A touching story of an Italian soldier Carlo Varisco from Milan and his mess kit
Carlo Varisco - picture books military (fot.Tomasz Bienek, Varisco family archive)
An interesting article from a Polish magazine "Odkrywca" ("Discoverer")
http://facet.wp.pl/kat,70996,wid,181...wiadomosc.html
Carlo (left) with colleagues as agricultural laborers in the Opole region (fot.Tomasz Bienek, Varisco family archive)
(Fot.Tomasz Bienek, Varisco family archive)
Translation of the article (Google translator
The canteen from POW camp Lamsdorf
In the early 90s in the Opole found Italian canteen of World War II. Her condition was fatal, headband long since dropped out of the pot, cover it somewhere lost. Reclaimed the whole was covered with inscriptions carved by its original owner and it was battered canteen made an interesting acquisition, which was given to the author of this material, Thomas Bienek.
Italy give up ...
Summer of 1943, dozens of Italian divisions with the Germans on duty occupation in Greece, Albania and the former Yugoslavia (territories of Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro), or stationed in Italy and southern France, waiting for the inevitable Allied invasion. Earlier, in the spring of 1943 they returned to Italy to supplement the decimated troops Armata Italiana in Russia - Armir, or branches that Mussolini sent to the eastern front. Italian veterans bring thence horror stories about the terrible losses suffered in Russia, where, among others, were massacred Alpini divisions, namely Alpine Rifles - the elite of the Italian army. Among alone Alpini, sent to Russia in the number of 57,000, returned only 11 thousand soldiers. The others died in battle, died from wounds, starvation or froze to death during the terrible winter of 1942 to 1943 years, when the Italian 8th Army (as in German headquarters determined the Italian forces on the eastern front) bled on the southern section of the front.
Not only Italian society, but also the highest circles of military and fascist authorities are aware that the war on the side of Germany is the road to destruction. After the total defeat of the Axis forces in North Africa and the terrible losses of the Italian expeditionary forces in Russia, against the Allied armies standing at the gates of Italy's more and more talk about the need to surrender.
July 10 the Americans and the British land in Sicily. The command of the army and the leadership of the Nazi party no one has illusions that this is the beginning of the end. July 25 Grand Council of Fascism, Benito Mussolini declares obedience. Duce is accompanied by a party devoid of prime minister and is soon trapped. The position of chief takes Marshal Pietro Badoglio, a former chief of the General Staff of the Italian army, which after the Italian invasion of Greece in 1940, has resigned. 8 September 1943 were officially proclaimed is a truce between Italy and the Allies. And although soon by German paratroopers freed the Duce, and he will set up a puppet state creation - Italian Social Republic, the so-called. The Republic of Salo, allied with Hitler for good or bad - it is already known, however, that the Third Reich had lost irretrievably great ally.
What about the common soldiers?
So many great political and historical dates. How do these facts translate into the fate of ordinary Italian soldiers? Those who have the opportunity, go to the side of the Allies, or simply give up. Germany, fearing unfair attitude towards them recent ally, begin operation "Achse". Its objective is the disposal of the Italian army, which could become a threat to the Wehrmacht and lead to a breakthrough and total disaster on the Mediterranean theater of war. The operation to Italy at a rapid pace is slung 15 German divisions. Germany predict that the Italian soldiers either give up and continue the struggle will be incorporated into German troops, armed resistance will fail when attempting to disarm by the Wehrmacht or lay down their arms and will be interned by the German army.
The behavior rozbrajanej Italian army is varied; basically autumn of 1943 there are all of these scenarios. Part of Italians in favor of continuing the fight on the side of the fascist - you supply the fast German ranks. Others, not wanting to make a weapon against the Germans, put a desperate armed resistance, often cooperating with the Yugoslav and Greek partisans. This heroic attitude is the highest price - Germany without unnecessary sentiments pacify pockets of resistance, killing in combat or executing without mercy rebel allies. Cruelty to Italians who chose to fight against German troops, seems to be compounded by the fury of the Germans, who can not forgive a recent comrades that dared to raise his hand to the Wehrmacht. After the war, the German commanders, such as General Alexander Löhr whether Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, called "smiling Albert" will be considered war criminals and receive death sentences, among others, for the murder of Italian soldiers, although just Kesselring manage to get away with capital punishment.
Autumn of 1943 regular royal Italian army ceases to exist and the number of disarmed soldiers exceeds one million. The vast majority of the interned had enough of war and dreams only of returning home. The German command is trying to deceive besides this promise undecided before making weapons troops. A large part of the soldiers manage to cleverly "evaporate" - shed their uniforms and get rid of weapons and wearing only known way to reach the homeland or hiding elsewhere. The rest goes to the German camps, because the Germans did not intend to keep the promise of the release of interned home. They fear that feed the anti-fascist partisans, besides the industry of the Third Reich still requires cheap labor in hundreds of factories working for the Wehrmacht.
The owner canteens
Here begins the odyssey of a soldier our hero, ordinary, tired of the war, the Italian infantry soldier. 20-year-old Carlo Varisco from Milan, like thousands of his colleagues, has enough of war and killing. Not having to hide, and manifesting a desire to continue to fight, he is interned by the Germans. Goes to the Opole region, the giant, complex owianego infamous POW camps in Lamsdorf - today Łambinowice. In the gloomy town created by the POW barracks sit longer Frenchmen, Belgians, Greeks. In a separate camp, called by the Germans "Brittenlager" English-speaking society exists: the British, Canadians, Australians, Americans and others. There is also a sub-camp, where they were getting the soldiers of the Red Army, mass dying as a result of ill-treatment. This is what the camp getting the first transports of the Italians.
The tragic disarmed by the Germans troops intensified by the fact that fanatically attached to the procedures, the Nazis did not treat them as prisoners of war, who are entitled to the rights guaranteed by the Geneva Convention. As in the case of Soviet prisoners of war (Soviet Union did not sign the Geneva Convention), Germany justify any harassment against the Italians by the fact that the Wehrmacht they constitute a category worse than a prisoner of war - because someone just "interned", "disarmed".
Carlo Varisco trying to cope with the new reality. He's lucky - along with several other Italians is assigned to work "at the Bauer" in some Opole farm. He is waiting for the end of the war, killing time decorating your soldier's canteen. On an aluminum vessel, which is silent companion soldier misery arrives inscriptions, drawings, fantastic imagery of trees and birds. After these works can be seen as thought Carla every evening soar with grim Lamsdorf to sunny Italy. There is the image of the church, perhaps family area. Whether it had been baptized, or planning on getting married? They come engraved in the aluminum names of women - Lucia, Teresa, Nena, Maria, as well as the address of the owner of the canteen - Varisco Carlo, Via C. Battisti 4, Gorgonzola, Milano. But above all, full of sadness and hope, touching cue Italian soldiers from the times of the previous war - "Tornero" or "return". I will not be hostile bullets, perverse fate, adversity, which will meet for the war trails.
Until the end of the day comes in which Carlo is no longer any reason to embellish his canteen. It goes to the ground, taking with him the memory of a simple Italian soldier. It becomes just a distant echo of one of the millions of war stories, enigmatic record of human destiny, covered with the dust of history.
Buy covered with more clay crust on one of the Silesian flea markets. Wanders into my hands for pennies straight from the box rusted and bent destruktów, "excavation" imported from Opole. Under a stream of warm water appear laboriously carved inscriptions, drawings. Immediately born reflections - what happened to the owner? Maybe ill and died away from the Italian homeland? Maybe having enough captivity, he tried to escape, which cost him his life? Maybe after liberation, a Soviet soldier shot him in the drunken, guided by the color of the Italian uniform?
This story has a happy end, however! With the help unravel the mystery comes Dr. Luca Girotto, a surgeon from northern Italy, collector equipment from the First World War. With accurate data engraved on the canteen, he manages to find relatives Carlo. A friend of the doctor first finds in Milan soldier daughter, Monica. A calm voice said very puzzled woman that something is waiting for Varisco family in Poland, and is more than half a century. Apparently - as recounted to Luca Girotto - descendants of the soldier were shocked when suddenly forgotten story from many years ago looked into their home and awakened memories. Thanks to them it was possible to recreate the fate of Carlo Varisco.
In Greece, he served in the occupation branches, then was disarmed. For four months he stayed in internment camps Italians, and another four worked as a miner in one of the Silesian mines, then was sent to work in a estate of the Opole region.
He was lucky, the wife of the owner turned out to be Italian and how she could help his countrymen. During this time, thanks to their artistic talents, manifested also canteen, Carlo helped restore paintings in one of the nearby churches, but we do not know in what town (maybe that's what this building was immortalized on the canteen).
And most importantly survive! It served to call "tornero" - he returned home. After the war he worked in a factory in Milan, he moved and married, but family home, whose address engraved on the canteen, was demolished. He died in the 80s from his family, and I thank you letters written by Varisco slavery, and also scans the images through which I could see the man's face, from which history is encountered. Italy went from Silesia and, as its owner many years ago, an Italian canteen, becoming a family memento.
Thank you for your assistance in preparing this material, Dr. Luce Girotto and family Varisco.
Tomasz Bienek
About the Author: enthusiast of the history of both world wars, collector soldier's equipment from the years 1914-1945, a lover of fiction and fan of rock music, Polish mountains and the Polish sea. Trained as a humanist, with professional experience - reporter in daily newspapers. Author headings "War of the kitchen" in the monthly "Discoverer".
Carlo Varisco - picture books military (fot.Tomasz Bienek, Varisco family archive)
An interesting article from a Polish magazine "Odkrywca" ("Discoverer")
http://facet.wp.pl/kat,70996,wid,181...wiadomosc.html
Carlo (left) with colleagues as agricultural laborers in the Opole region (fot.Tomasz Bienek, Varisco family archive)
(Fot.Tomasz Bienek, Varisco family archive)
Translation of the article (Google translator
The canteen from POW camp Lamsdorf
In the early 90s in the Opole found Italian canteen of World War II. Her condition was fatal, headband long since dropped out of the pot, cover it somewhere lost. Reclaimed the whole was covered with inscriptions carved by its original owner and it was battered canteen made an interesting acquisition, which was given to the author of this material, Thomas Bienek.
Italy give up ...
Summer of 1943, dozens of Italian divisions with the Germans on duty occupation in Greece, Albania and the former Yugoslavia (territories of Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro), or stationed in Italy and southern France, waiting for the inevitable Allied invasion. Earlier, in the spring of 1943 they returned to Italy to supplement the decimated troops Armata Italiana in Russia - Armir, or branches that Mussolini sent to the eastern front. Italian veterans bring thence horror stories about the terrible losses suffered in Russia, where, among others, were massacred Alpini divisions, namely Alpine Rifles - the elite of the Italian army. Among alone Alpini, sent to Russia in the number of 57,000, returned only 11 thousand soldiers. The others died in battle, died from wounds, starvation or froze to death during the terrible winter of 1942 to 1943 years, when the Italian 8th Army (as in German headquarters determined the Italian forces on the eastern front) bled on the southern section of the front.
Not only Italian society, but also the highest circles of military and fascist authorities are aware that the war on the side of Germany is the road to destruction. After the total defeat of the Axis forces in North Africa and the terrible losses of the Italian expeditionary forces in Russia, against the Allied armies standing at the gates of Italy's more and more talk about the need to surrender.
July 10 the Americans and the British land in Sicily. The command of the army and the leadership of the Nazi party no one has illusions that this is the beginning of the end. July 25 Grand Council of Fascism, Benito Mussolini declares obedience. Duce is accompanied by a party devoid of prime minister and is soon trapped. The position of chief takes Marshal Pietro Badoglio, a former chief of the General Staff of the Italian army, which after the Italian invasion of Greece in 1940, has resigned. 8 September 1943 were officially proclaimed is a truce between Italy and the Allies. And although soon by German paratroopers freed the Duce, and he will set up a puppet state creation - Italian Social Republic, the so-called. The Republic of Salo, allied with Hitler for good or bad - it is already known, however, that the Third Reich had lost irretrievably great ally.
What about the common soldiers?
So many great political and historical dates. How do these facts translate into the fate of ordinary Italian soldiers? Those who have the opportunity, go to the side of the Allies, or simply give up. Germany, fearing unfair attitude towards them recent ally, begin operation "Achse". Its objective is the disposal of the Italian army, which could become a threat to the Wehrmacht and lead to a breakthrough and total disaster on the Mediterranean theater of war. The operation to Italy at a rapid pace is slung 15 German divisions. Germany predict that the Italian soldiers either give up and continue the struggle will be incorporated into German troops, armed resistance will fail when attempting to disarm by the Wehrmacht or lay down their arms and will be interned by the German army.
The behavior rozbrajanej Italian army is varied; basically autumn of 1943 there are all of these scenarios. Part of Italians in favor of continuing the fight on the side of the fascist - you supply the fast German ranks. Others, not wanting to make a weapon against the Germans, put a desperate armed resistance, often cooperating with the Yugoslav and Greek partisans. This heroic attitude is the highest price - Germany without unnecessary sentiments pacify pockets of resistance, killing in combat or executing without mercy rebel allies. Cruelty to Italians who chose to fight against German troops, seems to be compounded by the fury of the Germans, who can not forgive a recent comrades that dared to raise his hand to the Wehrmacht. After the war, the German commanders, such as General Alexander Löhr whether Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, called "smiling Albert" will be considered war criminals and receive death sentences, among others, for the murder of Italian soldiers, although just Kesselring manage to get away with capital punishment.
Autumn of 1943 regular royal Italian army ceases to exist and the number of disarmed soldiers exceeds one million. The vast majority of the interned had enough of war and dreams only of returning home. The German command is trying to deceive besides this promise undecided before making weapons troops. A large part of the soldiers manage to cleverly "evaporate" - shed their uniforms and get rid of weapons and wearing only known way to reach the homeland or hiding elsewhere. The rest goes to the German camps, because the Germans did not intend to keep the promise of the release of interned home. They fear that feed the anti-fascist partisans, besides the industry of the Third Reich still requires cheap labor in hundreds of factories working for the Wehrmacht.
The owner canteens
Here begins the odyssey of a soldier our hero, ordinary, tired of the war, the Italian infantry soldier. 20-year-old Carlo Varisco from Milan, like thousands of his colleagues, has enough of war and killing. Not having to hide, and manifesting a desire to continue to fight, he is interned by the Germans. Goes to the Opole region, the giant, complex owianego infamous POW camps in Lamsdorf - today Łambinowice. In the gloomy town created by the POW barracks sit longer Frenchmen, Belgians, Greeks. In a separate camp, called by the Germans "Brittenlager" English-speaking society exists: the British, Canadians, Australians, Americans and others. There is also a sub-camp, where they were getting the soldiers of the Red Army, mass dying as a result of ill-treatment. This is what the camp getting the first transports of the Italians.
The tragic disarmed by the Germans troops intensified by the fact that fanatically attached to the procedures, the Nazis did not treat them as prisoners of war, who are entitled to the rights guaranteed by the Geneva Convention. As in the case of Soviet prisoners of war (Soviet Union did not sign the Geneva Convention), Germany justify any harassment against the Italians by the fact that the Wehrmacht they constitute a category worse than a prisoner of war - because someone just "interned", "disarmed".
Carlo Varisco trying to cope with the new reality. He's lucky - along with several other Italians is assigned to work "at the Bauer" in some Opole farm. He is waiting for the end of the war, killing time decorating your soldier's canteen. On an aluminum vessel, which is silent companion soldier misery arrives inscriptions, drawings, fantastic imagery of trees and birds. After these works can be seen as thought Carla every evening soar with grim Lamsdorf to sunny Italy. There is the image of the church, perhaps family area. Whether it had been baptized, or planning on getting married? They come engraved in the aluminum names of women - Lucia, Teresa, Nena, Maria, as well as the address of the owner of the canteen - Varisco Carlo, Via C. Battisti 4, Gorgonzola, Milano. But above all, full of sadness and hope, touching cue Italian soldiers from the times of the previous war - "Tornero" or "return". I will not be hostile bullets, perverse fate, adversity, which will meet for the war trails.
Until the end of the day comes in which Carlo is no longer any reason to embellish his canteen. It goes to the ground, taking with him the memory of a simple Italian soldier. It becomes just a distant echo of one of the millions of war stories, enigmatic record of human destiny, covered with the dust of history.
Buy covered with more clay crust on one of the Silesian flea markets. Wanders into my hands for pennies straight from the box rusted and bent destruktów, "excavation" imported from Opole. Under a stream of warm water appear laboriously carved inscriptions, drawings. Immediately born reflections - what happened to the owner? Maybe ill and died away from the Italian homeland? Maybe having enough captivity, he tried to escape, which cost him his life? Maybe after liberation, a Soviet soldier shot him in the drunken, guided by the color of the Italian uniform?
This story has a happy end, however! With the help unravel the mystery comes Dr. Luca Girotto, a surgeon from northern Italy, collector equipment from the First World War. With accurate data engraved on the canteen, he manages to find relatives Carlo. A friend of the doctor first finds in Milan soldier daughter, Monica. A calm voice said very puzzled woman that something is waiting for Varisco family in Poland, and is more than half a century. Apparently - as recounted to Luca Girotto - descendants of the soldier were shocked when suddenly forgotten story from many years ago looked into their home and awakened memories. Thanks to them it was possible to recreate the fate of Carlo Varisco.
In Greece, he served in the occupation branches, then was disarmed. For four months he stayed in internment camps Italians, and another four worked as a miner in one of the Silesian mines, then was sent to work in a estate of the Opole region.
He was lucky, the wife of the owner turned out to be Italian and how she could help his countrymen. During this time, thanks to their artistic talents, manifested also canteen, Carlo helped restore paintings in one of the nearby churches, but we do not know in what town (maybe that's what this building was immortalized on the canteen).
And most importantly survive! It served to call "tornero" - he returned home. After the war he worked in a factory in Milan, he moved and married, but family home, whose address engraved on the canteen, was demolished. He died in the 80s from his family, and I thank you letters written by Varisco slavery, and also scans the images through which I could see the man's face, from which history is encountered. Italy went from Silesia and, as its owner many years ago, an Italian canteen, becoming a family memento.
Thank you for your assistance in preparing this material, Dr. Luce Girotto and family Varisco.
Tomasz Bienek
About the Author: enthusiast of the history of both world wars, collector soldier's equipment from the years 1914-1945, a lover of fiction and fan of rock music, Polish mountains and the Polish sea. Trained as a humanist, with professional experience - reporter in daily newspapers. Author headings "War of the kitchen" in the monthly "Discoverer".