I Came about this website today and I would really appreciate if you someone can help or give me some advise of how to go about and if I am eligible for an Italian Citizenship/Passport?
Currently the only information that I have from my grandfather is a medical certificate, that I have obtained with some information.
My grandfather, (Arturo Decaminada was born in the Northern parts of Italy in a small village called Cis di lio, Val di non, Trento on the 15/06/1916 he did not live, and never married, or passed away in South Africa. He was married to a lady in his home town called Baita Giulitta Decaminada.(not related)
His parents were Battista and Sandri Francesca Decaminada.
Here is the problem that I have
He was sent to South Africa during the second World War as a Prisoner of war (POW number # 168768) place of capture was Tobruk North Africa on the 16/04/1941, where he was sent to the Zonderwater concentration camp in Cullinan South Africa. He then was transferred to the Western Cape a town called Worchster where he worked on a farm, and that is where he met my Grandmother. My grandmother then had my mother in 1944 - who is the offspring from my Italian grandfather. I Do know that this was illegal during that time and he could've ended up in prison.
So my mother was adopted, My grandfather did know the existence of her. They did come in contact with one another a couple of years ago, before he passed on.
After my mother was born in 1944 he was transferred back to zonderwater, where he then was transferred to Durban for repatriation on the S/S Maloja which set sail to Italy on the 13/09/1946.
However my mother did come in contact some years later with her legitimate brother that I have never met, his name is Claudio Decaminada he is from the same area as my grandfather, I suppose.
I still have the photograph that he sent to my mother of her fathers home town, they have lost contact and I don't have any forwarding address or ways and means to get in contact with him, to maybe get an DNA test (do I really need to do that?) I would need to if that's the case because my mother she is terminally ill and can't fly overseas she is on oxygen 24/7 and on her death bed.
If my grandfather has no South African roots, and never gave up his citizenship, he never got married here aswell, i dont have any records when he passed away. Will I be eligible for a Italian Citizenship/Passport? I know I need to get his death certificate but I don't know where to start or what to do.
Our South African home affairs office won't be able to assist me, because they don't have any records of him or can someone that specializes in these type of cases help, or maybe someone at the Italian Embassy to assist me on how I can go about obtaining some documents? about my Grandfather if so please let me know what I can do.
I Was lucky enough to get in touch and obtain information about my grandfather with the help of Mr Emilio Coccia, curator (President) of the Zonderwater POW association.
Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Kindest regards,
Charl J van den Berg
Please feel free to contact me or if you have any other questions on please contact me on charlvdberg@hotmail.com
