Commemoration, contemplation, community 25th April
Yesterday was the day Italy celebrates its liberation in 1945. For the second time since we moved to Marradi, we were present to join in a commemoration. Last year we attended the ceremony at the statue for the victims of the war in Marradi. This year we went to a place high up in the mountains on the edge of Romagna and Tuscany at a former partisan refuge Ca' di Malanca, which now houses a Partisan Museum: https://www.camalanca.it
At this specific place two big battles were fought against the fascists, with lots of victims. Yesterday saw the light of a book La Ragazza Ribelle, by Claudio Visani, who interviewed and wrote down the experiences of one of the last surviving rebellists, a lady who survived an execution and kept honest to her viewpoints throughout her life: Annunziata Verità.
The whole day left a deep impression on both me and my husband Lex. I am currently reading her book, signed and all.......The story of this amazing lady who was barely 14, when the war started and decided at such a young age that she would fight fascism whatever way, the sense of community of hundreds of people who gathered at this special place, the speeches held by different people to remind us all of the importance to keep the stories alive, that fascism is not an opinion, but a criminal act, the heartfelt reading of parts of the book by Ivano Marescotti https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0546515/, the dedication of everyone out there. For me personally it was an insight in the Italian history of WWII. Tears rolled down my cheeks when all these hundreds of people started singing Bella Ciao,.... surrounded by lovely Marradesi Elena and Marina, Stella, Giovanna ....I felt 'at home' .......and I realised for the first time I had never understood the words of this powerful song properly.
There would be no celebration in Italy without food, drinks, talks, music and dancing and a great sense of community. A beautiful day with a deep meaning which I will not easily forget. I leave you with a visual impression of the Festa della Libertà 2019 at Ca' Di Malanca.
At this specific place two big battles were fought against the fascists, with lots of victims. Yesterday saw the light of a book La Ragazza Ribelle, by Claudio Visani, who interviewed and wrote down the experiences of one of the last surviving rebellists, a lady who survived an execution and kept honest to her viewpoints throughout her life: Annunziata Verità.
The whole day left a deep impression on both me and my husband Lex. I am currently reading her book, signed and all.......The story of this amazing lady who was barely 14, when the war started and decided at such a young age that she would fight fascism whatever way, the sense of community of hundreds of people who gathered at this special place, the speeches held by different people to remind us all of the importance to keep the stories alive, that fascism is not an opinion, but a criminal act, the heartfelt reading of parts of the book by Ivano Marescotti https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0546515/, the dedication of everyone out there. For me personally it was an insight in the Italian history of WWII. Tears rolled down my cheeks when all these hundreds of people started singing Bella Ciao,.... surrounded by lovely Marradesi Elena and Marina, Stella, Giovanna ....I felt 'at home' .......and I realised for the first time I had never understood the words of this powerful song properly.
There would be no celebration in Italy without food, drinks, talks, music and dancing and a great sense of community. A beautiful day with a deep meaning which I will not easily forget. I leave you with a visual impression of the Festa della Libertà 2019 at Ca' Di Malanca.
Mooi zeg! En zo actueel ..gisteren was er op NPO Nederlandse zender een documentaire over een aanslag in Bologna heel veel jaar geleden.. Opgeëist door ik meen pro fachisten maar het fijne weet ik er niet van.
ReplyDeleteMaar o wat zien je impressies er verzorgd uit!
Wat mooi dat dit nog zo herdacht wordt. Ik had een beetje van dat gevoel laatst toen ik naar een marathonzitting van Novecento was. Blijft indrukwekkend. En ja, fascism is not an opinion, it's a crime!
ReplyDeleteIk herinner me mijn eerste Italiaanse les aan de Volksuniversiteit, way back in the seventies. We kregen les van een oudere Italiaanse dame, die ons duidelijk het partizanengevoel wilde bijbrengen. We startten met de vertaling en de bijbehorende geschiedenis van Oh partigiano, porta mi via enz enz. Indrukwekkend!