Conference: Il Locarnese e la Zona libera partigiana dell’Ossola – 75° anniversario (1944-2019) Locarno 27.9.2019/18h15

During September 1944, politically heterogeneous partisan forces were able to create a so-called Ossola Partisan Republic in the Ossola region, this starting from September 10, 1944. Technically and more correctly, it was a free partisan zone, which stretched from the Simplon up to the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore. For almost 30 days the partisan forces managed to organize a real government, giving themselves a well-defined political identity in a Northern Italy still controlled by the Germans and under the political administration of the fascist Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana) of Salò. After 30 days from October 12, 1944, German and fascist forces penetrated the region from two main fronts: one from Cannobio and a second more important front from Fondotoce. There were bitter fights, which led to the death of charismatic partisan commanders, such as Alfredo DiDio and Attilio Moneta in Finero – Valle Cannobina. After five days from the start of the offensive the German and fascist troops entered the desert capital of Domodossola, by then almost entirely a ghost town as much of the local population had flew to the nearby Swiss Cantons, of Wallis and Ticino. This conference takes place as part of the celebrations for the 75th anniversary (1944-2019) of this first democratic experiment in a Northern Italy then still for a few months till April 1945, fascist. The conference will be focused on the Locarnese population contribution for this extreme important democratic experiment. Participating in the evening, will be Prof. Pier-Antonio Ragozza of Premosello-Domodossola and Dr. Marino Viganò, historian and specialist of the period 1943-1945. The specific program of the evening will be prepared in the coming months. The evening is free.