The Pope’s Piano Accordion

This is a piano accordion. Pope Pius XII gave two piano accordions to each Prisoner of War (POW) Camp in Italy in 1942. They were used to accompany sing-songs which were held to break the monotony of camp life.

This accordion is 1 of the 2 gifted by the late Pope Pius XII to POW Camp 107 near Udine in Italy. It was carried and used throughout his POW days by 9046 Clifford John Ewing, 20 Battalion.