A 91-year-old woman has received a gallantry award 74 years after saving her entire village in Italy from being executed as a fearless teen during World War Two.
Gabriella Ezra, from Brighton, East Sussex, was awarded the prestigious Star of Italy medal after her son Mark, 65, wrote to the Italian embassy and brought her heroic efforts to their attention.
He said: 'If my mother had not intervened they would all have been killed. She showed such remarkable courage.
At just 17 years old, Gabriella stopped her father Luigi and 37 other villagers from her hometown of Capella di Scorze, near Venice from being massacred by a firing squad in 1945.
War hero Gabriella Ezra, 91, has been awarded the prestigious Star of Italy award 74 years after she saved her village from being killed by the Nazis
At just 17 years old, Gabriella stopped villagers from her hometown of Capella di Scorze, near Venice, from being massacred by a firing squad in 1945
The Germans were after retribution following an attack on their men by Italian partisans which had left several of them wounded.
Gabriella, who spoke immaculate German because her family had lived in Austria, pleaded with a German officer to show mercy to the villagers who had been rounded up and locked in a cowshed.
'I told my mother I had to do something so I ran after the officer and pleaded with him that these men were just farmers who cared about their fields and cows.
'He took me to the commandant and I begged him not to kill them, telling him again and again these men were innocent.
'They took me outside and lined up the men with a firing squad and said this woman tells me you are innocent. If she's lying I'll kill you all, her first,' she recalled.
Luckily the villagers had buried their partisan armbands and all the prisoners were released, with the German commander telling them they owed their lives to Gabriella.
Gabriella, who spoke immaculate German because her family had lived in Austria, pleaded with a German officer him to show mercy to the villagers who had been rounded up and locked in a cowshed (seen on far right)
Gabriella (pictured) said: 'I ran after the officer and pleaded with him that these men were just farmers who cared about their fields and cows'. Luckily the villagers had buried their partisan armbands. The German commander told them they owed their lives to her
Among the Capella di Scorze villagers captured was her father Luigi (pictured right, alongside Gabriella in the centre and her mother on the left)
Her son Mark, 65, (left) wrote to the Italian embassy and brought her heroic efforts to their attention. He said: 'If my mother had not intervened they would all have been killed. She showed such remarkable courage'
'When the British came we cried tears of joy and embraced them. It was such a relief.'
Later, Gabriella met Captain Ezra, of the Middlesex Regiment, while working as a translator in the town major's office in Mestre outside of Venice in 1946.
They fell in love and married in Venice in 1949 and they moved to Brighton, where she worked as a language coach.
Captain Ezra died in 2005 and Gabriella has two children, Mark and Diana.
Later, Gabriella (left) met Captain Ezra of the Middlesex Regiment (right), while working as a translator in the town major's office in Mestre outside of Venice in 1946
They fell in love and married in Venice in 1949, and they moved to Brighton where she worked as a language coach
Gabriella (second right) returned to Capella di Scorze for the first time 25 years ago and was greeted with a hero's welcome. She said: 'They made a meal for me in the square. They said they were very pleased to see me because I had saved the village'
Gabriella returned to Capella di Scorze for the first time 25 years ago and was greeted with a hero's welcome.
'I was showing my daughter around the village when a man spotted me and said "oh my goodness it's Gabriella", she said.
'They made a meal for me in the square. They said they were very pleased to see me because I had saved the village.'
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/20/war-hero-91-receives-award-74-years-after-she-saved-her-entire-italian-village-from-the-nazis/
Main photo article A 91-year-old woman has received a gallantry award 74 years after saving her entire village in Italy from being executed as a fearless teen during World War Two.
Gabriella Ezra, from Brighton, East Sussex, was awarded the prestigious Star of Italy medal after her son Mark, 65, wrote to the...
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Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
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