This time around we head back to New York to hear about Italian antifascist Carla Capponi. Professor Suzanne Cope, author of WOMEN OF WAR: The Italian Assassins, Spies and Couriers Who Fought the Nazis brings us Carla’s lively tale, which is full of bombs, intrigue, and bravery. DLS co-founder Florian Duijsens joins host/producer Susan Stone to introduce the talk.

Find out more about Suzanne Cope here: https://www.suzannecope.com/

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Show notes:

Here’s Carla on the cover of Suzanne’s book (left): don’t smoke!

And here she is in good company, inside the book.

Carla’s fancy Roman apartment building, just to the right of Trajan’s Column

Nazis in Rome

Here’s Carla (center, kneeling) with some fellow gappisti

Via Rasella, where “Elena” planned a major attack

Celebrating Rome’s liberation

Carla later in life

And here’s Carla herself, talking Italian.

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You can purchase Suzanne’s book and support our show on US Bookshop here and at Bookshop UK here.

Thanks to the team at Dead Ladies NYC for sharing this presentation with us: Molly O’Laughlin Kemper, Sheila Enright, Christopher Neil and the KGB Bar’s Lori Schwarz. Find out about their ongoing shows via their newsletter: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com/

Our next live show in Berlin will be in ACUD on December 12th. It’s going to be an all-English show, and the featured ladies are  Victoria Woodhull, Alice Guy, and F. Tennyson Jesse. Get tickets now here: https://tinyurl.com/DLSTix1212

Find us on social media @deadladiesshow and stay informed about all our events via our newsletter: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com/

Need even more Dead Ladies in your life? Become a member of our Patreon and get exclusive episodes of our Dead Lady Book Club, where we chat about books, ideas, music and more —  by and about Dead Ladies. And, of course, our year-end holiday edition, where we toast the ladies we lost in 2025. For just a couple of dollars, pounds or euros a month, you can support our work and join in the fun. Check it out at patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast  

Thanks for listening! We will be back again next month with another fabulous Dead Lady.