chilling story

I remember Nonno telling the story of how when he was on the run he'd visited Zia Italia in a hilltop village in the mrches where she was hiding out. When he got there, everyone was closing their shutters. Somebody told him to get away quickly as the Germans were coming to punish the locals for an attack on a train (?) and as an outsider, he'd be the first to be selected. He got on his bike and an oleaving the city walls encountered the SS motorbike squad coming in for the kill. They stopped him of course. He'd had a German governess and because of this had a knowledge of Teutonic psychology. Not only did he carry a doctor's id but also he wore glasses (which he didn't need) and carried toothbrush, toothpaste and soap at the top of his saddle bag. Beneath were Allied propaganda leaflets. He took his time taking off his glasses as he presented his ID and opened his saddlebag. The ruse worked: the SS was satisfied. But he knew he was still in danger. So he got on his bike slowly, and started whistling. Perhaps it was Verdi. He cycled to the next hill knowing they were looking at hgis back. Once out of sight he collapsed in a ditch, his breath having left him. I always found this story very scary but also very uplifting because it showed how one man;s intellect can beat the poison of vengeful violence. Sometimes I think of it when I need courage.
I am sure some of the details are a bit flimsy, and maybe somebody knows which village it was.