Discover the struggle for resistance as you walk through the historic center of Lucca or hike the valleys of Garfagnana. Let yourself be drawn to the mountains around Bologna and the sadly famous town of Marzabotto, where, between 29 September and 5 October 1944, Nazi units and fascist forces of the Italian Social Republic indiscriminately killed nearly 800 people. Today, Marzabotto stands as a place of remembrance and a symbol of peace and offer a beautiful memorial surrounded by mountains. Embark on a journey through Tuscany’s and Emilia-Romagna’s WWII history, following trails that connect you to museums, memorials, and the voices of those who lived through these defining moments. Walk in the footsteps of history - walk the Liberation Route in Italy.&nbsp;

View of Lucca

Florence American Cemetery and Memorial

Sant'Anna di Stazzema

War Memorial in Marzabotto

Italy’s Route through History

​​The total war and the presence of the Gothic Line marked the territory between Pistoia and Marzabotto, along the Porrettana state road, from September 1943 to April 1945. The German troops' occupation, assisted by members of the Italian Social Republic, resulted in round-ups, massacres and deportations that were accompanied by a far-reaching modification of the territory, involving the building of defensive structures in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to slow down the Allied advance towards northern Italy during the final stages of WWII: bunkers, tunnels, trenches and fortifications are still visible today. ​&nbsp;​The Resistance's role was effective in countering the Nazi-fascists' activities both militarily, through armed actions and strategically, through acts of sabotage and intelligence services to the Anglo-Americans. In parallel, the civilian population suffered from the Allied air raids whose main goals were to destroy communication lines and industrial areas, but which claimed thousands of civilian victims. There was a sharp break during the passage of the front, between summer and autumn 1944: on 8 September Pistoia was liberated, and Porretta Terme at the beginning of October. The Anglo-Americans arrived within the borders of Vergato when they halted their advance, which resumed the following spring, actually marking the birth of the 'no man's land' between the two opposing fronts. The Allied army's colonial troops, particularly the South African ones, as well as the Brazilian ones, played a leading role along the Porrettana, establishing deep ties with the local inhabitants that resulted in some marriages.&nbsp;​&nbsp;​Post-war memorial stones, monuments, plaques, roads, memorials, shrines, paths, parks were inaugurated in remembrance of wartime events and in order to set a physical place of historical remembrance in the urban and social framework. Retaining the remembrance of certain events evokes personal and collective thinking, proving that remembrance cannot be resolved only in sporadic and celebratory events, but must be an integral part of the population's daily life.​

Italy

From Pistoia to Marzabotto along the Porrettana road 

The presence of the Gothic Line and the Nazi German occupation marked the Lucca area between the Serchio Valley and Garfagnana between September 1943 to April 1945. The territory was deeply changed with the building of defensive structures, still preserved and which can be visited today. These include casemates, tunnels, anti-tank walls and fortifications. The German and Fascist armed forces organised roundups, arrests, and deportations, and carried out massacres of both civilians and partisans.These episodes were joined first by fierce Allied bombardment and cannon fire, then by battles to conquer positions on the Gothic Line. These caused casualties and changed the daily life of the local civilian population. The role of the Resistance - particularly active in the Lucca area with the 'National Liberation Army XI Military Patriots Zone' commanded by Manrico Ducceschi - was effective in opposing the Nazi-Fascist, both militarily through armed operations, and strategically through acts of sabotage and information services to the Anglo-Americans.The route starts at the recently renovated San Giusto di Brancoli Remembrance Museum, which houses materials, documents and photographs. It then reaches the tomb of Father Aldo Mei - buried at the Church of San Pietro Apostolo in Fiano di Pescaglia. A partisan and martyr of the Resistance, Father Aldo Mei's bloodied shirt, hat and glasses are preserved in a glass case. After a few kilometres, Borgo a Mozzano represents a unique case in the itinerary: it is possible to visit the Museum of Memory, the Gothic Line fortifications, the Devil's Bridge - spared from destruction -, the Socciglia labour camp memorial stone, and the memorial to partisan Pietro Pistis. The latter was a former Sardinian straggler soldier killed during an attempt to blow up a railway bridge. Going up the Serchio Valley, visitors arrive at Bagni di Lucca, where the former hotel Le Terme, now in decay, was the site of a concentration camp for Jews. Sommocolonia was the village most affected by Operation Wintergewitter, an attempt by the German Army to weaken the Allied positions. Before reaching Castelnuovo, where memorial stones and plaques have been placed, be sure to notice the Memorial to the Fallen of the Italian Social Republic, a place of pilgrimage for right-wing extremists, located in the hamlet of Palleroso. Finally, on the ascent to the Passo delle Radici, visitors encounter the bridge dedicated to partisan Attilio Vergai, and the memorial stone in memory of two women who were killed by a mine blast.

WWII in the Serchio Valley and Garfagnana

L'occupation allemande de l'Italie et l'instauration de la République sociale italienne ont provoqué des changements massifs dans la vie de la population civile et de tous ceux déjà persécutées par le régime fasciste. Des canailles, des jeunes, des personnes déplacées et des antifascistes de la première heure forment les premières formations de partisans dans les régions de Lucques et de Valdinievole. La production économique est transformée et partiellement arrêtée par la guerre. De graves bombardements et pilonnages ont affecté la région jusqu'à la Libération. &nbsp;L'itinéraire part de la zone où se trouvait le camp de concentration de Colle di Compito, à Capannori, créé en juillet 1942 pour interner les soldats alliés capturés sur les différents fronts de guerre. Il est ensuite possible de visiter des pierres commémoratives, des plaques et des monuments à la mémoire de diverses victimes de la guerre (bombardements, massacres nazis et fascistes, partisans) et d'atteindre la tombe du partisan et écrivain Carlo Cassola, auteur de "La ragazza di Bube" et de "Fausto e Anna". Ensuite, nous nous dirigerons vers la Svizzera Pesciatina, profondément marquée par les massacres nazis et proche de la ligne gothique, caractérisée par un paysage unique en termes de couleurs et de vivacité, riche en châteaux, en villages, en art et en nature. L'itinéraire se dirige ensuite vers Ponte Buggianese, le long des chemins de la mémoire du massacre des Padule di Fucecchio (marais de Fucecchio), vers Massa et Cozzile pour une pierre commémorative à la mémoire de trois partisans morts après une attaque contre un convoi nazi, et vers Montecatini Terme où cinq pierres d'achoppement ont été placées en 2022 à la mémoire d'une famille juive arrêtée et déportée. La dernière étape du parcours est Monsummano Terme, où Albert Kesselring, commandant de la Waffen SS et de la Wehrmacht en Italie, a séjourné entre juin et juillet 1944. Monsummano a été l'un des lieux les plus touchés par le massacre des Padule di Fucecchio (marais de Fucecchio), lorsque, le 23 août 1944, les troupes de l'armée allemande ont fait 174 victimes, parmi lesquelles des femmes, des personnes âgées et des enfants. Un certain nombre de pierres commémoratives, de plaques et de monuments ont été placés dans la zone. Une section du musée de la ville et du territoire est consacrée à ce massacre.

De Capannori à Monsummano entre internement, déportation, massacres nazis-fascistes et mouvement de résistance

Lucques représente traditionnellement une île " blanche " dans une Toscane " rouge ". Entre 1923 et 1927, les frontières de la province ont été redessinées, avec l'inclusion de la Garfagnana et l'exclusion de la Valdinievole. Idreno Utimpergher, ancien secrétaire des syndicats fascistes et organisateur de la RSI à Trieste, se distingue pendant la guerre. Les partisans agissaient principalement en Versilia et dans les Apennins, mais ils étaient dirigés par le Cln de Lucques. Le parcours en centre-ville reconstitue les différents aspects de la Résistance de Lucques. <div data-youtube-video=""><iframe class="video" allowfullscreen="false" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ldnz3k5dBZI" start="0" width="640" height="480"></iframe></div>Il décrit la violence allemande et les bombardements alliés et il passe par les lieux du pouvoir fasciste et du contre-pouvoir partisan. Il reconstruit la naissance et le développement de la Résistance, en se référant à son articulation politique et militaire, mais aussi au rôle spécifique des religieux, des femmes et des intellectuels. Une attention particulière est accordée à la dynamique de la Libération au début du mois de septembre.

La route de l'Italie à travers l'histoire

Routes thématiques

From Pistoia to Marzabotto along the Porrettana road

WWII in the Serchio Valley and Garfagnana

De Capannori à Monsummano entre internement, déportation, massacres nazis-fascistes et mouvement de résistance

Guerre et résistance à Lucques

Carte

Photos