Miriam Lewin

I mean, we never even dreamed of running into something so valuable. And then the owner of the plane shows him the flight logs that were left inside, untouched. Those logs date back to the late 70s and early 80s, when the military junta was in power. It was all there. Dates, routes, origin, destination, and the most important part, the names of the pilots.

He says he's been assigned to take some portraits of me. I don't know, something about a story about survivors of the dictatorship.

He says he's been assigned to take some portraits of me. I don't know, something about a story about survivors of the dictatorship.

I was in a bad place emotionally at the time. I was in my 50s. My two boys were in their mid-20s, so they were never home. The man I was with back then left me for a younger woman. I was alone, heartbroken. I needed some sort of distraction, something to occupy my time, even if it involved meeting a stranger to talk about trauma.

I was in a bad place emotionally at the time. I was in my 50s. My two boys were in their mid-20s, so they were never home. The man I was with back then left me for a younger woman. I was alone, heartbroken. I needed some sort of distraction, something to occupy my time, even if it involved meeting a stranger to talk about trauma.

He says hi with a kiss on the cheek. He's clearly not American. He has this baby face that makes him look in his mid-twenties and long wavy hair, green eyes and an earring.

He says hi with a kiss on the cheek. He's clearly not American. He has this baby face that makes him look in his mid-twenties and long wavy hair, green eyes and an earring.

I'm thinking, how does this serious, prestigious Italian magazine send this guy to do a story about the dictatorship? He just doesn't seem very professional. And then he grabs his camera and starts taking pictures of me without even looking into the camera. I thought that was kind of weird, so I asked if he got the shots that he needed. Instead of answering, he smiles and asks me a question.

I'm thinking, how does this serious, prestigious Italian magazine send this guy to do a story about the dictatorship? He just doesn't seem very professional. And then he grabs his camera and starts taking pictures of me without even looking into the camera. I thought that was kind of weird, so I asked if he got the shots that he needed. Instead of answering, he smiles and asks me a question.

He was kind of telling me, how come you never thought of this? I was an experienced investigative reporter, so that felt like a lack of respect, you know? How dare he ask me that? I'm a survivor of a concentration camp. Also, I'm like 12 years older than him. I have no idea where the planes could be. And why? Why should I care?

He was kind of telling me, how come you never thought of this? I was an experienced investigative reporter, so that felt like a lack of respect, you know? How dare he ask me that? I'm a survivor of a concentration camp. Also, I'm like 12 years older than him. I have no idea where the planes could be. And why? Why should I care?

But then again, through those planes, we could get to the pilots and maybe identify them. And that would be amazing.

But then again, through those planes, we could get to the pilots and maybe identify them. And that would be amazing.

And then Giancarlo pulls this strange-looking book from his backpack. He puts it on the table. It's written by a guy named Adolfo Silingo, a former Navy captain. He was the first Navy officer to admit to being part of a death flight crew. I knew about Silingo. I mean, I had heard about him. But I hadn't seen this book yet.

And then Giancarlo pulls this strange-looking book from his backpack. He puts it on the table. It's written by a guy named Adolfo Silingo, a former Navy captain. He was the first Navy officer to admit to being part of a death flight crew. I knew about Silingo. I mean, I had heard about him. But I hadn't seen this book yet.

Was there possibly something big to investigate? Something that had been overlooked? For a while, I avoided investigating the dictatorship, revisiting that trauma. I had friends who were put on those death flights. I didn't feel I could stick to journalistic boundaries like my emotions might betray me at any moment and send me into a breakdown.

Was there possibly something big to investigate? Something that had been overlooked? For a while, I avoided investigating the dictatorship, revisiting that trauma. I had friends who were put on those death flights. I didn't feel I could stick to journalistic boundaries like my emotions might betray me at any moment and send me into a breakdown.

When my dad noticed me bringing flyers home, bringing the anarchist paper, he started feeding me more anarchist literature.

When my dad noticed me bringing flyers home, bringing the anarchist paper, he started feeding me more anarchist literature.

I was into political militancy, but I also loved the idea of working for a newspaper. I was a good writer, so I signed up for journalism school. The problem was my parents wanted me to have a real career, so I had to enroll in economics at the same time to appease them. We were young, but we felt like we'd lived through a lot. Social change, access to education, better salaries.