We receive from Vito Mirabellapresident ofBlue Ribbon Institute (fighters decorated for military valor) of Bergamo some notes on a character who did not go unnoticed in Bergamo.
It’s about Bruno Pastorino wich was President of the aforementioned institute, but he is also known for having made Bergamo a particularly clean city for years. To talk about those years we start from a press release that appeared in July 1963 in the city press, with which the Pastorino SpA announces the cessation of the city’s cleaning service. «For over thirty years the company has carried out street cleaning services in a punctual and appreciated manner, but now it ends the service and offers a respectful greeting to the citizens, also thanking them for the collaboration received and also apologizes if, at times, there were gaps in the services provided. The Company believes it can state, with absolute certainty, that it has always made, at all times and in all places, its utmost commitment to carrying out its duties and having made Bergamo, without fear of contradiction, one of the cleanest cities in Italy. The citizens, well aware of the excellent work done, hope that the new public operator will continue to operate like Pastorino». The following comments were flattering: «Pastorino is Pastorino, that is, a very serious and well-managed company that has actually contributed to making and maintaining Bergamo one of the cleanest cities in Italy (and that’s saying a lot!)».
Pastorino
«Pastorino SpA – continues Mirabella – it was the company, based in Bergamo, which in the 1960s and partly in the 1970s also collected waste from Sulmona and L’Aquila. And he cleaned Corso Ovidio almost every month with powerful jets of water; and he did the same for Piazza Garibaldi. And at night he sent the street cleaners to remove the snow while it was still falling, to prevent it from accumulating and to prevent students and employees and soldiers and workers from getting in the way. Pastorino was a company that, with about fifteen employees, shined Sulmona for several decades whereas, local history recalls, whoever took over with a hundred people couldn’t even clean the essentials».
Born in Turin in 1911, and graduated in accounting, Bruno Pastorino had been vice president of the Industrial Federation of Traffic Auxiliaries for more than 20 yearsbut his name remained linked above all to his valiant behavior in war and his dedication to the problems of ex-combatants. A second lieutenant in East Africa, he had left as a volunteer at the outbreak of the Second World War, being sent to North Africa. As the motivation of the gold medalawarded to him in March 1948, during the operations of January 1941 he had confirmed himself as «an entertainer and leader of men». In particular, during the attack of a stronghold by imposing enemy armored forces, after having put up the most desperate and effective resistance by repelling the attackers twice with his own unit of brave men, he launched himself with hand and incendiary grenades. to the assault of the tanks which, having overcome the obstacle of the stronghold, spread there. Seeing his means of attack ineffective, aware of the certainty of sacrifice, he refused to surrender and attacked the tanks in a desperate attempt to put the personnel out of action through the slits of the turrets.
In the heroic act he was hit point-blank by a revolver shot which fractured his frontal bone. Wounded, Bruno Pastorino lost an eye; captured by the English he was sent to India for five years as a prisoner of war.
Upon returning to Bergamo he held various positions: he was president of the National War Invalids Association, National vice president of the Nastro Azzurro, provincial president of the Nastro Azzurro and of the city section Mutilated and war invalids. He was also managing director of various companies and board member of National Labor Bank representing the Ministry of the Treasury. Of a sensitive temperament, open to friendship, ready for a witty joke, Bruno Pastorino led a social life as long as his health conditions allowed it. Then he withdrew to private life.
The body was transported to Bergamo yesterday afternoon from Ravenna, where Bruno Pastorino had moved to his niece who followed him with great devotion during his illness.
