jewish community, with many Jewish professors and students. However, the introduction of racial laws led to the dismissal of 51 faculty members and the expulsion of around 70 students, causing significant damage to scientific research and the academic structure. The laws also introduced courses based on racist theories and banned educational materials authored by Jewish scholars. During the Italian Social Republic, persecution intensified, with some members of the academic community arrested and deported to extermination camps. After the war, the reintegration of Jewish professors was slow and partial, hindered by societal indifference and reluctance to address past injustices. Few professors returned to Padua, while others chose not to or were excluded. In recent years, the University of Padua has taken steps to commemorate these tragic events, including installing Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) and dedicating spaces to persecuted scholars, fostering remembrance and further research into its historical role during the fascist era.