The date was chosen by convention, as it was the day of the year 1945 when the National Liberation Committee of Upper Italy (CLNAI) officially proclaimed the insurgency in a radio announcement, announcing the seizure of power by the CLNAI and the death sentence for all fascist leaders (including Benito Mussolini, who was shot three days later).
By May 1, all of northern Italy was liberated, including Bologna (April 21), Genoa (April 23), Milan and Turin (April 25), and Venice (April 28). The liberation put an end to twenty years of fascist dictatorship and five years of war. It symbolically represents the beginning of the historical journey which led to the referendum of June 2, 1946, when Italians opted for an end to the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic, which was followed by the adoption of the republic's Constitution of Italy in 1948.
The actual date was chosen in 1946, and in most Italian cities, marches and parades are organised to commemorate the event. On April 22, 1946, the Disposizioni in materia di ricorrenze festive ("Provisions on festive occasions") decree created the national holiday. The bill states that Per celebrare la totale liberazione del territorio italiano, il 25 aprile 1946 è dichiarato festa nazionale ("In celebration of the total liberation of the Italian territory, April 25, 1946 is declared a national holiday"). On May 27, 1949, bill 260 made the anniversary a permanent, annual national holiday.
( Texts extracted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_Day_(Italy))
Parade passing by via Pietro Micca going towards piazza Castello.
2 comments:
It looks like quite a crowd in this parade to mark the occasion.
Great post!
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