The University of Siena and the Effects of the Anti-Semitic Laws
Author(s)
Date Issued
May 2026
Type
article
Volume
14
Issue
1
Start Page
74
End Page
89
Journal
Abstract
The essay analyzes the impact of the 1938 antisemitic laws on the University of Siena, reconstructing the institutional, educational, and individual consequences resulting from the implementation of racial legislation. Even at this relatively small university, compliance with the directives of the fascist regime was rapid and largely devoid of resistance. The only Jewish faculty member, Guido Tedeschi, was dismissed from teaching, while foreign Jewish students were subjected to restrictions that limited or interrupted their academic paths. The attitude of the academic authorities was characterized by conformity and obedience; teaching was reoriented in accordance with regime directives, with the introduction of courses inspired by biological racism and fascist propaganda. The Fascist University Group (GUF) contributed to the spread of antisemitism in line with the national context. Particular significance is given to the condition of foreign Jewish students: some managed to graduate in an accelerated timeframe, sometimes thanks to informal support, while others were expelled or interned in concentration camps after 1940. The Sienese case is emblematic of the dynamics of Italian universities under fascism, highlighting the role of academic institutions in implementing racial policy and the need for further research into the experiences of foreign students.
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