Villamarzana
The Massacre of Villamarzana: A Brutal Fascist Slaughter
Hello everyone! Today I want to talk to you about a tragic event that marked the history of our province. We are in 1944, during the war, and tensions between partisans and fascist republicans were at an all-time high. In this context, the massacre of Villamarzana occurred, which resulted in the death of 42 people.
Background
The situation in Polesine was tense and fascist violence was growing. Armed clashes and partisan sabotage were now a daily occurrence. The situation degenerated on September 23, 1944, when the commander of the Fratta Polesine detachment, Giuseppe Bomba, and the Black Shirt Pietro Castellacci were killed. From that moment on, the provincial command decided to investigate the area between Fratta Polesine, Castelguglielmo, and Villamarzana to identify any partisan cells.
The reprisal
The Provincial Command decided to infiltrate four militiamen of the National Republican Guard as communist organizers. The agents participated in two secret meetings, but one of them was recognized, and the partisans decided to capture the entire group and hide the bodies. A sweep was then ordered to try to find the missing militiamen, and a manifesto was issued for the return of the four fascists. During this sweep, many prisoners were taken, who were tortured to obtain information. The parish priest, Don Vincenzo Pelegatti, was forced to manage the exchange of hostages but was arrested because he apparently incited the hostile reaction of the local population. Also, the Political Secretary of Villamarzana, Pietro Munari, was arrested shortly after because he participated in partisan meetings.
The massacre
The information obtained from the interrogations was useless, and a new sweep was ordered in the area delimited by Tartaro-Canalbianco-Po di Levante between Castelguglielmo and Cà Moro and between Alberazze, Chiaviche, Pellizzare, and Precona. This sweep was carried out by the National Republican Guard and Black Brigades on the night between October 13 and 14, 1944. It was in this context that the massacre of Villamarzana occurred, which resulted in the death of 42 people.
In conclusion, this shocking event has marked the history of our province and should never be forgotten. Let us remember the victims and strongly condemn any act of violence and oppression. Thank you for listening and see you soon!
