Inside Rome with the Germans (1945)

First Edition of this Contemporary Narrative About Rome in World War II,
Written by an American Expatriate Prior to the End of the War

Scrivener, Jane. Inside Rome with the Germans. New York: Macmillan, 1945.

Octavo. Hardcover. 1st Edition.

First edition of this book written by an expatriate American religious woman, detailing her experiences in Rome and at the Vatican during World War II, from the Italian declaration of war through the German pullback from Rome after Monte Casino and Anzio. Written by an American woman living in Rome--initially as a diary--this work details events in Rome from the Italian declaration of war in 1940 through some of the biggest battles of the war, including Monte Casino and Anzio. A Catholic religious woman (writing here under a pseudonym), "Jane Scrivener" had a close-up view of the Vatican where she worked digging up information about prisoners and disseminating it to their families. She kept this diary at night and sent occasional entries to her close friend, the U.S. ambassador's wife. Recognizing the news and historical value of her work, the ambassador and his wife eventually managed to convince her to give them their diary for publication. The document passed through the Madrid embassy, a British military officer, and the ambassador's suitcase before it arrived in New York at Macmillan. Book fine, dust jacket with slight foxing not affecting front panel and light wear to extremities. A near-fine copy.