Italian Armistice Commission

[Andy H]

This body was captured in Algiers at there hotel during Operation Torch

Can anyone shed light on this bodies organisation, size, personalties, function and responsibilities

Andy H

[Luca Rovetta]

This body was captured in Algiers at there hotel during Operation Torch

Can anyone shed light on this bodies organisation, size, personalties, function and responsibilities

Andy H

Hi, i think you are referring to the commission that signed the armistice with France.
Sorry but i don't remember much, but when possible i'll take a look to Rick Atkinson' "An army at dawn", probably there is something.
Bye

[Andy H]

i think you are referring to the commission that signed the armistice with France

That is correct. There was also a German Commission but they managed to escape capture

Andy H

[Lornito Uriarte Mahinay Jr.]

That hotel is the Miramar Hotel in Fedala, which served as Patton's headquarters during the Operation Torch.

I know only the German Armistice Commission that escaped. So far I don't have sources that there is an Italian Armistice Commission in North Africa at that time.

Best Regards
Baron

[lebel]

From june 40 till november 42 , the italian comm was installed in Algiers in " Hotel d'Angleterre "
in fact , since the beginnings, italians were meticulously watched and shadowed by french security services ( although under vichy authority , the service was headed by (a secretly ) antivichyst and pro alliés :commissaire André Achiary
one time the chief of italian com was severely beaten up in a dark street , other times members of that com were blackmailed because of their involvements in affairs with women of "Algiers high society !
above all existed strong antiitalian feelings ( stab in the back of june 40 , and the alleged cowardice of italian mussolini army )
Anyway , members of italian com were quickly rounded up on november 8th 1942 ( Torch operation ) in their hotel , packed up in GMC US trucks amidst a crowd laughing and spitting at them.

[Jon G.]

lebel - you wrote that

...members of that com were blackmailed because of their involvements in affairs with women of "Algiers high society !

Are you able to substantiate this statement with evidence of any kind? Personal accounts are usually valuable to topics on the AHF, but they will carry far more weight if they are backed with sources and literature references.

You also wrote

above all existed strong antiitalian feelings...

Was this sentiment also dominant in the Italian segment of the population of French North Africa? Would it perhaps be more correct to talk of political tensions, rather than of national tensions? You call André Achiary anti-Vichy, rather than anti-Italian.

Finally, please note that nationalistic slurs and taunts are not accepted on this forum. I have removed an emoticon from your post.

[lebel]

Bonsoir

I extensively for 60 years studied that period ; I was only 7 when Americans landed in Algiers , my father was closely related with commissaire Achiary and Aboulker team (a group of young men mainly jews , who made the success of Torch Operation , neutralizing French HQ members of Algiers , allowing the safe landing of US and English forces without bloodshed , unlike what happened in Oran and Morocco )

All these years , I collected books , newspapers and docs and interviews with some witnesses and members of « algiers putsch »
Quote 1)

Many books were written on that matter , some record precisely these actions against Italian Commission :
Alger et ses complots M. Aboulker
Sept fois sept jours E d’Astier
La conjuration d’Alger Chamine
Expedients Provisoires R-P Gosset

Newspapers:
Les Dernieres Nouvelles 13th and 22 nd of november 1942
La Depeche Algerienne 13th of november 1942

An active member of french resistance in Algiers , Capitaine Y L’Hostis wrote his Memoires , he worked closely with Achiary ,from 40 till 43 they had an informer , Mattei , who introduced in italian commission being chauffeur and confident of Italian Consul , signor Arrivabene
(all attachment not allowed )

" Une fois par semaine, le vendredi dans la soirée, nous nous rencontrions chez moi. Il me rapportait, avec une scrupuleuse fidélité, les mystérieuses activités auxquelles se livraient les membres de la commission italienne d'armistice, voire même leurs aventures amoureuses avec certaines belles demoiselles de la haute société algéroise, les détails précis sur les déplacements de ces courageux occupants, et, chose incroyable, les noms et adresses des personnes contactées, les propos qui y avaient été échangés que, le plus simplement du monde, Mattéï s'empressait d'aller recueillir chez les gens de chez qui, ces messieurs, d'une aménité exquise, venaient
En plein accord avec Achiary, cette moisson de renseignements de laquelle avaient été retirés ceux qui, d'évidence, n'intéressaient pas l'I.S., parvenaient comme d'habitude à Londres par le truchement du Consulat des États-Unis à Alger."

Rough translation
Once a week on Friday we met with Mattei , he scrupulously related the mysterious activities ot Italian Comm. Members , even their affairs with some charming damsels of Algiers high society , their rendez vous , , name and adresss of the girls ( who were blackmailed by Mattei to reveal their pillow talks )……….
All these informations were dispatched by Achiary to London with the help of US Consulate

The arrogant attitude of some Armistice commission members infuriated Algiers
people who showed their anger and contempt to the now vainquished Axis members ......................Newsreels of that period show many pictures of the event - Fox Movietone November 17th , 1942


Quote 2 )
Since end of 19th century , Algeria was a land of migration from people of mediterranean countries ( Spain , Italy and Malta ) Italians settled , as fishermen
all along algerian coast and they were perfectly integrated ; Mussolini and Fascism stirred somewhat their " italianity " but they remained , roughly , faithful to France ; the boasting of Mussolini , his claims about french colonies and his traitorous attack of France in June 40 awakened a mistrust towards italians which did not go beyond usual mockery ( during 40 -45 , americans and english shared their part too, of disdain and mocking towards what they called " macaronis " )
but war past , all was forgotten and life went on..........

BTW , I'm fluent in italian , I like italian way of life and my mother was of livornese origin