It was important for them to be there. So that the Liberation of Northern Italy from Nazi-Fascism would not only happen thanks to the Anglo-Americans, but also through their contribution, that of the Italian Volunteers. This was the authentic meaning of the choice of the 119 young men who left Castelfiorentino on 3 February 1945 to go and fight against the Germans, during the decisive offensive that would soon take place on the Gothic Line. Armed with courage, a pinch of unconsciousness and irrepressible enthusiasm (immortalised by David Bastianoni’s images) they found themselves in front of the Teatro del Popolo, encouraged by the population, to board the trucks that would then transport them to the Allied Command in Florence and to the Training Centres.
Yesterday afternoon (on the occasion of the 80th anniversary), the inauguration of a small open-air exhibition was held at the place of departure, marking the start of a broader project dedicated to the volunteers’ experience, their testimonies (collected in the past), and the search for unpublished writings and photos kept by family members. Present at the ceremony were the mayor, Francesca Giannì, the councillor for Culture, Franco Spina, the councillor with responsibility for Remembrance, Marta Longaresi, and some representatives of the “Tavolo memoria” held in the town hall prior to the opening of the exhibition.
Of the 119 volunteers who left on 3 February, 73 were from Castelfiorentino, 27 from Certaldo, 8 from Montespertoli, 4 from San Miniato, 4 from Sarzana, and 2 from Montaione. Some were demobilised ex-servicemen of the army who had gone into “hiding” after 8 September 1943, others were part of the classes (1923, 1924, 1925) called up during the Italian Social Republic, and still others were not even of legal age and did not hesitate to falsify their identity cards in order to be enlisted. Particularly striking among the “veterans” is the presence of Eugenio Giglioli, known as the “Alpino”, who in 1915 – during the “Great War” – had already volunteered as a young scout at the age of twelve, contributing to the capture of an Austrian patrol. The volunteers who left Castelfiorentino were framed in the Italian Liberation Corps, mostly in the “Legnano” combat group (a minority joined the “Cremona”, the “Folgore” and the “Friuli”).
“Yesterday afternoon”, emphasises Councillor Marta Longaresi, with responsibility for Remembrance, “we held the first meeting of the ”Tavolo Memoria”, together with representatives of the associations that have been working on these issues for years, and we inaugurated the first initiative of a project financed by the Region that aims to enhance the experience of the volunteers who fought against the Germans along the Gothic Line. The initiatives in the pipeline to celebrate this 80th anniversary of the Liberation are truly numerous, thanks also to the irreplaceable proactive role of the associations, and this is certainly a good omen in view of the 25 April anniversary, so that the lessons of history may represent a lesson and a warning for the new generations”.
The project “The 119 Freedom Volunteers” is implemented with the contribution of the Region of Tuscany pursuant to Regional Law no. 3/2024.