After decades, the court has awarded compensation, which the surviving relatives will receive for the war massacre

The Bologna Court of Appeals has confirmed the payment of €50 million to the families of the 770 victims of the Nazi massacre in Marzabotte and Monte Sole in 1944. The decision comes after more than 20 years of legal disputes and follows on from criminal trials in 2005 and 2007, writes La Repubblica Bologna.

The victims' lawyers expressed their satisfaction with the decision, which they believe recognizes the enormous pain suffered by the bereaved. Now it is up to the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance to ensure that the compensation is paid from the national fund.

“A lot of time has passed, but now it is possible to achieve financial justice as well. I hope that the Ministry of Economy and Finance will respond within a reasonable period of time,” they added.

Lawyers and politicians are demanding that this be done without further delay. Democratic Party MP Andrea De Maria considers the ruling an important recognition of the responsibility of states for war crimes. The compensation should be paid by Germany, but a national fund has been set up in Italy for this purpose. However, the question remains whether the fund has sufficient capacity to cover all claims.

The Marzabotto massacre is a war crime from World War II in which Nazi troops killed 1,830 civilians. It was the largest massacre of civilians committed by SS units in Western Europe during the war and, at the same time, the deadliest mass shooting in Italian history.

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