Right here stands the Monumento ai Caduti a place of solemn remembrance. It honors those who fell during a dark chapter of history. This is a place to reflect.
The evening of March 30 1944 saw a partisan act. Members of the Gruppi di Azione Patriottica killed a German corporal. He was stationed at Pian del Lot. This site sits near the Colle della Maddalena.
Three days later, tragedy struck again. Near the same spot, German forces enacted a brutal reprisal. Twenty-seven prisoners were taken from Turin’s Carceri Nuove. These were partisans and civilians. They had been rounded up in Val di Susa, di Lanzo, and del Pellice. These prisoners were executed. They were buried in a mass grave. Fellow prisoners were forced to cover the bodies. Giovanni Borca was among those forced to bury the dead. He later recounted the grim details of the massacre.
After liberation on May 27 1945 the bodies were exhumed. The process of identifying them was difficult. Some bodies could not be identified. The Monumento ai Caduti was inaugurated on November 17 1946. It was restored in 2011.
Now look closer. Five steps lead up to the stone monument. It is shaped like a rectangular niche. Two small columns support a beam. The beam bears a dedication in raised letters.
Inside the niche, a granite slab lists the names of the victims. These names are also in raised letters. A light marble slab on the back repeats the names of the fallen. Two low plastered walls flank the central part of the monument. A wrought-iron gate surrounds the entire memorial, attached to stone pillars.
The inscription at the top of the front reads. It says that on April 2 1944 enemy fire cut down radiant youths. Italy and Mama were their last cries. The earth covered their bodies. Relatives and friends offer this in memory of their martyrdom.
Look at the granite slab. It bears names like Bruno Natale and Capatti Olao. Others include Castagna Luciano and Cumiano Giuseppe. Ferrarrese Antonio and Fornero Matteo are also listed. Bavoso Mario and Gagnor Aldo are remembered too. Maina Sergio and Mascia Quirino appear as well. Negro Giuseppe and Negrini Bruno find their place here. Pagano Remo and Gianotti Carlo are also on this memorial. Parussa Luigi and Perotti Carlo are not forgotten. Piola Andrea and Rossi Walter are etched in stone. Salvitto Ugo and Speranza Ernesto complete the list. Finally, the memorial acknowledges seven unidentified victims.
At the monument’s peak, a flame-shaped sculpture burns eternally. To the right of the dedication, a light marble Latin cross stands. Next to each recognized victim’s name is a photo. Beside Rossi Walter’s photo is a Star of David. Metal lamps sit atop the columns. Vases at their bases hold flowers. Stones nearby display additional photos.
The Monumento ai Caduti stands as a testament. It commemorates the tragic events. It remembers the lives lost. It reminds us of the price of freedom.