Italy marks 70 years to roundup of Jews amid turmoil

Plans underway for Germany to take the remains of Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke

By AP 16 October 2013, 12:33 pm

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A 1996 file photo, showing former Nazi officer, Erich Priebke, attending an hearing of his trial at the tribunal in Rome. Erich Priebke, an ex SS captain sentenced to life for the 1944's Ardeatine caves massacre in Italy, died at 100. (Photo credit: AP /Giulio Broglio, File)

ROME — Italy is marking the 70th anniversary of the deportation of Jews from Rome’s ghetto amid continued turmoil over the death of Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke, who participated in a separate World War II atrocity: the massacre of 335 civilians outside Rome.

At 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Rome’s Jewish community gathered to commemorate the moment when Nazi forces rounded up more than 1,000 Jews and deported them to Auschwitz. Only 16 survived.

Italy’s president was presiding over a commemoration ceremony at Rome’s main synagogue. At the same time, Rome’s mayor and prefect announced that negotiations were underway with Germany to take the remains of Priebke, who died Friday.

Plans by a fringe Catholic church to celebrate a funeral Mass were called off Tuesday after clashes between Priebke’s right-wing supporters and protesters.