Pavia. Today there will be many people who will go to the square for the celebration of the 25th of April. Many events are planned, including marches and speeches to remember the Liberation and the fight against Nazi-fascism. An appointment, as the provincial president of Anpi explains Santino Marchiselli, which has a very specific meaning. And it is good to underline it: «The 25th of April is a civil holiday, as Carlo Smuraglia reminded us, in which we remember men and women who died for the freedom of our country. But it is also right to remember that it is the celebration of liberation from fascism. That day it was shot down militarily, not unfortunately from a cultural point of view. The roots are still there. And it is always insidious, even more so because when it enters, as today, institutions try to push through a certain ideological and cultural line. There are many signs that many don’t want to see. It is also emblematic that many still struggle to pronounce the word anti-fascism, turning the problem around and asking if you are anti-communist. It’s a shame that the history of communism in Italy is a history of freedom, built together with other parties and movements. Freedom, enshrined in the Constitution: and if you don’t declare yourself anti-fascist you perhaps have some difficulty recognizing this truth.” Concept also reiterated by Luca Casarotti president of the Onorina Pesce Brambilla club of the Pavia ANPI.
«Every year that passes, April 25th is increasingly challenged – he explains –. It means that this anniversary is still current, otherwise such fury would not be explained. Despite the efforts to pass off the Liberation as a celebration for everyone, in reality it is only felt by one side, only by the anti-fascists. For another part, however, it is a problem. It means that that part is not recognized in the Constitution. So either you are fascist or you are anti-fascist. There is no middle ground.” «Liberation is a celebration for everyone, because freedom is a precious asset to be preserved, today, tomorrow and always» says the mayor Fabrizio Fracassi who will give a speech. The program includes several appointments. At 9.45 am the laying of a wreath at the shrine of the fallen in the Maggiore cemetery in the presence of the bishop Corrado Sanguineti in memory of those fallen in war. At 10.30 meeting in Piazzale Ghinaglialaying of the crown at the memorial stone dedicated to Ferruccio Ghinaglia and departure of procession for Piazza del Carmine, with the participation of the “Santa Cecilia” band of Belgioioso. At 11am mass in the Carmine church celebrated by Don Daniele Baldi. At 11.45, after the Anpi’s reading of Scurati’s monologue, the one censored by Rai and at the center of the controversy of the last few days, the reconstitution of the procession in Piazza Italia.
Here, at midday, the flag-raising ceremony and the laying of wreaths on the tombstones of the fallen followed by the greeting of the mayor, Fabrizio Fracassi and, of course, the official speech of the professor Anna Ferrando, indicated by the Anpi, professor of transnational history of culture in contemporary Italy at the University of Pavia. The ceremonies will also continue in the afternoon, in each of the city’s Aps where the figures to whom the centers themselves are named will be commemorated, starting from 3pm.
Anti-fascist barbecue at Radio Aut
Also this year Radio Aut is organizing the “popular barbecue” (also vegan) after the success of last year’s initiative. A different way to celebrate the Liberation between commitment and conviviality. Being together and the light-heartedness typical of spring long weekends, the political commitment and the awareness of such an important date as April 25th. This is the meaning of the barbecue organized by Radio Aut, the Arci club in via Faruffini whose name refers to the station founded by Peppino Impastato. This year too everything is already sold out, the organizers say. The cost is 10 euros for adults, 5 for children. “Suspended” quotas are foreseen for those who have difficulty contributing to lunch.
In Voghera
The program of the day includes this morning at 8the departure of a delegation from the former cavalry barracks (via Gramsci, 1) and the laying of commemorative wreaths at the monument to the fallen of Nassiriya, at the Sandro Pertini plaque in viale Carlo Marxto the tombstone Gino Tarabella in Corso XVII Marzo, to the plaque of the church of Medassino, to the monument to the fallen of Torremenapace and to the plaque of the shrine of the chivalry. Carrying on, at 9.30 there will be a meeting at the main cemetery for the laying of the laurel wreath to the fallen of the famedio and at the memorial for fallen soldiers of the Resistance, followed by the celebration of mass. At 10.30 the laurel wreath for the gold medal will be laid Franco Quarleri. Subsequently at the Galilei high school – “Grattoni” classical section – readings in memory of will be held Jacopo Denticunder the care of the students, after which we will continue to the railway station, where the wreath will be placed on the tombstone of the railway workers who fell for freedom. The next stop will be monument in via Ricotti. The procession will continue until arriving in Piazza Duomo where it will be held the homage to the flag and to the fallen in the churchyard of the basilica of San Lorenzo Martire. The celebrations will end with the greetings of the mayor, the president of the city council and the speech of the representative of the city’s partisan associations. There will be the participation of musical group “Città di Voghera” and the Alpine choir “Italo Timallo”.
In Broni
In Broni, the meeting place for the participants Piazza Garibaldi at 9.45am. At 10am mass in the basilica, so come on 10.45 the procession, accompanied by the notes of the Bronese band, and the laying of wreaths at the monument to the fallen in Piazza Libertà and at the monument to the Resistance in front of Villa Nuova Italia, where at 11 there will be official speeches, with greetings from the mayor Antonio Riviezzi, from president of Anpi Broni Ernesto Bongiorni, the speech by Marco Bonacossa, researcher and writer on the themes of the Resistance. Students from the city’s schools will participate in the event celebrating the Resistance with the readings entrusted to the students of the scientific high school. At 2.30 pm, the traditional Resistance walk is scheduled from Villa Nuova Italia to the Cigognola castle; 5.5 kilometres, travel time approximately 2 hours, with refreshment points along the route provided by Civil Protection volunteers. A way to feel on the path with ideals.
In Lomellina
Today Lomellina commemorates the Liberation Day. In Mede, at 10 am the moment of reflection is in front of the war memorial in Piazza della Repubblica, with a speech by the mayor Giorgio Guardamagna. At 10.15am the laurel wreath will be placed in memory of the fallen soldiers: then the mass and the placing of wreaths and bouquets of flowers at the cemetery, in via Sacerdote, at the Camussoni memorial stone and in the Goido and Tortorolo hamlets. Camussoni, a partisan of the Bassa Lomellina brigade, was born in Sannazzaro in 1914. On the evening of 25 April 1945 he was hit in the clash with a group of the Alfieri black brigade, which was moving by bus towards Pavia. The Sacerdote family, of Jewish origins, was exterminated in the Auschwitz concentration camp. In Sartirana, at 10.15am, the meeting in the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta for the memorial mass: at the end, the laying of laurel wreaths and the commemoration at the war memorial. In Candia, at 10.40, ceremony in front of the war memorial in Piazza San Carlo and then mass in the parish church, in Lomello meeting at 10 in front of the war memorial in Piazza Castello for the laying of the wreaths and in Valle meeting at 9.45 in the parish church of Saint Michael the Archangel for the mass: at the end, placing a laurel wreath on the war memorial and brief commemoration.
