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Recent Posts
- Federico Frigerio: The Face of Como October 14, 2025
- Como’s Twin-Tailed Mermaids June 23, 2025
- Beyond the City Walls: Via Milano May 21, 2025
- Garibaldi, the Battle of San Fermo and his Como Bride April 23, 2025
- Lake Como and the Grand Tour March 21, 2025
Category Archives: Politics
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
Posted in Culture, Events, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged Banda Koch, Cinecitta, cinema, cinevillaggio, Decima MAS, fascists, History, Junio Valerio Borghese, Lano D'Intelvi, Louisa Ferida, Marozin, Osvaldo Valenti, partisans, Pietro Koch, RSI, Smuggling, telefoni bianchi, Vega, Villa Fossati, Villa Triste
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Como’s Lake Montorfano: Commandos, Contraband and the CIA
Como’s Lake Montorfano: Commandos, Contraband and the CIA. How a commando group trained on Lake Montorfano became the model after April 25th 1945 for post war covert anti-communist action across Western Europe. Continue reading
Posted in crime, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged Allen Dulles, Angleton, CIA, Decima MAS, Gladio, Liberation Day, Mario Rossi, Montorfano, nazifascism, OSS, P2, partisans, Piazza Fontana, Politics, Porlezza, Prince Julio Valerio Borghese, RSI, spallone, spies, Ugo Ricci, Vega
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Como Remembers the Holocaust
Como Remembers the Holocaust. For this Memorial Day I wish to recall the exploits of Giorgio Perlasca, born in Como on January 31st 1910, who has been attributed with saving the lives of over 5000 Jews living in Hungary. Continue reading
Posted in crime, Events, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged anti-semitism, Don Banfi, fascism, holocaust, Italian Jews, Perlasca, Politics, Racial Laws, Shoah
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Como’s Microplastic Pollution Challenge
In recent years there has been growing concern over the amount of plastic in seas and inland waters. There is now greater awareness of the presence and dangers of so-called micro-plastics. Whilst Lake Como has a good record for microbiological cleanliness, it must now tackle the issue of micro-plastics. Continue reading
Posted in Lake, Politics, Sustainability, Uncategorized
Tagged Adda, bacteria, environment, Goletta, Goletta dei Laghi, health, Legambiente, micro-plastics, microbiology, microplastics, nature, pollution, Rezzonico
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Noir in Festival – Como 2019
Noir in Festival – Como 2019, This Friday, 6th December, sees the start of the Como-based section of ‘Noir in Festival’ – an annual feast of crime film and fiction. We consider the historical reasons why ‘noir’ is popular in Italy. Continue reading
Posted in crime, Culture, Events, History, People, Politics
Tagged anni di piombo, crime, depistaggio, festivals, Giancarlo de Cataldo, judges, magistrates, Massimo Carlotto, Noir, P2, stragismo
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Testimonies and Remembrance: Como Recalls the Shoah
Testimonies and Remembrance: Como Recalls the Shoah. Ines Figini and Alessandro Lukacs at Villa Olmo on Holocaust Memorial Day Continue reading
Posted in Events, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged cernobbio, Enrico Caronti, Giorgio Perlasca, holocaust, Ines Figini, Jehovah Witnesses, Memorial Day, Pizzo, Schiavi di Hitler, Shoah, Villa Olmo
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Clouds Over Como: Lest We Forget
Clouds over Como: In remembrance of the cruelties, deprivations and deaths suffered by all sides during the Nazi occupation and subsequent insurrection at the end of the 2nd World War – when Como was at the centre of the maelstrom. Continue reading
Posted in History, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged 52nd Garibaldini, Albergo Firenze, Capitano Neri, Claretta Petacci, Dante Gorreri, Gianna, Hotel Posta, Mussolini, Paolo Porta, partisans, Pietro, San Donnino
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Through Conflict to Collaboration, Achille Grandi, Como and the Birth of the Republic
Through Conflict to Collaboration, Achille Grandi, Como and the Birth of the Republic – in memory of the post-war anti-fascist alliance. Continue reading
Posted in Events, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged Achille Grandi, Allen Dulles, Alpini, Anti-fascism, Azione Cattolica, Badoglio, Captain Ricci, CGIL, Christian Democrats, church, CIL, Gronchi, History, Leo XIII, Mussolini, PCI, Politics, PPI, PSI, Rerum Novarum, SIT, Sturzo, Togliatti
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‘Como Antifascista’ – Then and Now
‘Como Antifascista’ – Then and Now. How Como’s workers helped defeat nazifascism in Italy, in celebration of April 25th 1945 – Liberation Day 2018. Continue reading
Posted in Events, History, People, Politics, Uncategorized
Tagged ANPI, antifascism, CLN, Gianna, Liberation Day, Mussolini, Neri, partisans, PCI, Schuster, strikes, war
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The Como Companion 