Italian Communist Party 1943-45
Source: Lettere di condannati a morte della Resistenza italiana; a cura di Piero Malvezzi e Giovanni Pirelli. Einaudi, Torion, 1952;
Translated: for marxists.org by Mitch Abidor
Sbriz joined the PCI in 1930, and was imprisoned for his political activity from 1933-1937, and was under police surveillance after that. While commanding a resistance force he was captured by the SS on January 1, 1944, tried by a German tribunal, and executed on March 7, 1944. he was 34.
Pina dearest, my children, mother and all my dear ones,
When you receive this I will already be dead.
My pain is immensely big, not for myself, but for all of you. I so loved and adored you; in your midst I found great happiness: I am content and happy to have loved you. Don’t forget me!
Remember, my Pina how many beautiful hopes we cherished, how we built our future. And now all of this has been cut off. Farewell, hopes.
And you Giuliana my little one, how are you?
I imagine your happy, smiling little face. I awaited your birth with tremendous joy, but my greatest unhappiness was in the fact that fate only allowed me to see you in my imagination. I couldn’t even give you a kiss on your cool little cheek. Now I dearly greet and kiss you. One day you'll know me.
And you, my Lucianuti, remember always your dear Tate who has always wished you so much good, remember always. Farewell Lucianuti. Farewell mother mine, sisters, nieces and nephews, farewell.
And to mama Gige I offer my final greetings with a kiss. I give you courage and don’t forget me.
Forgive me!
Greetings to all those who wished me well. Farwell Ines and Pieri. Farewell Ioletta and Marcella and Mamma. Farwell mamma mia, Pina, my dear children farewell sisters and Baldo.
Good luck to all of you and a long and happy life.
Pina my dear, I entrust to you our dear children, educate them and see that they never forget their dear daddy.
I give you my last embrace and kiss you dearly. Farewell. I leave you as an inheritance my love.
Dear mamma, farewell; I leave before my time with your memory in my heart.
You know that I die innocent, I die because, I did no one ill. I die because someone wanted it so. But this someone, who I know, will be condemned to hear blowing in his ears, for all his life, the tears of my innocent children, the tears of a young mother, and the pain of all of my dear ones.
And now, farewell.
I an your beloved.
Aldo
Farewell my Pina, my chidren!
17 year old Caporossi was a second lieutenant in the 80th Garibaldi Brigade. Captured on February 17, 1945 and tortured for 36 hours, he was executed on February 21.
Dear Mamma:
I am going to my death, but that of a partisan, with a smile on my lips and faith in my heart. Don’t be sad I die content. Greetings, friends and family, and a big hug and kiss for little Imperio and Ileno and Dear Papa and grandmother and grandfather and remember me always.
Goodbye, Your son
Domenico
Peluffo was 18 when he was captured in his mother’s house after his whereabouts were reported by an informer. He was executed by an Italian firing squad November 1, 1944 along with five comrades.
Dear parents and brothers:
I write to you in these last moments of my life I die content having done my duty.
Be well and I recommend that you do what needs to be done so that mamma doesn’t have to suffer, console her, greetings to all who knew me and who loved me.
Don’t curse evil fate. Greetings and hugs.
Peluffo Stefano
Rigoldi organized working class activities after joining the PCI in 1940. Arrested in April 1944 he managed to escape from a transport taking him to Germany, and joined the 52nd Garibaldi brigade. Captured a final time on December 22, 1944 he was tried, condemned and executed by Italian Fascists.
Dear wife;
When you receive this I will no longer be of this world. Forgive me. I dreamed of a world of happiness, but on the contrary I leave you alone with two children.
I am concerned about this, but I know you aren’t, because you are good. I die with your name on my lips, hoping for an eternity better than that found in this life.
Many kisses to the children , a last embrace for you and greetings to all.
Your
Francesco
Galimberti spent seven years as a political prisoner from 1926-33. After his release he continued his activism, for which he spent still more time in Fascist jails. From September 8, 1943 he fought in the 53rd Garibaldi Brigade, and was captured November 17, 1944. tried two days later, the 38 year old worker was executed two days after that.
Dear wife:
For me as for mamma, be strong. I thought I ‘d make you happy, but instead I tormented you and caused you unhappiness. Courage!
I recommend that the children be well educated and that they learn to love Italy and that if need be they give their blood. Many greetings and a farewell.
Your husband
I'll carry the photos of the children to the grave...
Dear girls:
You can’t now read this, my final greeting, but you'll read it at a time when you can understand, and from this page you'll then learn of the death of your father and you'll know that he died as a soldier and an Italian and that he fought for a free Italy. I hope that you won’t cry when you read my writing. Farewell girls, and I send you a kiss; I hope that when you'll be big girls your mother will teach you to love Italy. Love it with all your heart.
Farewell.
Cappetini was a 43 year old merchant who had fled Italy for Switzerland. In September 1943 he returned to Italy to fight in the resistance, and was captured on December 19,1943 in his mother’s house. He was executed December 31, 1943.
Dear Mamma:
When you will receive this I will be no more, enemy lead will have already killed me that’s why I entrust to you my dear children, kiss them much for me Tilde as well and teach them too to be good patriots like I was and that they should do everything possible to vindicate me. Dearly kiss them all one last time, farewell Long Live Italy Long Live the Common Ideal.
Your Arturo
A member of the PCI since 1921, 44 year old Casiraghi was first arrested for anti-fascist activity in 1930 . During the war he organized strike activities (for which he was arrested) and from September 1943 organized clandestine actions. Arrested in July of 1944, he was executed in Milan with a group of comrades on August 10, 1944 in reprisal for the bombing of a German vehicle.
8/3/44
My dear Erminia,
As concerns the situation here, there’s nothing new; if there was something new I wouldn’t fail to let you know.
They've changed my cell and I will tell you that that I'm happy, because in the new cell there are no bedbugs, and this is the essential thing; but I'm still alone and I don’t understand why they don’t place me with company.
My health is good, as I hope is yours and that of the family.
Loving greetings to you and the relatives; my greetings to parents, friends and you and a big kiss for Gino. Ciao.
Giulio
[These last lines were written by Comrade Casiraghi on the door of his cell at San Vittore prison in Milan.]
My thoughts go to my wife and my loved ones; my body to my beliefs.
Giulio