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"Jewish Brigade, forever grateful"
News on03.10.2018 - 24 תשרי 5779
The fundamental contribution in the liberation of the country from Nazi-fascism, with actions that left their mark as the breakthrough of the Gothic Line and the entry into several cities and places of strategic importance. But also the decisive help offered, in the immediate post-war period, to the Italian Jewish communities devastated by years of isolation and then by persecution and the Holocaust. A tangible and intangible commitment, in the sign of a hope that finally came back to pulsate.
This is the dual role in which the heroes of the Jewish Brigade were remembered on the occasion of the solemn ceremony for the award of the gold medal for military valor for the Resistance which, attributed by the Italian Parliament unanimously in 2017, has now been pinned to the chest of some veterans (among which, the only Italian, the Florentine Gualtiero Cividalli).
An intense and engaging ceremony that today has brought to mind the Avihayil Battalions Museum the Italian Ambassador Gianluigi Benedetti, the President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities Noemi Di Segni, the Army Chief Kobi Barak, Deputy Minister Michael Oren. The prelude to a new commemoration that will be held on October 18th next at Piangipane, in the allied cemetery where the fallen soldiers of the Brigade rest. A custom that has been renewed for some years now.
"Today's ceremony represents another milestone in this 2018. A year that, beyond any doubt, can be considered exceptional in relations between Italy and Israel because it marked the 70th anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence and the 70 years after the entry into force of the Constitution of the Italian Republic ", said Ambassador Benedetti. Seventy years of democracy and freedom that are also due to the commitment of people like the soldiers we honor today, our life rests on the shoulders of these giants ". Giants in many cases very young who, leaving their homeland without hesitation, "have come to fight in our country". To the veterans, the ambassador addressed him with gratitude in Hebrew, telling them 'Toda Raba!' - Many thanks!.
This medal, said President Di Segni, has the merit of making a shared story too long unknown by the general public. An initiative that also shelters "from instrumentality and mortifying distortions that every 25 April, Liberation Day, punctually re-propose on the initiative of groups blinded by hatred". Because those who deny and disavow what they have done, noted Di Segni, "are unequivocally out of history or tell a different story". A lesson, that of the heroes of the Brigade and of the fallen of various nationalities and religions who rest at Piangipane, which is inevitably also for the present. "Their example, the example of young people of various origins who are united by a common ideal, has allowed Europe to turn the page after years of horror and to embark on the construction of a new era, born under the best auspices of friendship and brotherhood ". Values on which, he said, "we are all called to watch with the utmost attention in a historic moment marked by the re-emergence of nefarious nationalisms and populisms that aim to disintegrate everything that has been built".
THE INTERVENTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF SIGNS
Mr. Major General, Chief of the ground forces of the army general Kobi Barak, His Excellency Ambassador Gianluigi Benedetti, distinguished authorities, dear guests,
Porto greetings of all the Italian Jewish communities participating in this long-awaited moment and the strong embrace to the veterans of the Brigade present here and to their families. A greeting that I also offer to the Associations of Fighters and Resistance veterans who follow us in today's ceremony from Italy.
It is with deep emotion that I take part in this ceremony for the delivery of the Gold Medal to the military value for the Resistance to the Jewish Brigade. An institutional recognition reached in July 2017, of the highest value, through which the Italian State has honored those who wrote one of the most significant and glorious pages of the liberation of the country from Nazi-fascism. On the eightieth anniversary of the enactment of anti-Jewish laws, this moment is particularly significant.
A legislative initiative approved with unanimous consent by the Italian Parliament. It is a fact to be noted and appreciated, to be repeated even today, in the necessary reaffirmation of the fundamental values of the constitutional charter. To the Honorable Lia Quartapelle, the first signatory of the law and her tireless promoter, I renew our heartfelt thanks for her commitment and for her friendship.
The word flag has an important meaning and, with the essentiality of colors and symbols, represents and communicates identity, creed, armed resistances that were cultural resistances, on which we are today called to reflect. The flag of Italy, the flag of Israel, the flag of the Brigade on which today the Medal is pinned, are evident.
More than 5,000 volunteers arrived from the then Mandatory Palestine (the future state of Israel) and from other territories under the British mandate, who came to the rescue of Italy and Europe in the terrible years of Nazi-fascism. Theirs was a decisive contribution, in particular on the hot front of the Gothic Line, which broke through one of the decisive battles and then stood out in the liberation of many cities and towns in central Italy, with the Resistance. Among the ranks of the partisans there were also about 1,000 young Jews (among others Eugenio Curiel, Vittorio Foa, Primo Levi, Pino Levi Cavaglione, Liana Millu, Enzo and Emilio Sereni, Elio Toaff, Umberto Terracini and Leo Valiani)
In the months following the precious liberation it was their support and commitment both for the transfer of the survivors to the Holocaust to do the Alyà, and for the restart of a Jewish life in the communities devastated by persecution and by the Shoah. Everything was missing: basic necessities, availability of structures, spaces and objects of worship to revive and restore, but above all the reason for life, the hope of seeing someone of their loved ones, trust in the future and in human beings. With their hard work they have given back hope and rhythm for a lifetime, of the few survivors, who slowly recovered, in an Italy that woke up.
This medal has the merit of making a shared story too long unknown to the general public. An initiative that also shields from instrumentality and mortifying distortions that every 25 April, Liberation Day, punctually re-propose on the initiative of groups blinded by hatred.
Who denies and disavows what they do, with self-denial, unequivocally sets itself out of history or tells a different story.
[The same is true for those who, on behalf of all the partisans, encourage the participation of groups and forces that not only ignore that affair and are temporally totally unrelated, but even contrast them with symbols and drapes that once stood alongside Hitler in the project of annihilation of the Jewish people].
If yesterday young Jews came from this land to go to Europe and Italy, today there are young people who come from there to Israel, to participate with their commitment to the defense effort of the State of Israel.
Fighters of the Brigade - We remember their (your) valiant contribution, courage and ideal of life every year, and we will also remember it on October 18th at Piangipane, in the province of Ravenna, in the allied cemetery where the young and very young fallen soldiers of the Brigade rest together to a multitude of fighters of various nationalities and religions who gave blood to give us freedom. To give our young people carelessness and the belief that the war - in Europe - belongs to history and will not be repeated.
Their example, the example of young people of various origins who were fraternalized by a common ideal, allowed Europe to turn the page after years of horror and to launch itself into the construction of a new era, born under the best auspices of friendship and brotherhood. Values on which we are all called to watch with the utmost attention in a historic moment marked by the re-emergence of nefarious nationalisms and populisms that aim to disintegrate everything that has been built.
It is also this, I would like to imagine, the profound meaning of the initiative we are celebrating today.
Thank you. Todà rabbà.
Noemi Di Segni, President of UCEI
THE INTERVENTION OF THE BENEDETTI AMBASSADOR
Boker Tov LeKulam, Hello everyone,
Members of the Jewish Brigade,
Major General Barak,
President of Signs,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today represents a remarkable and unforgettable moment; We are celebrating the outstanding contribution of the Jewish Brigade to the liberation of Italy from the Nazi-fascism's oppression.
Their example is a source of pride and inspiration. Young people, who leave their homelands behind, came to fight in our country. Some of them are here with us this morning. Let me tell them: Toda Raba!
"The blood of our brothers' blood" The President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, "We are very grateful to the Jewish Brigade" ".
So for me today is the highest military decoration of the Italian Republic: the Gold Medal for Military Valor.
Collective of the Jewish Brigade represent a story of a bravery that has struggled to become known and is now an essential part of our countries' collective memory, also thanks to an Italian journalist, who is now with us today, and my predecessor.
I am sure that, thanks to this, I am sure that we will be always remembered in our hearts.
Today we are here to thank those who are active, together with the Allied forces, the Italian part of the Italian Armed Forces, to the recovery of our freedom, our national unity and the beginning of a new democratic path for our people.
Young people that, back then, did not yet have their own state, found the generosity to fight and die for the freedom of others.
They deserve all our respect and admiration and our deepest gratitude.
Hon. Quartapelle, who spearheaded the Parliamentary initiative, and quoted: "Dear friends, I took the initiative to award the Jewish Brigade with the Gold Medal of Military Valor to honor the courage of those who risked their life to let the ideals of freedom and justice prevail. The unanimous approval by the Italian Parliament has been instrumental to develop a shared collective memory in Italy ".
The Jewish Brigade, then part of the British army, was the first officially recognized all-Jewish unit from the "Yishuv", fighting under the flag that would later become Israel's flag.
In Italy they fought the Nazis for several months. When the war ended, the Brigade stationed in the North of the Country, assisting the refugees, orphaned children.
The soldiers were also active in directing and organizing the flow of survivors towards southern Italy, from where thousands of Jews crossed the Mediterranean to the Promised Land, thanks to acquiescence and sympathy of the Italian Authorities.
In addition, as David Ben Gurion, After World War II, these soldiers also contributed to the future and sovereign Israel. In fact, the role played by the Brigade, whose official colors were later adopted by the 7th Armored Brigade in 1948, went on to fight in Israel's 1948 War of Independence.
A year which, beyond any doubt, can be considered exceptional in the relationship between Italy and Israel as a result of 70 years from the Israeli Declaration of Independence of the Italian Republic.
In these 70 years, our countries grew politically, socially and economically from the tragedy of World War II.
The Italian democracy and its free society were made possible by the commitment of people like the soldiers that we honor today. Our lives on the shoulders of these giants.
May their memory always be a blessing.
Gianluigi Benedetti, Italian Ambassador to Israel
(3 October 2018)
[translation via Google Translate]
