Italian happiness trains

Between 1945 and 1952, ‘happiness trains’ transported 70,000 children from southern to northern Italy to live with wealthier families.It was a scheme organised by the Union of Italian Women and the Italian Communist Party in an attempt to make the lives of southern Italian children better.Ten-year-old Bianca D’Aniello was one of the passengers to travel from Salerno in the south to Mestre in the north where she was looked after by a family with more resources.Bianca’s life in Mestre was miserable because of Italy’s fascist regime and the devastation her city faced in the wake of World War Two. Her journey was nerve-racking as she jumped on a train for the first time saying goodbye to her mum and siblings. What she didn’t realise was what life had in store for her in her new life.Bianca speaks to Natasha Fernandes about how that ‘happiness train’ changed her life forever. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Children on board an Italian 'happiness train' kiss and wave goodbye to their parents. Credit: Instituto Storico Modena)