University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
The University of Montana--Missoula
Missoula, MT 59812
406-243-2053
http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc
library.archives@umontana.edu
Mss 247
Witkowsky,
Kathy
Kathy Witkowsky "Bella Vista: An Unseen
View of World War II" Collection
1936-1945, 1992-1995
0.5 linear feet, 26
videotapes, and 2 audio cassettes
Kathy Witkowsky is a Missoula, Montana,
documentary maker and journalist. This collection consists of the tape logs,
interview transcripts, and raw interview footage produced by Kathy Witkowsky
for her documentary
Bella Vista: An Unseen View of World War II, and
associated newspapers.
Materials are in
English
Some video materials are copies of materials in the National
Archives.
Historical Note
Eight months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, 1,000
Italian merchant seamen were taken off captured Axis cargo ships operating in
the European theater. They were sent to Fort Missoula just outside Missoula,
Montana. The internees found the place so beautiful that they called it "Bella
Vista" or "beautiful view." The internees made their new home a model city,
complete with small businesses, regular musical and theatrical performances,
gourmet food and athletic tournaments. After Italy's surrender, more than half
the internees were allowed out of the camp to fill wartime labor shortages.
Some were even drafted into the U.S. Armed Services. Most were subsequently
deported, but several dozen remained behind to settle in the region, where they
have since assimilated into American life.
This collection consists of the tape logs, interview transcripts, and
raw interview footage produced by Kathy Witkowsky for her documentary
Bella Vista: An Unseen View of World War II, which was
produced by Witkowsky in 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of
World War II. There is also a series of World War II-era newspapers from
Missoula and Chicago.
The collection is divided into three series:
Series I: Transcripts and Tape Logs, 0.25 linear feet, 1992-1995
Series II: Video and Audio Cassettes, 26 videotapes and 2 audio cassettes, 1992-1995
Series III: Newspapers, 0.25 linear feet, 1936-1945
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of
Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The
University of Montana--Missoula.
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and
any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana. Per donor agreement, researchers may not quote or duplicate video or audio materials for use without the express permission of the creator, Kathy Witkowsky; please consult the archivist for
contact information. Viewing and listening for scholarly purposes is allowed without permission.
[Name of document or video number], Kathy Witkowsky Collection, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of
Montana--Missoula.
The materials in this collection were gathered by Kathy Witkowsky and
remained in her possession until donation to the K. Ross Toole Archives.
Gift of Kathy Witkowsky, 1996
The collection was processed for the first time in 1997. In 2018, audio cassettes and their accompanying transcripts were added to the collection.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Women motion picture producers and directors--United States
Prisoners of
war--Italy
Prisoners of war--United
States
World War,
1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, American
World War,
1939-1945--Montana--Fort Missoula
Fort Missoula
(Mont.)
Moving images
Cipolato,
Alfredo
Benedetti,
Umberto
Bonanini, Dan
Pelle, John
Guastella,
Frank
Menetto, Athos
Montana
Moving Images
International Relations
Series I
Transcripts and Tape Logs
1992-1995
0.25 linear feet
This series consists of one folder of tape logs and seven folders
of interview transcripts from some of the tapes. The folder of tape logs also
contains other documents related to getting other footage from the National
Archives.
1/1
Tape Logs
1994-1995
1/2
Transcript of Tape #3: Pelle,
Menetto Guastella
undated
1/3
Transcript of Tape #4: Pelle,
Menetto Guastella
undated
1/4
Transcript of Tape #5:
Cipololato, Bononini
undated
1/5
Transcript of Tape #6: Bonanini
undated
1/6
Transcript of Tape #7: Benedetti
undated
1/7
Transcript of Tape #27: Mangione
1992
1/8
Transcript of Tape #28: Visciano
1992
Series II
Video and Audio Cassettes
1992-1995
26 videotapes and 2 audio cassettes
This series consists of twenty-eight VHS tapes, 3/4" videotapes, and 2 audio cassettes of raw
interview footage, photo stills, National Archives footage, and a rough cut of
the documentary. The men interviewed are Alfredo Cipolato and Umberto
Benedetti, Missoula; Dan Bonanini, Butte; John Pelle, Frank Guastella, and Athos Menetto, Spokane; Raimondo Visciano and Jerre Mangione.
247(II)1
Bella Vista Photographs, Stills
(3/4 inch video)
February 19, 1994
247(II)2
Bella Vista Photographs, T2, Dan
Bonanini, Umberto Bendetti. Stills (3/4 inch video)
February 19, 1994
247(II)3
John Pelle, Athos Menerto, Frank
Guastella - Tape 1 of 2. Transcript available. (VHS)
undated
247(II)4
John Pelle, Athos Menerto, Frank
Guastella - Tape 2 of 2. Transcript available. (VHS)
undated
247(II)5
Alfredo Cipolato/Dan Bonanini
Part I. Transcripts available. Cipolato at the Fort and Broadway Market,
various stills (VHS)
undated
247(II)6
Dan Bonanini Part II, Transcript
available (VHS)
October 1994
247(II)7
Missoula shoot (Fort Missoula),
Umberto Benedetti (with his book, ship models, and at the Fort), B-roll.
Transcript available (VHS)
undated
247(II)8
Bella Vista (stills) with dub,
(VHS)
November 2, 1994
247(II)9
Bella Vista (stills) 2 of 2.
(VHS)
undated
247(II)10
Rough cut #1, "Bella Vista: A
View of WWII from Montana", (VHS)
March 1995
247(II)11
Bella Vista - John Pelle, Athos
Menerto, Frank Guastella, (video poor, audio good) (VHS)
undated
247(II)12
Bella Vista, Umberto Benedetti at
the Fort (3/4 inch video)
undated
247(II)13
Bella Vista stills (VHS)
undated
247(II)14
Bella Vista, Butte Int. Dan
Bonanini - Photographs. T2 Stills (3/4 inch video)
February 19, 1994
247(II)15
Stills (VHS)
undated
247(II)16
Bella Vista Umberto Benedetti's
book, stills (VHS)
undated
247(II)17
Bella Vista, Spokane. Photographs
#3. Stills (3/4 inch video)
undated
247(II)18
Bella Vista, Spokane.
Photographs. Stills (3/4 inch video)
undated
247(II)19
Bella Vista, Spokane Photographs
#2. Stills (3/4 inch video)
undated
247(II)20
Archival stills (VHS)
undated
247(II)21
National Archives (news reels,
Nazi footage, War Dept. film on Japanese relocation, UN formation, etc.) (VHS)
undated
247(II)22
Bella Vista Dan Bonanini photos
(stills) (VHS)
undated
247(II)23
Bella Vista Talbott
photos/Guestella B-roll, (stills) (VHS)
September 8, 1995
247(II)24
Dick Polenberg, Cornell professor
of history, interview, (VHS)
July
12, 1995
247(II)25
Scott Mc - Window dub. Nazi
stuff, (VHS)
August 31, 1995
247(II)26
Vista Narration (VHS)
undated
247(II)27
Jerre Mangione, interview, Transcript available (cassette)
1992
247(II)28
Raimondo Visciano, interview, Transcript available (cassette)
1992
Series III
Newspapers
1936-1945
0.25 linear feet
This series contains eleven World War II-era newspapers from
Missoula and Chicago.
OS1/7
Sunday Missoulian
March 29, 1936
OS1/8
Chicago Daily Times
December 11, 1941
OS1/9
Missoula Sentinel
December 8, 1941
OS1/10
Chicago Herald-American
December 11, 1941
OS1/11
Missoula Sentinel
December 11, 1941
OS1/12
Chicago Daily News
September 8, 1943
OS1/13
Chicago Herald-American
May
7, 1945
OS1/14
Chicago Herald-American
August 15, 1945
OS1/15
Chicago Daily Tribune
August 15, 1945
OS1/16
Chicago Daily Times
August 15, 1945
OS1/17
Chicago Daily Tribune
August 15, 1945