Syndrome K: The Disease That Stopped The Nazis

It might be the only disease to have ever actually saved lives…

But it didn’t really exist.

Syndrome K is a 2020 release, telling the story of three courageous Roman Catholic doctors who saved Jews by convincing the Nazis that these Jews were infected with a highly deadly and contagious disease that the doctors called Syndrome K.

After Mussolini was removed, and Italy signed an Armistice with the Allies, the Nazis became infuriated and occupied Rome. The Nazis deported over 1,000 Jews to Auschwitz from the Jewish Ghetto in Rome in October 1943 and most never returned. Many Jews sought refuge in the Fatebenefratelli hospital where the three brave doctors invented a disease to protect them, advising all patients to fake symptoms when the Nazi officers were outside the ward, and declaring it far too contagious for the soldiers to enter. As the Nazis stood at the door and the patients faked exaggerated, nasty illnesses – they turned in horror and left without prisoners. The exact number of Jews that were saved using this elaborate hoax is unknown but it’s estimated to be in the hundreds as great lengths were taken to protect the fraudulent diagnoses of the doctors.

Dr.  Ossicini was interviewed for this film, as were survivors. The new footage amassed and combined with archives is chilling – and the secrets of their heroism is finally pronounced.  This is an unbelievable, mysterious WWII story that needs to be told.