Did you know that during WWII, doctors at an Italian hospital invented a fake deadly disease to fool the Nazis and save Jewish lives? It was called Syndrome K (Il Morbo di K), described as highly contagious and fatal, but it was completely made up.
Fatebenefratelli Hospital became known as a safe haven for Jews under the direction of Dr. Giovanni Borromeo. On October 16, 1943, the Catholic hospital opened its doors to Jews seeking shelter. Borromeo knew the hospital was likely to be searched, so he, along with two doctors, Vittorio Sacerdoti and Adriano Ossicini, devised a clever plan. Any Jew seeking refuge at the hospital would be admitted as a new patient, quarantined, and diagnosed with Syndrome K.
When the Nazis arrived to search the hospital, they were told about patients stricken with the deadly and disfiguring disease. The ruse worked, preventing the Germans from entering those areas of the hospital and making Syndrome K a “disease” that actually saved lives.
