Anna Maria Enriques Agnoletti

Nicolaj had come from a Siberian University and during his stay in Russia, he had witnessed the events that led to the October Revolution in 1905.

He taught in Florence for 30 years, beginning exactly in the year when Anna first enrolled.

In 1926 she began studying for her bachelor's degree in literature and philosophy.

In 1930 she obtained her degree.

Her bachelor's thesis supervisor was Nicolaj Ottokar.

This encounter was extremely important for her.

In 1932, after her graduation, and having further studied paleography and archival research, Anna Maria got a temporary position at the University as joint assistant, working in the State Archive of Florence

In 1936 she was appointed head archivist, continuing her collaboration with the Historical Italian Archive, writing book reviews and conference reports.

Anna initiated the process of converting to Catholicism in 1936, completing it in 1938.

It was the result of a spiritual quest that lasted for many years and would impact her life decisions until her death.

In 1938 the Italian Racial Laws were approved in Italy, resulting in an interruption of Anna's studies and carrier, since, despite her conversion, she was still considered a Jew.

Under the Racial Laws it was forbidden for Jews to serve in the Army, to be a guard, to be a company owner, to own land or any real estate, and to have "Aryans" living in the household.

Jews were no longer allowed to work in military and civil administration, provincial and municipal bodies, banks and insurance, schools and universities, regardless of rank.

Eventually, Jewish students were barred from State schools.

Anna was fired from the State Archive in a moment of economic instability for her family.

In those years the most important figure in Florentine Catholicism was Giorgio La Pira, Anna had a relationship of esteem and affection with him.

In 1939, he founded a magazine called "Principi", whose purpose was to show "the abyss of war towards which we are running".

This magazine was very important for Anna’s intellectual formation.

Giorgio La Pira helped her to find a new job: he accompanied her brother Enzo to visit the Archbishop of Florence and thanks to him Anna was hired at the Vatican Library.

Anna lived with the nuns, sharing the room with Tea Sesini; the two girls were colleagues at the Vatican Library, and also battle comrades.

In 1940 Italy joined World War II.

Turmoil brewed at the Vatican Library on account of the anti-fascist movement active there.

Anna befriended a priest through whom she met, amongst other intellectuals, Gerardo Bruni, who had studied philosophy at Rome'sSapienza University, and had been involved in the Italian Popular Party.

She and Bruni constituted the first nucleus of the Christian Social group, along with a few other friends.

It would develop into a movement and finally a political party.

In 1943 Anna Maria left her job in Rome and returned to Florence to be near her mother, who had been left alone.

Here she began to take part in the Italian resistance movement, assisting Jewish families, providing them with identity paper.

She often accompanied them to the City Council for the notarial acts.

Anna Maria Enriques Agnoletti (1907 – 12 June 1944) was an Italian partisan, shot by the Nazis on 12 June 1944.

For her actions in support of the Italian partisan movement she was honored post-mortem with the Gold Medal of Military Valour.

Anna Maria Enriques Agnoletti was born in Bologna.

Her father Paolo Enriques was Jewish of Portuguese descent; her mother Maria Clotilde Agnoletti Fusconi was Catholic.

She was niece of mathematician Federigo Enriques.

Neither of her parents was religiously observant, so Anna Maria and her brother Enzo received a lay education.

Her father was an important biologist who taught at various universities.

Because of his job, the family moved to various Italian cities; he was in Naples, Sassari and finally in Florence.

Anna Maria attended the Liceo Classico Michelangelo in Florence.

But on May 12, 1944, she was betrayed by a fascist informer, who awaited her at home, and arrested her along with her mother.

Three days later, Anna was taken to Villa Triste.

Villa Triste is the given name of various torture places opened by Nazi-Fascists during the last years of World War II.