On the day of the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the city of Modena from Nazi-fascism, Monday 22 April, the celebrations, which have already begun in recent days, continue, which include the laying of wreaths at the Famedio of the San Cataldo cemetery, at the Sacrario della Ghirlandina, and in the memorial stones and places in the city that remember the partisans and victims of the war. The usual event will be held on Thursday 25 April in Piazza Grande, in which this year Albertina Soliani, president of the Alcide Cervi Institute and national vice-president of the Anpi, will take part.
The program of celebrations, promoted by the Municipal Administration’s Committee for the history and memories of the twentieth century, began with the placement of the installation “A dictatorship does not fall from the sky” in Piazza Mazzini (visible until 25 April), a large black cube that commemorates the centenary of the assassination of the deputy Giacomo Matteotti and the advent, with the political elections of 1924, of fascism, and also includes meetings and conferences, book presentations, historical walks, community lunches, music and dances “resistant”.
On Monday 22 April, the celebrations for the Liberation of Modena begin at 9.30 am with the laying of the wreaths by the authorities at the Famedio of the San Cataldo cemetery and continue, as usual, at 10 am in Piazza Torre, at the Sacrario della Ghirlandina, and then to the plaque in memory of former military internees. The authorities then move to the plaque of the Gold Medal for Military Valor of the city of Modena, at the top of the staircase of the Town Hall and, finally, at 10.30, to the plaque in memory of Mario Allegretti in the central atrium of UniMoRe in via University. At 11.30, at the Urp of the Town Hall, the president of Anpi Modena presents the digital Memorial of the Modena Resistance which remembers places, facts and protagonists of the liberation struggle through information and documents accessible via a QRcode. At 6pm, a short urban trek starts from the Lòdola space in Via Toniolo 124, curated by the Historical Institute of Modena, to explore the neighborhood during the Second World War.
The day of April 22 ends at the Storchi Theater where, at 8.30 pm, “La Resistenza delle donne” is staged, a theatrical and musical reading based on the book of the same name by Benedetta Tobagi. On stage, directed by Lorenzo Pavolini and music by Giulia Bertasi, Benedetta Tobagi and Susanna Gozzetti. The event is organized by Ert Teatro Nazionale, the Historical Institute and the Women’s Documentation Center of Modena. During the day, starting from 9am, meeting in via Padova, wreaths will be placed on the memorial stones in memory of the fallen in District 3.
The laying of wreaths on the memorial stones in memory of the fallen will be repeated on Tuesday 23 April in District 1, starting at 9am and involving the San Carlo and Paoli secondary schools. Wednesday 24 April, appointment at 6pm, at the Ubik bookshop, for the presentation of the book “The broken lives of the Fosse Ardeatine”, with the stories of the 335 victims of the massacre symbol of the Resistance told by the author of the work Marco Avagliano in dialogue with Giulia Ricci. At 6.30pm, at the Polisportiva Villa d’Oro, readings and music on the Resistance with young musicians from Modena and, at 9pm, at the Truffaut room, free admission screening of “My Seven Fathers” based on the book by Adelmo Cervi, Aldo’s son.
On National Liberation Day, Thursday 25 April, the program opens at 10am with mass in the Cathedral, officiated by Monsignor Giuliano Gazzetti and continues with the traditional procession of the “Ferri” city band, the homage to the Ghirlandina Shrine and, at 11.30, with the usual demonstration in Piazza Grande in which Albertina Soliani also participates, together with the civil authorities. At 12.30, Liberation lunch in the Leccio courtyard of the San Paolo complex (to be booked by April 22nd at [email protected]), accompanied by the music of the Wind band of the Sigonio high school. Following, thematic itinerary on the places of the Resistance in the historic center. At 4pm, concert in Piazza Grande by the city band and laying of flowers in the streets dedicated to partisans and anti-fascists.
The celebrations continue on Sunday 28 April with the urban trekking “1944, the longest year. Life, violence, bombs.” The walk starts at 3pm from Ghirlandina and will last about two hours. Participation is required upon reservation ([email protected]). And two events are also scheduled for May: Friday 3rd, at the Crocetta library, with the presentation of the book “Villa del seminar”, and Friday 10th, at the Ulivi room in viale Menotti, with the award ceremony of the “Explorers of memory” competition promoted from Anmig.
The planned study seminar “Modena, the military and the Resistance” scheduled for Friday 26 April at the Military Academy will not be held due to organizational problems and has been postponed to the autumn.
Tags: MODENA CELEBRATIONS LIBERATION DAY Modena Municipality Press Office website
