What is the Student House on Via Gastaldi and why is it historically significant?

The Student House (Casa dello Studente) is a beautiful rationalist building on Via Gastaldi in Genoa that served as a university residence and canteen since 1935. It became infamous during World War II when the Gestapo requisitioned it between September and October 1943, transforming it into a place of detention and torture for political prisoners, partisans, Jews, and other opponents of the Nazi-Fascist regime.

Who was Sigfrid Engel and what was his role at the Student House?

Sigfrid Engel was the commander of the local Gestapo branch in Genoa and earned the notorious title of 'executioner of Genoa' for his role in overseeing the detention and torture operations at the Student House. During the Nazi occupation, Engel led the horrific activities that took place within the building's walls against those who opposed the regime.

What types of prisoners were held at the Student House during the Gestapo occupation?

The Gestapo detained and tortured a diverse range of political prisoners at the Student House, including partisans, Jews, homosexuals, anarchists, and anyone suspected of opposing the Nazi-Fascist regime. The building became an obscure place of detention where all opponents who refused to cooperate with the occupying forces faced persecution.

How did the Student House change hands during the Fascist period?

The Student House began operations in 1935 as a university residence under the management of the University of Genoa, then was converted into a garrison of the National Fascist Party and renamed the 'University Fascist House' in 1941. It remained under Fascist control until the Gestapo requisitioned it multiple times between September and October 1943 during the Nazi occupation.

What architectural style is the Student House and what makes it notable?

The Student House is a beautiful example of rationalist architecture, a modernist style that was popular in 1930s Italy, reflecting the building's original purpose as a functional university facility. Today, it stands as a stark historical monument to one of the darkest periods in Genoa's World War II history, preserving the memory of the atrocities committed within its walls.

The Student House and the Gestapo — Genova

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Historical Sites 📍 Genova, Italy 111 views

The Student House and the Gestapo

Photo · Elle A.

The Student House and the Gestapo — Genova, Italy.

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Genova

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Historical Sites

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About The Student House and the Gestapo

The Student House and the Gestapo - Genova | Secret World Trip Planner

The Student House on Via Gastaldi, a beautiful rationalist stucture used as a university residence and canteen, recounts one of the most dramatic pages of World War II. The building, operational since 1935 under the management of the University of Genoa, became a garrison of the "National Fascist Party," which changed its name to "University Fascist House" in 1941, leaving the structure in the hands of the "Genoese Fascist University Group," and finally became the headquarters of the Gestapo police, who requisitioned it several times between September and October 1943.Occupied by the Gestapo, whose local branch was commanded by Sigfrid Engel, the infamous 'executioner of Genoa,' the Casa dello Studente was an obscure place of detention and torture of all opponents who did not cooperate with the Nazi-Fascists: partisans, Jews, homosexuals, anarchists, and, in general, all suspects.