Places of memory from the 20th century
1) Museum of Significant Stories and Plaque Dedicated to Liberation Piazza Cavicchioni
The smallest museum in the world is located in Albinea's main square, opposite the Town Hall, and is managed by Pro Loco Albinea and Anpi Albinea. It houses artefacts dating back to the unification of Italy.
On one side wall of the building is a plaque commemorating the arrival of the partisans and the Allies, including the Brazilian contingent, in Piazza Cavicchioni in Albinea on 24 April.
2) ‘Floor Vector of Memory’ by Liberation Route Europe Piazza Cavicchioni
On a side wall of the “Museum” of Stories that weigh heavily is the Floor Vector, a steel disc that is part of a European memorial sign, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind for the Liberation Route Europe Foundation to mark places linked to the Gothic Line and the progressive advance of the Allies.
3) Villa Rossi and the plaque in memory of the British paratroopers and Villa Calvi Via Chiesa, Botteghe
These are the sites of the most important events in Albinea during the Second World War: the killing of five rebellious German soldiers in August 1944 and the assault by the British SAS and partisans on the command of the 51st German Alpine Corps.
4) Partisan trail of Operation Tombola Vendina-Botteghe route.
A walk retracing the paths that, on the night between 26 and 27 March 1945, led 110 men to attack the German command posts at Villa Rossi and Villa Calvi.
'Operation Tombola' was the name of the operation that destroyed the German command centre in Botteghe, cutting off contact between Berlin and the Gothic Line.
5) Tulip Trail and Memorial to Richard Cooley Via Poiano
A cycle and footpath that winds along Via Poiano.
An American aircraft crashed nearby during the Second World War: a P-38 on 12 May 1944.
The 24-year-old American pilot Richard Arthur Cooley lost his life in the crash.
After the war, Richard's mother visited the place where her son had crashed and, so as not to forget him, planted tulips in the area of the crash.
This gesture of pity and emotion, based on an idea by Reggio Emilia researcher and journalist Matteo Incerti, who tragically passed away before he could see his project come to fruition, led to the creation of the “Cammino dei tulipani” (Tulip Trail) on 30 November 2022, which was dedicated to his memory.
6) Berlin Wall Via Caduti per la Libertà (opposite Renzo Pezzani Primary School)
Since 1999, a section of the Berlin Wall has stood in front of Albinea Primary School. It was donated to the Albinea local council by the twin municipality of Treptow-Köpenick in Berlin as a sign of friendship and as a warning against war and in favour of peace between peoples.
7) Memorial stone in memory of Mario Simonazzi “Azor” Via Caduti per la Libertà (in front of the Renzo Pezzani primary school)
The monument, dedicated to the memory of the partisan Mario Simonazzi, whose nom de guerre was “Azor” and who was deputy commander of the 76th SAP Brigade from February 1945, was previously located in Montericco, near the primary school.
It was later moved to Fola, opposite the Renzo Pezzani school.
It is a small column in chalky stone with a relief inscription and a photo-ceramic image of the fallen soldier.
8) “Mai più” (Never Again) monument Piazza Caduti Alleati, Botteghe
This is a stone work by Adriano Corradini.
It commemorates the five German soldiers Hans Schmidt, Erwin Bucher, Erwin Schlunder, Karl Heinz Schreyer and Martin Koch, who were shot by their fellow soldiers on the night of 26 August 1944 at Villa Rossi e Calvi for deciding to rebel against Nazi-Fascism.
An oval bronze bas-relief depicting the head of a German soldier, the gate of Villa Rossi and an armed partisan was later added to the monument.
9) Monument to the Fallen of All Wars Piazza Cavicchioni
Made of concrete and hexagonal in shape, the monument has a grey marble plaque with an inscription in relief on the central side, while on the sides, which are plastered and orange in colour, there are four bronze bas-reliefs depicting allegorical figures of women, children and animals, together with other symbols referring to brotherhood and peace among peoples.
10) Base of the First World War Memorial Parco dei Frassini 'M. Hack'
This is a granite base engraved with the words “Albinea ai suoi caduti 1915-1918” (Albinea to its fallen 1915-1918), on top of which stood a fine bronze statue depicting an infantryman (unknown soldier) by the sculptor E. Prampolini.
The statue was requisitioned in 1941 and melted down for its bronze.
It is currently located in the garden south of the “P. Neruda” Library.
11) Monument to the Constitution Parco dei Frassini “M. Hack”
In Parco dei Frassini there is a monument dedicated to the Italian Constitution, created by sculptors Bertani and Romani based on a design by Jehona Vatovci (2009) and drawings by pupils at Albinea middle school.
It consists of a central part in Corten steel, two marble parts embedded in the ground and a lectern with a marble top on which are carved the words “founded on work...” from Article 1 and “...repudiates war” from Article 11 of our Constitution.
The two metal plates leave a central space in which the cogwheel is depicted, also present in the emblem of the Italian Republic.
This figure symbolises work, the foundation of our Republic, as indicated in the first article of the Constitution.
It therefore represents work and progress.
12) Memorial plaque to the fallen of Albinea in the First World WarTown Hall, Piazza Cavicchioni
This is a series of three white marble plaques engraved with the names of the people of Albinea who died during the Great War as a result of wounds sustained in service and illness.
There is also a fourth memorial stone in memory of the Albinea partisans who fell in the fight against Nazi-Fascism. They are located in the atrium of the Albinea Town Hall.
13) Memorial stone to the fallen soldiers of Borzano in the First World War Church of S. Maria della Lodola, Borzano
This is a large marble memorial stone engraved with the names of the soldiers from Borzano who fell during the Great War.
The memorial stone also features photographs of the fallen soldiers and is mounted on the south wall of the Church of Santa Maria della Lodola in Borzano.
14) Memorial stone in the Borzano cemetery Via L. Orsi, Borzano
A grey marble memorial stone, commissioned by ANPI Albinea, commemorates the Borzano partisans who died fighting Nazi-Fascism.
15) Cemetery of the Parish Church of Albinea Via Pareto 30
Here lies the tomb of Isaia Cassinadri, a young man from Albinea who was killed by the Germans during the Second World War.
On the morning of 27 March 1945, the day after the partisan and Allied assault known as “Operation Tombola”, Isaia was killed by German rifle fire as they combed the Vendina area in search of the attackers of Villa Rossi and Villa Calvi.
16) Radici di Amicizia Park (Roots of Friendship Park) Via Grandi
The park, inaugurated in March 2017 in the presence of a delegation from the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick (twinned with the Municipality of Albinea), commemorates the 110 men who took part in Operation Tombola on the night between 26 and 27 March 1945 and the five German soldiers who were executed by their commander between 26 and 27 August 1944 after being discovered passing information to the partisans.
17) Garibaldi Fountain Via Garibaldi, at number 7
The Garibaldi Fountain was once a public fountain but is now located on private land.
A plaque on the fountain reads: “To the general of the people, Giuseppe Garibaldi, source of freedom and emancipation. Albinea, May 1862”.
The lack of a date indicates that the plaque was prepared by a committee of admirers awaiting the official inauguration in the presence of Garibaldi (according to tradition), which never took place.
It is the first inscription dedicated to the hero in the province and the only one made while the general was still alive.
To find out more, visit the website of the Municipality of Albinea.
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