From the innocent blood of Monte Sole were born the Italian Constitution and the European ideal
The meaning of Marzabotto for Italy
In his message for the 81st anniversary of the Marzabotto massacre, President Sergio Mattarella recalled how, at Monte Sole, Nazi ferocity reached its peak, turning war into indiscriminate extermination.
There lie the roots of the Italian Republic and the project of a new Europe, based on democracy and peace.
Freedom and sacrifice: an unbreakable bond
Mattarella stressed that the freedom won and the redemption of the Italian people can never be separated from the sacrifice of the innocent victims: women, men, children, and the elderly, slaughtered mercilessly in the heart of the country.
The duty of remembrance
For the Head of State, remembering is a duty:
- It is a seed of humanity that preserves the founding values of the community.
- It is a drive to ensure it will never happen again that domination cancels human rights and annihilates dignity.
History as a teacher and civic responsibility
“History teaches,” said Mattarella, “and a people must be its builder.”
Defending freedom and independence means doing so always, with consistency and without opportunism.
The most terrifying massacre
During the Nazi occupation, Italy experienced horrific civilian massacres. That of Marzabotto and Monte Soleremains the most dreadful, symbolized by the altar of the church of Casaglia, desecrated by unprecedented atrocity.
Memory and reconciliation
Mattarella finally recalled last year’s meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as a sign of memory turned into a shared path: from reconciliation to Europe’s renewed role in the world.