On September 9th, in three different years, 1940, 1941 and 1943, Weegee had photos published in PM. Three posts will present these photos and stories… Three for 09/09, Part 3: Celebrations and Thanks.
Little Italy Celebrates and Gives Thanks
“Over Mulberry St., [perhaps over 121 Mulberry St.] on the Lower East Side, flags of America and Italy flutter side by side for the first time in 21 months after radios blared the news at noon yesterday that the two countries no longer were at war.” PM, September 9, 1943, p. 14
“Catching the spirit of the occasion from their elders, small fry abetted by news photographers – parade through Mulberry St. with flags handed out for free by a neighborhood candy store. (PM Photos by Weegee)” PM, September 9, 1943, p. 14
On September 8th, 1943, Italy’s surrender and armistice (Armistice of Cassibile) with the Allies was announced. “When the surrender was finally signed on 3 September in Sicily, it was agreed to keep it secret until the Allied invasion of Italy was well under way… But US President Franklin D Roosevelt has said it is too early to assume this is the end of war in the Mediterranean. In a broadcast from Washington he said: ‘The great news you have heard from General Eisenhower does not give you license to settle back in your rocking chair and say ‘Well, that does it. We’ve got ’em on the run. Now we start celebrating.’ The time has not yet come for celebration.'” BBC.com
Weegee Wednesdays is an occasional series exploring, or just enjoying, the life and work of Weegee.
Tagged: 1943, Little Italy, Manhattan, New York City, newspaper, PM, Weegee, Weegee Wednesday, World War II, World War Two, WWII
