umbertino Posted March 23, 2020 Report Share Posted March 23, 2020 Strage di Reggio Emilia [Reggio Emilia Massacre]: Five Trade Unionists, including three Italian Partisan veterans, are shot by police in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Following the announcement in June 1960 by the fascist MSI that its national conference will be held in Genoa, a city famous for its resistance to Fascism, workers in Genoa organised a series of wildcat strikes. In clashes with police, one anti-Fascist trade unionist is killed. In response, the Italian General Confederation of Labour calls a national strike. In the city of Reggio Emilia, 20,000 workers take to the streets. The only 'official' space allowed - the Verdi Hall which has 600 seats - is too small to contain the crowd, so a group of 300 workers from the Officine Meccaniche Reggiane (Reggiane Mechanical Workshops) gather in front of the War memorial, singing anti-Fascist songs. The police charge and attack the crowd with tear gas and water canon. Workers man barricades and fight back. Dejected by the resistance of the protesters, the police take out their guns and start shooting. Five are killed and sixteen are wounded. Those killed: · Lauro Farioli (b. 1938), aged 22, married father of one. · Ovidio Franchi (b. 1941), aged 22, the youngest of the fallen. · Marino Serri (b. 1919), aged 41, a veteran of the 76th Partisan Brigade (Squadre di azione patriottica). · Afro Tondelli (b. 1924), aged 36, also a veteran of the 76th Partisan Brigade (Squadre di azione patriottica). · Emilio Reverberi (b. 1921), aged 39 years, a veteran of the 144a Brigata Garibaldi. The dead were imortalised in the famous song by Fausto Amodei entitled 'Per i morti di Reggio Emilia' (To the Dead of Reggio Emilia). "Compagno Ovidio Franchi, compagno Afro Tondelli, / e voi Marino Serri, Reverberi e Farioli / dovremo tutti quanti aver d'ora in avanti / voialtri al nostro fianco per non sentirci soli" (Comrade Ovidio Franchi, comrade Afro Tondelli / and you, Marino Serri, Reverberi and Farioli / from now on, we'll act as if you were beside us / by our side forever, so not to feel alone.) You comrade and citizen, you brother partisan let's hold all by the hand in these saddest days: again in Reggio Emilia, again down there in Sicily some comrades have fallen by the hand of the fascists And again like in the past days all Italy is swept by raging winds and the storm is blowing Ovidio Franchi died at the age of nineteen for those who feel tired or are prey to doubt. Lauro Farioli died so to remedy your fault if you've already forgotten Duccio Galimberti. They all died about twenty, they died for our future, they all died like old partisans. Marino Serri died, so did Afro Tondelli, but all our brothers have kept their eyes dry. Comrades, never forger that this bitter blood shed in Reggio Emilia is our own blood. Blood of our own blood, nerves of our own nerves just like the blood of the Cervi brothers (seven brothers killed by the fascists). The only true friend staying beside us now is always the same who was with us on the mountains, and the enemy is always and will always be the same as that we fought against on the mountains and in Spain And it's the same song that we have to sing: We got worn shoes, and yet we've to go on. Comrade Ovidio Franchi, comrade Afro Tondelli, and you, Marino Serri, Reverberi and Farioli, from now on, we'll act as if you were beside us, by our side forever, so not to feel alone. Fallen of Reggio Emilia, get out from your grave, get out and sing with us Bandiera Rossa (red flag), get out and sing with us Bandiera Rossa! http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.com/2019/01/morti-di-reggio-emilia-stormy-six.html Cervi brothers ( mentioned in song) massacre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervi_Brothers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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