16. The entire hospital staff needed to be convinced of the dangers of K Syndrome
For the plan devised by Borromeo and Bialek, with the help of Ossicini and Sacerdoti, to remain a secret the rest of the staff of the hospital, both clerical and laic, had to be either in on the scheme or convinced of the dangers of the fake disease. Though most of the credit for the success of the plan was later claimed by Sacerdoti and Ossicini, the fact remains that many more contributed, either wittingly or unwittingly, to maintain the deception and increase its believability among the Germans and Italian collaborationists. In the city, collaborators denounced Jewish neighbors and acquaintances throughout the occupation. None were denounced within the hospital.
Nor did anyone notify the German authorities that the hospital was sheltering Jews and others wanted by the Nazis. The security with which the operation was carried out for many turbulent months, at a time when Italy was both occupied by the Germans and torn by factionalism, attests to the success of the doctors’ endeavors. It is unlikely that everyone within the hospital, from Father Bialek to the lowest ranking orderly, was supportive of the effort to shelter the refugees. It was necessary that most of the hospital staff were taken in by the deception as well.