Category Archives: Politics

Como’s Manifesto for Wellbeing

No doubt a short break in Como will do wonders for your wellbeing, but the major outcome of the recent World Happiness Summit held over three days in the Teatro Sociale might just result in a more long lasting effect  – with global impact. The World Happiness Summit (WOHASU for short) staged its fifth year anniversary event outside of Miami for the first time. Running from Friday March 24th it filled the auditorium and galleries of the Teatro Sociale for three days. Continue reading

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Como’s Famous Women: The wartime exploits of Ginevra Bedetti Masciadri

This article on Ginevra Bedetti Masciadri in part commemorates International Women’s Day (March 8th), but also is intended to throw light on someone who needs to be counted within the pantheon of Como’s famous women. Continue reading

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‘James Bond’ Returns to Lake Como

Dick ‘James Bond’ Mallaby’s second secret mission to Lake Como has him posing as Capt. Richard Tucker with a proposal that would put him at the centre of a diplomatic maelstrom as victors and vanquished seek to shape a new European order following the collapse of Nazi Germany. Continue reading

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Como to Chiasso – Trying to Escape the Holocaust

Como witnessed the Holocaust – due to its border with Switzerland, Como became a place of both treachery and humanity – offering the opportunity for salvation or the road to extermination Continue reading

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Como’s Changing Lakefront

Como is justifiably famous for the beauty of its natural surroundings and of its ancient walled city, for the inventiveness and quality of its silk production and for the creativity and skills of its artists and artisans throughout the centuries. The list of positives does not end there but it also ranks as the city with the longest, worst managed and corrupted civil engineering project throughout Northern Italy – but an end to the flood defence project is finally in sight. Continue reading

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‘James Bond’ drops into Lake Como

A real ‘James Bond’ secret agent drops into Lake Como, is immediately arrested but eventually acts as the facilitator of the Italian Armistice in September 1943 – a story truly stranger than fiction Continue reading

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Escape to Switzerland via Monte Bisbino

Escape to Switzerland via Monte Bisbino – the story of Anna Sacerdoti and her family and how they avoided deportation – to honour this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day. Continue reading

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Shadow of the Mafia over Como

Shadow of the Mafia over Como following the arrest of 34 operating a scam involving the deliberate bankruptcy of 40 cooperatives and the closure of Pane e Tulipani in Como’s old town. Continue reading

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Como’s Star-Crossed Lovers: 2 – ‘Gianna’ and ‘Neri’

Como’s Star-Crossed Lovers: 2 – ‘Gianna’ and ‘Neri’ On 6th January 1945 two lovers were arrested by fascists. 3 months later, they were murdered by their own colleagues on the orders of Communist leaders in Milan. An awful tragedy. Continue reading

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Lake Como’s Star Crossed Lovers: 1) Osvaldo and Louisa

Lake Como’s Star Crossed Lovers: 1) Osvaldo and Louisa – the story of two film stars from the fascist era. He was ‘addicted to morphine and she was addicted to him’ and this led to their tragic end on April 30th 1945. Continue reading

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