Written by Manuela Orsini Merani
A. Versilia
August 29, 2023
What was the August 29 meeting of the Secretary of the Democratic Party? Ellie Schlein with the survivors and families of the victims of the Sant’Anna di Stazzema massacre? Some photographs from that time may evoke painful memories associated with this sad historical episode, but one of them especially conveys the whole point of this sad story: a children’s round dance in the church square. Meeting, so it was youn point of arrival to learn about the various testimonies of the inhabitants of this area of upper Versilia, marked by war crimes. But also starting with the proposal to vote for one The law on the anti-fascist people’s initiative, more than 250 thousand signatures were collected in parliament.
The president of the region of Tuscany was present. Eugenio Giani, among the survivors Mario Marsili, Adele Pardini and some members of the association Martyrs of Saint Anne. Years later, none of them have forgotten this drama, and, as the mayor of Sant’Anna di Stazzema tells us, Maurice Veronathe main intention is to use Schlein, to involve all municipalities in Italy, the administrators of the democratic parties, to bring, both where they are in the majority and where they are in the minority, an agenda concerning the law antifascist popular initiative for discussion in parliament.
“We ask that this be scheduled as soon as possible-Ellie Schlein started it is fundamental to the memory of the Sant’Anna di Stazzema massacre, it is important because we cannot build a better future without remembering the past. I visited the Santa Anna Pis National Park for the first time, I was very impressed by the story of that August 12, 1944, because of the presence of so many girls and boys among the victims.
The first one I heard Ellie Schlein was Adele Pardiniother survivors and family members gradually stepped forward, revealing the painful testimonies they had to live with all these years.
The sanctuary in Kol-di-Kava and the upper room of the Museum of the Resistance were visited by a secretary who wanted to deepen her knowledge and feel all the sensations associated with that fateful day.
The Mayor of Verona shared some thoughts with us in Le Gazzette: “Debates in parliament can approve, change, reject this law, according to democratic law it should not and cannot be buried, covered up, made so that it cannot be discussed again.Verona said- it should be on the calendar, I asked Ellie Schlein for this commitment. If they get to the chairman of the commission Cyrus Male so many programs, he also has to respond to this request, to my messages and my phone calls, and to feel receptive to this national wave of taking responsibility, with the role of the parliamentarian of the Italian Republic, which he embraces.
We know that you have always been at the forefront of important issues affecting your region. In addition to today’s meeting, do you want to foresee something in development that you are also implementing with the support of the Tuscany region?
“We have created a cultural festival called D as a democracy, Verona explained, which consists in identifying characters from the world of entertainment, which can be journalists, comedians, writers, whom we attract with our presence and fame to spread the story of Sant’Anna di Stazzema and the memories it represents. This initiative mentions the territories of the Tuscany region that belong to the network of municipalities that we created and launched last August 12 under the leadership of the Tuscany region. Events that come to life in various theaters scattered throughout the region. These initiatives took place in Tavernelle, in Fucecchio, where they were Agnese Pini With Stefano Massinithe journalist was also involved Andrea Scanzi. Initiatives will not only be in Sant’Anna di Stazzema.”
Expect them to prepare a calendar for the autumn-winter season, where other figures from the political world and some mayors of the Tuscan municipalities will also be invited. Maurice Verona he was sure of great sensitivity Ellie Schlein. Listening to the events that took place during the massacre from the survivors themselves was very different from the stories of historians or politicians with a different register and provided much food for thought.
Some words that Ellie Schlein she listened, and they were so imprinted on her that they agitated her visibly.
“Ellie asked me after the meeting why there were years of silence? – said the mayor of Verona – where they didn’t talk about what happened. Because there was a state oblivion. Survivors have often told me that they felt almost tortured, they didn’t feel free to talk about something that the curtain fell on, even from the side of the state. and justice. In the massacre of Sant’Anna di Stazzema, justice prevailed and the truth received a voice only in 2007, and this is a massacre dated 1944. The trials began in the early 90s, the first gold medal for military valor was awarded in the 70s. … In 1971, the Association of the Families of the Dead Martyrs was born, it was not born immediately after the war.
The mayor wanted to remember the figure Henry Pieri, the symbol of Santa Anna and youth, what he represents.
Pieri was a knight of the German and Italian Republic, a citizen of Europe, who on August 12, 1944 witnessed the extermination of his entire family, he had no one but his uncle. Unable to find work in Italy, he emigrated abroad and raised his family in Switzerland. Returning to Italy, he spoke about what he experienced on his skin until he physically died. In 2023, there is still a long and difficult historical journey in which we are trying to shed light on two aspects: justice and truth in the name of a healthy democracy.
