Executions at Dongo 28 Apr 1945

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Luca
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Re: Executions at Dongo 28 Apr 1945

#31

Post by Luca » 23 Sep 2003, 14:35

FB wrote:I hope you find it interesting.
A LOT !!!!!

Luca
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Re: Executions at Dongo 28 Apr 1945

#32

Post by Luca » 23 Sep 2003, 14:46

Luca wrote:
Gazanno, Ernest (?-1945) – Italian editor, Stefani News Agency {captured and executed by Italian partisans at Dongo c. 28 Apr 1945 (LT 30 Apr 1945:4:g).}
Gazanno Ernesto was the Vice Chef of Asvero Gravelli.
You can look Gravelli in the lasts photos take to Mussolini in Milano before the trip for Valtellina with the zouave trousers.(that i can show if You want)
Im no sure, but is probable, that Gravelli was in the Mussolini column, so is also possible that Gazanno was also in the column, but certenly he no was executed in Dongo. He fate is for me unknow.
...."Daquanno Ernesto, Direttore Agenzia Stefani (DIRECTOR STEFANI AGENCY);".....

FB Your list is super interesting, thank You a lot!
Luca


Luca
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Re: Executions at Dongo 28 Apr 1945

#33

Post by Luca » 23 Sep 2003, 15:27

FB wrote:Curti Elena d'anni 23 da Milano via Ravizza 28, (OF 23 YEARS OF AGE FROM MILANO, RAVIZZA STREET 28 ) ;
Any good list have some little mistake.
I want show two pics of Elena Curti, that was the natural daughter of Mussolini.
The first is take in the Prefettura of Milano the afternoon of the 24 April and show Elena, that was with she father in the Mussolini column, but she was able to escape from the massacre in Dongo.
The second pic show Elena Curti in she home in a big spanish city some years ago. Sorry for the bad quality of the pic but sometime my scanner no work well.
Luca
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FB
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#34

Post by FB » 23 Sep 2003, 16:13

Now this is interesting, Luca.

I'm only guessing of course but my suspect is that Dr. Granzella did not "work" on the bodies of the deaths or had the opportunity to interview the prisoners before their execution. What I'm guessing is that he worked on papers. Probably the Guardia di Finanza, the Carabinieri (when/if they managed to reach the place), the priest or someone in authorihy (perhaps even a partizan - someone like Porta, the Federale of Como cousin, who was active nearby and was able to save the soldiers of the Leonessa Group that were going back to Como after leaving Menaggio, as ordered) told Dr. Granzella to make the list. He could also have acted on his own. The scope of the list was probably to have a document showing the names of the death in order to inform the families of th fate of their dears. But very probably he worked on the personal ID Cards of the killed.

Maybe Miss Corti papers were on the body of another girl? Or perhaps her papers were taken from her because it was decided that she had to die but, unknown to the card collector, she was later spared her life (and I suspect unofficially)?

Best regards

Luca
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#35

Post by Luca » 23 Sep 2003, 22:34

Sincerly ,i cant help You.
I can only write here some short informations from no sure sources.
The very old Giulio Taiti (more that 70 years old, if i remeber well) was killed from a bullet that entry from a feritoia ("very little window") of the autoblindo, and Aldo Gasperini, the driver of Petacci, was kill when search to exit from the autoblindo (armored veichle...the pic here http://www.thirdreichforum.com/viewtopi ... c&start=15 ). Elena Curti escape (with others) from the autoblindo through the posterior little door of the blindo and search refuge in a neighbour bush. Immediatly a gun of a machinegun touch she head.
With others was forced to go in the direction of the Municipio (town-hall??) of Dongo. All the womans have a part of the hairs cut. After they was conduct in the Carabinieri barrack.During the way, the order was that she have the hands up but she insist for have the hands in the side back. A partisan say in dialect: "Vialter eri quei de la ginnastica, fe' la ginnastica, adess!" ( you was the people of the gymnastics, do the gymnastic now!) and she was strike (hit??) in the head with the wood of a machine-gun.
Desolate but my no sure sources no say more.
Luca
NB= as You can read, Taiti and Gasperini no are signed in Your list, this can confirm how much inaccurate are my sources.

gabriel pagliarani
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#36

Post by gabriel pagliarani » 24 Sep 2003, 02:09

Nice thread. A lot of detailed infos. Go on FB and Luca. :D
Any further info about Tenente Pilota Virgilio Pallottelli? He was in the list of 52 men executed at Dongo and a young ace of 2°Squadriglia Caccia ANR. A brave.

David Thompson
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#37

Post by David Thompson » 24 Sep 2003, 03:09

FB -- Wow! It was even worse than I thought. Thank you very much for the names.

Luca
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#38

Post by Luca » 25 Sep 2003, 09:38

Again concern Taiti and Gasperini...the corps was take from the Advocat Mariano Olivi and carry with a cart in the convent of the friars near Dongo.
The relatives of Taiti only 20 years after was able to take the body and now is in Musocco, near the body of Bombacci (camp x).
Maybe, but is only my poor opinion, can be the motivation that these 2 names no appare in the FB list...or much more simple, cause they was killed before the "executions".
Luca
Last edited by Luca on 25 Sep 2003, 15:55, edited 4 times in total.

Luca
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#39

Post by Luca » 25 Sep 2003, 10:00

Nicola Bombacci was a friend of Mussolini in the olds times, when Mussolini was a militant in the socialist party. Was one of the foundators of the comunist party in Italia, friend of Gramsci, live for long time in the russia of Stalin. After he join to the new fascist order, understanding what really was good for the proletariat, and stay with Mussolini forever, also in the last hours. He pay with the life in Dongo he political convertion to the revolutionary fascism. In front at the execution platoon, where he was conduct without the shoes, he was very hironic and calm, at the last second he howl "Viva Mussolini! Viva il Socialismo! Viva l' Italia!" After the execution he recive, as all others, a pistol bullet in the head from a comunist partisan in american uniform, but in this moment i no remember her name. Bombacci was one of the hanged of Piazzale Loreto. We can read in the FB list that he was pubblicist and Journalist. No all the executed was hanged in Piazzale Loreto, why Bombacci? Someone can think that was hanged for remember to every italians what is the end for who change idea?
Luca
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Luca
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Re: Executions at Dongo 28 Apr 1945

#40

Post by Luca » 25 Sep 2003, 14:59

Luca wrote:
Luca wrote:
Gazanno, Ernest (?-1945) – Italian editor, Stefani News Agency {captured and executed by Italian partisans at Dongo c. 28 Apr 1945 (LT 30 Apr 1945:4:g).}
Gazanno Ernesto was the Vice Chef of Asvero Gravelli.
You can look Gravelli in the lasts photos take to Mussolini in Milano before the trip for Valtellina with the zouave trousers.(that i can show if You want)
Im no sure, but is probable, that Gravelli was in the Mussolini column, so is also possible that Gazanno was also in the column, but certenly he no was executed in Dongo. He fate is for me unknow.
...."Daquanno Ernesto, Direttore Agenzia Stefani (DIRECTOR STEFANI AGENCY);".....

FB Your list is super interesting, thank You a lot!
Luca
Cause new informations now i can confirm that Daquanno was really in the Mussolini column. He was all time into the column with Coppola, rettore of the Bologna University. Men of high culture, one of the biggers intelectual of the Regime, have nothing to do with the war events, but Goffredo Coppola was executed with the other 14 in Dongo. Strange for me found a photo of Coppola in uniform.
Luca
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Luca
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#41

Post by Luca » 25 Sep 2003, 15:37

In the FB list is write :
.......
Roveda Anna d'anni 16 da Brandello (Cuneo) (OF 16 YEARS OF AGE FROM BRANDELLO (CUNEO));
Curti Elena d'anni 23 da Milano via Ravizza 28, (OF 23 YEARS OF AGE FROM MILANO, RAVIZZA STREET 28 ) ;
Boera Anna;
.........

For the poor that i know into the column was 4 womans : Petacci (well know) Curti (we have write before) and Zita Ritossa (that was the woman of Marcello Petacci) and Marie Rose Mattig, second wife of Romano minister, a 35 years girl from Berlin, that was able to save the life in Dongo only for commit suicide in the immediate post- war before a trial (i will search better informations, in any case she was able to arrive in Swiss cause she was German).
So Roveda Anna appare unknow but no is the same for Boera Anna.
Infact Zita Ritossa remember well this very young blonde girl, she join the Mussolini column in Como with others "new faces" that search to go to North with the protection of the column. This can explane why the name of Anna Boera is in the Dongo papers. She was so young and cause no have nothing to do with the column she was immediatly released (the partisans have much more to do in Dongo that take interest for a fine girl in this special day) and of this girl for the poor that i know we have lose any trace.
So appear that Anna Boera no was killed in Dongo
Luca
The pic show Zita Ritossa in she home around 20 years ago. The big picture in the wall is a portrait of Claretta Petacci. She was able to save the life in Dongo with she two little sons, concern she man Marcello Petacci, i have write some note in the firsts pages of this topic.
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FB
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#42

Post by FB » 26 Sep 2003, 08:57

Luca: you are really a "picture mine"!! :)

It's unbelievable how many of them (for me never seen before) you are able to find. Thank you.

Marcello Petacci was a poor man, and not completely "normal". IIRC Marcello and Claretta's parents were close relatives, first cousins. Apparently it was Marcello the one who payed the higher price of the dangerous union of his parents.

Reguarding the list: it should be really interesting to see it in original. On the book where I found it, it was only said that Dr. Granzella, Notary Pubblic, wrote it.

If the list had the form of an official notary act, than (excluding fires and other natural accidents) it is still existing in the Notary Archive of the city of Como.

Every Notary, upon retiring (a notary cannot work after reaching 75 years of age), or changing of seat, has the legal obligation to hand over ALL his documents and acts to the local Notary Archive, which will conserve them for 100 years. After this period the documents will be brought to the State Archive where they will stay virtually forever.

If that list was an official notary act, it can be read by anybody in the Notary Archive. And on it it would be written how he identified the names on the list.

Best regards

Luca
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#43

Post by Luca » 26 Sep 2003, 10:12

In the Dr.Granzella list is write:
........
Casalinovo Vito, Colonnello d'Aviazione (AIR FORCE COLONNEL);
Bazzotti Emilio, funzionario comunale terre invase (TOWN EMPLOYEE INVADED LANDS);
.........

Casalinuovo was the Console addetto alla persona (addicted at the person???) of Mussolini.
He was forever escorted from Emilio Barsotti of Massarosa - Lucca.
My note are no clear if he was town employee in the census office of Massarosa after or during the war.
This man have a great consideration for Mussolini, that was her hero. So in the last months of the war he abandoned family and work and go in North Italia for stay around her myth.
In the 1984 he have 80 years and he affirm that he was the last who greet "Romanamente" the Duce, fact occured starting from Menaggio in the morning of 27 Aprile, when the Duce discouraged this crazy man to prosecute in the column, obvously Barsotti decline, infact the day after, in the last minutes, he was with Casalinuovo into the armored veichle and he say that he was able to save her life only because he have hidden her old bracialet in a chink of a rock in the shore of the lake some hours before. In the bracialet was write "O Roma o Morte" and he say that was enough for a death condamn. He also say that probable it is again in the same place.
So appear that Emilio Barsotti no was killed in Dongo.
Luca
..and for confirm that im a really "Pictur mine" i no have any pics of Barsotti. 8)
Last edited by Luca on 27 Sep 2003, 11:54, edited 1 time in total.

FB
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Re: Executions at Dongo 28 Apr 1945

#44

Post by FB » 26 Sep 2003, 12:49

FB wrote:
David Thompson wrote:Can anyone add any information to this list?

Executions at Dongo 28 Apr 1945

...
I finally found on a book of a complete deifferent subject (it's about a Fort in Colico, on the lake of Como) the list of all the 52 killed by the partizans in Dongo. It also has the Duce and Claretta Petacci who, as you know, were killed in another place.

Such list was written by Dr. Martino Granzella, Notary Public in Pianello del Lario, a village near Dongo, in the day April the 27th, 1945.

...
I must make a correction to my previous post, reported above.

The list was written down by Dr. Granzella the day April the 27th, 1945.

As you all know, the executions happened the day after, April the 28th, 1945.

So the list must represent those that were captured there in the column and NOT necessarily those who were killed.

Some of them, in fact, as Luca pointed out, did survive the war.

I'm sorry for having written the word killed insted of the more correct captured but I was led into mistake because the book where I took the list states, just before the list itself, that "they were all killed".

Most evidently that was not the case and I'm sorry for the mistake I made.

Best regards

Luca
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#45

Post by Luca » 26 Sep 2003, 13:55

In the Dr. Granzelli list is write:
........
Marcucci Cesare, autista del Ministero (CAR DRIVER OF THE MINISTRY);
........

In my poor opinion, the figure of Cesare Marcucci, in the tragedy of the facts of Dongo, appare sadly funny.
Marcucci was the tailor of the Minister Zerbino, and in the last days, he have the sad idea of search Zerbino for take the payment for a very long list of works.
So, in concrete, he pursuit Zerbino.
Arrive in Milano and descovery that the Minister Zerbino is in the Mussolini column. Arrive in the prefecture of Como and search informations from the Prefect of Como. He wait a long time that the prefect have the time for recive Marcucci in he office. During this long time he have a natural necessity, so take some printed forms that was in the table of the waiting room and go to toalette. Probable the quality of the paper like a lot (especially in the end war times) to the poor Marcucci, that have the great idea of take a lot of these forms as escort for future "natural necessity".
All these papers have write in the upper side "Prefettura di Como".
The prefet inform of the situation of the column and finally Marcucci was able to find Zerbino in the way for Menaggio.
Cause the precipitation of the events he was forced to stay with the Mussolini column.
The last day , during the 9 hours that the column was stopped by the german decision in Musso, he was in the car with Virgilio Pallottelli, that was dressed in Aereonautic Officer uniform. Pallottelli was identificated by a young man that say to Pallottelli that he was one of her allievo (what in english??) in Ciampino and ask if have necessity of help. Pallottelli no recognise the boy but take the occasion and ask if is possible found a home for two womans, that was Claretta and Zita.
So Pallottelli and the boy of Musso depart and the poor tailor Marcucci, that was very happy for exit from the dangerous column, join with the little group.
The two was conduct in a hill near Campagnano, where they was attaked from a lot of Musso citizens (probable Musso but no sure), that beat and robbery the two men.
So Marcucci was well happy to return in the column.
When he was captured from the partisans, they descovery the famous papers of the Prefettura of Como in he luggage, an evidente proof of the "fascist activity" of Marcucci! The poor tailor was beat and knock very hard, infact he lose all her tooths.
Was in any case able to save the life and, for the poor that i know, in the immediate post war everybody have lose her traces.
So appear that Cesare Marcucci no was killed in Dongo.
Luca
Last edited by Luca on 27 Sep 2003, 11:55, edited 2 times in total.

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