Volume 32, Number 17 · November 7, 1985
The Bologna Bombing
By John L. Harper, Reply by Francine du Plessix Gray
In response to The Progress of Klaus Barbie
(June 27, 1985)
To the Editors:
I do not know whether the error is Francine du Plessix Gray's, or should be attributed to the authors of the book under review (The Nazi Legacy: Klaus Barbie and the International Fascist Connection, by Magnus Linklater, Isabel Hilton and Neal Ascherson) [NYR, June 27], but neither Pierluigi Pagliai, Stefano dalle Chiaie, Joachim Fiebelkorn nor, for that matter, anyone else has been convicted or even put on trial for the bombing of the Bologna station in August 1980. It is a sad fact that, given the past record of Italian police, magistrates, secret services, and politicians in dealing with right-wing terrorism, the chances that those responsible for this crime will ever be brought to justice are practically nil.
John L. Harper
Johns Hopkins Center
Bologna, Italy
Francine du Plessix Gray replies:
The error was mine, and not that of the authors of The Nazi Legacy. Pierluigi Pagliai, Stefano dalle Chaie and Joachim Fiebelkorn were indicted, rather than convicted, for their participation in the bombing of the Bologna train station. That's a big difference, and I'm grateful for Professor Harper's correction.