Lama dei Peligni is a small mountain town in the Chieti province. In mid-June 1940, under instructions from the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry (Ministero degli Affari Esteri), the Fascist regime opened a concentration camp on its main road. It was set up in a private residence consisting of two floors and an attic. Although this home was deemed suitable for the accommodation of 65 internees, on average, it housed considerably fewer: only in 1942 for a short period did the number reach 70 internees. Due to frequent transfers and acquittals, the population turnover at Lama dei Peligni was very high, but the actual number of prisoners in the camp at any one time remained low, particularly during its first two years of operation. Officially, the mayor of Lama dei Peligni directed the camp, but everyday command was in the hands of a public security commissioner. The police guaranteed security, and a local doctor provided medical assistance. The conditions of internment were generally n...