Q: Professor David Kertzer – The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara – Intro

A:

• Anthropologist & Social Historian

• Focus Italian History

• Heard about the Kidnapping

• Surprised that historians were not aware

• Interested in project for broader audience

Q: The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara – Italy 1858

A: 

• Tense Period

• Time of Risorgimento – National Unification

• Attempt to unify Italy

• Patchwork of kingdoms & duchesses

• Papal State from Rome to Bologna

• Pope out of Rome for a year under Napoleon

• French then back Pope

• Jewish Ghetto Rome since 16th Century

• Freedom for Jews in northwest Italy

Q: DP Camps – Jewish survivors placed with Nazi murderers?!

A: 

• Papal State with political control

• Italian Inquisition

• Jewish afraid for their children

• June 1858 knock on door of Mortara home

• Police take away 6 year old Edgardo

• Edgardo purportedly secretly baptized

• Taken to House of Catechumens

• Impact in Italian unification, Count Cavour

Q: The Kidnapping of Egardo Mortara – Italian Inquisition:

A:

• Different Inquisition over history

• Spanish Inquisition earlier

• Rome / Papal Inquisition from 16th century

• Network of Dominican monks

• Until 20th century

Q:  The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara – Why Did The Pope get Involved?

A: 

• Italian Jewish Communities gaining rights

• Usually appealed to Pope in such cases

• Kidnapping get press in Europe and USA

• French protecting Papal Rome

• Napoleon III sends ambassador to pressure Pope

• Pope views himself as Edgardo’s new father

Q: The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara – International Response?

A: 

• International Jewry – Organized Response

• Led to establishment of French Alliance Israélite Universelle 

• Coming off of Damascus Blood Libel

• Moses Montefiore attempts for Edagrdo’s release

• Protests in USA

• Anti-Catholic sentiment

Q: The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara – Why were Efforts to Release Unsuccessful?

A: 

• Could Church find excuse to release Edgardo

• Perhaps he wasn’t really baptized

• Servant girl claims she baptized 1 year old Edgardo

• Cardinal Giacomo Antonelli favored release

• Pope stood firm citing Church Canon Law

Q: The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara - How did it Impact on Power of Church?

A: 

• Kidnapping contributed to unification of Italy

• And to fall of Papal States

• French Emperor took a hostile view to Papal States

• Joined Victor Emanuel to end Papal States

• 1 year to date after Kidnapping,  June 1859

Q: What Are the Lessons for Young People?

A: 

• Separation of Church & State

• Individual & family rights

• No infringement by religious institutions

• See this in contemporary issues

Q: Did Edgardo and his family reunite?

A: 

• Family attempt to get Edgardo released

• Taken to seminary; trained

• Papal Rome falls in 1870

• Edgardo now 19

• Reunited but Edgardo firmly Christian

Q: What Archives were used?

A: 

• Bologna Inquisition Archives

• Criminal Case records from 1860

• 700 pages of police notes

• Vatican Archives

• Jewish Community Rome Archives

Q: Will there be a Steven Spielberg Movie?

A: 

• Spielberg read book twice

• Hired screenwriter Tony Kirschner

• Screenplay completed

• Actors hired

• 4,000 auditions for role of Edgardo

• Spielberg not yet satisfied