The article discusses individual and social consequences of captivity in the case of Italian prisoners of war in Yugoslavia, emphasizing the fate of those who were interned in Slovenia (most of them were the so-called deportees from the Julian March). Based on available memoirs, archival sources, and oral testimonies, the article aims to understand if and how the experience of captivity affected prisoners' social and family life and their reintegration into society after returning home. Since these memories in the early years and decades were often pushed into oblivion, the article also highlights the importance of oral history and empathy in dealing with traumatic events and starting writing trauma instead of writing about trauma.