«Citizens, workers! General strike against the German occupation, against the fascist war, for the salvation of our lands, our homes, our workshops. As in Genoa and Turin, you put the Germans in front of the dilemma: surrender or perish.” As Sandro Pertini he came to address Italians under Nazi-fascist occupation from the microphones of Radio Milano Liberata. “Surrender or perish.” For freedom, for democracy. It was April 25, 1945, it was the last stages of the Resistance. The surrender would have been signed on April 29th Caserta, in the Royal Palace. On May 2, the ceasefire was respected.
79 years later, Italy stops today to celebrate the Liberation. To remember the partisan struggle and those who gave their lives for the values of democracy and freedom. Naplesa Gold Medal city and protagonist of the Four Days that led to the escape of the German occupiers during the Second World War already in 1943, celebrates April 25th with two different events.
The first was held at 10am, in the Posillipo Mausoleum, at the War Memorial. The second took place in the pouring rain at 11am, in Piazza Carità, at the foot of the Salvo D’Acquisto Monument.
There, despite the heavy rain, under the monument of the vice-brigadier with the Gold Medal for Military Valor, the mayor of Naples Gaetano Manfredithe prefect Michele of Barithe leaders of the police force and the major military authorities placed wreaths of flowers under the stele in memory of the soldier. D’AcquistoServant of God with the beatification process underway, decided to sacrifice his life to save a group of hostages in the hands of some German paratroopers.
“Today is an important moment, it is the day that remembers the founding values of our Constitution and our democracy, such as anti-fascism and the defense of freedom”, declares the mayor of Naples Gaetano Manfredi. «The city of Naples formed the Resistance, yes Gold medal for the Four Days, he cannot help but remember and not be present on this day. This is a difficult time, even on a global level, many wars, many clashes, many conflicts. The principle of peace and tolerance between peoples, another constitutional principle, which we must defend, always respecting the right to self-determination, respect for the person.”
Many wondered why there were no government representatives on the streets. «I believe that the government must be present in these demonstrations», concluded Mayor Manfredi. «I don’t think that the absence of a representative today in Naples has a political value. The government is and must be democratic and anti-fascist. It is clear that our republic started from the overthrow of fascism.”
On the sidelines of the event, the silence of the celebration was broken by a cry, “long live anti-fascist Italy, long live democracy!”. After a while the square, peacefully and unexpectedly, began to sing “Hello beautiful”, the song of the partisans. Naples, anti-fascist city.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Read the full article at
The morning
