Tag Archives: partisans

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’ 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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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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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

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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

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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

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From Liberation Day to May Day

April 25th was Liberation Day in Italy – a public holiday to honour the signing of the Armistice in Rome 72 years ago. This brought an end to the Nazifascist regime in Northern Italy. It is a day of commemoration … Continue reading

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Como’s ‘Viaggi della Salvezza’ – In Memory of the Holocaust

Last 27th January was Holocaust Memorial Day in both UK and Italy – and even though Como Companion is behind schedule on this, I would like to mark the event by looking at the heroic activities of one particular group … Continue reading

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Tribute to Marco Pannella

Yesterday (19th May 2016) an extraordinary politician died of cancer in a Rome hospital. He was Marco Pannella. Italian politics does not and will not feature heavily on this site but Pannella was special, even inspirational – and he was … Continue reading

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