IBMT member Robert Macdonald looks forward to an event this Saturday (26 April) in Salford to mark 80 years since the defeat of fascism in Italy…

The liberation of Italy during the Second World War and the lives of ordinary Italian people who resisted fascism over many years, despite huge risks and suffering, will be marked at an event in Greater Manchester in late April to celebrate its 80th anniversary.

Various Italian organisations in Greater Manchester are working on the event and encouraging people from all backgrounds to hear about Italy's experiences. It is called Voices of the Resistance: Stories that Shaped Liberation, and will take place this Saturday, April 26, at The Eagle Inn, Collier Street, Salford, at 11.30am.

Every April, the liberation of Italy is marked with a public holiday in Italy and celebrations, called Festa della Liberazione. This reflects historic events in April 1945 when liberation movements in Italy declared a general insurrection against Nazi German forces and remaining Italian fascist garrisons, and began issuing decrees to assume power. Days later, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was captured while trying to flee Italy and executed.

But liberation came after 20 long years of a brutal fascist dictatorship in Italy, which began with Mussolini’s rise in 1922. The regime tried to crush all opposition, terrorising the Italian people generally and targeting opponents with persecution, violence, imprisonment, torture and death.

Later, Mussolini's regime backed Hitler's Nazi Germany in the Second World War. But as events gradually turned, Italy's fascist regime dismissed Mussolini in 1943 and then declared an armistice with the Allies. However, in turn, Nazi Germany then treated Italy as an enemy nation, with more atrocities and reprisals.

But throughout all the years of suffering under the changing regimes, many ordinary Italians resisted fascism in different ways and contrtibuted to its eventual defeat - men, women and children. Examples included disobedience and defiance in many aspects of life, from workplaces to sport, along with intelligence gathering, sabotage, armed fighting and working with the Allies.

Giulia Sirigu (second from left), one of the event's organisers, speaking at last year's event.

One of the Greater Manchester event organisers is Giulia Sirigu, Secretary of the Manchester chapter of the Italian Partito Democratico political party. She said: “The event on Saturday will reflect on how fascism impacted the lives of ordinary people and how they resisted it. There will be speakers, literature, poetry, videos and songs from the Open Voice Community Choir. Additionally we will draw connections with today’s world and current affairs.

“Everyone is welcome, regardless of whether you have Italian links or not. It is an opportunity to listen, learn and engage with the voices of Italy's past and beyond. This will be a meaningful gathering to celebrate resilience, courage and the spirit of liberation.”

The event is free but booking is required on Eventbrite. There will be pizza provided while drinks will be available to buy

Represenatatives of local groups at Italian Liberation Day in April 2024.

Organisations involved include the Partito Democratico, the INCA UK-CGIL advice organisation, the NDIL CGIL Italian trade union, the Associazione Nazionale Partigiani d'Italia (ANPI) which highlights the Italian resistance; and ACLI, a Christian association of Italian workers.

Also involved is the Open Voice Community Choir and the North-West International Brigade Memorial Group. It highlights Greater Manchester and Lancashire’s links to the Spanish Civil War and volunteer fighters from this region who joined the International Brigade. 

During the 1930s Spanish civil war, anti-fascist volunteers from around the world joined the International Brigade to support the Spanish government against a coup by army general Francisco Franco. Later, Italian volunteers then return to Italy and joined the resistance in Italy including during the Second World War, which ended in 1945.

IBMT member Robert Hargreaves reports on the campaign for a new memorial in North West England …

Proud Salford, for so long overshadowed by the adjacent city of Manchester, is fired up to reclaim its place in the history of the British Battalion and the Spanish Civil War.

At least 30 men and women from greater Salford served in the International Brigades. Ten did not return, and many were wounded. Now, North West IBMT stalwart Barrie Eckford is determined to mark their place in history with a new memorial that will remind future generations of the sacrifices made by brave volunteer Salfordians.

Barrie Eckford addresses the Salford Histories Festival.

Barrie, a retired UNITE the Union member, has teamed up with Salford councillor and UNITE official Jack Youd to spearhead a fund-raising campaign for the memorial. The key element in the campaign is a social media crowdfunding appeal under the auspices of Salford City Council. Including a generous £1,000 donation from the UNITE service branch, the crowdfund has already raised almost £2,000. Moreover, with Jack’s support, Salford’s Mayoral Fund has undertaken to match the donations made from other sources.

Addressing an enthusiastic meeting of Salfordians in the council chamber, as part of the city’s Histories Festival, Barrie spoke of the special contribution Salford citizens made to the defence of the beleaguered Spanish Republic in the face of Franco’s military onslaught on democracy. Said Barrie: 'The people of Salford were politically aware. They had borne deprivation and unemployment with magnificent courage and had witnessed the threat of fascism as Mosley’s blackshirts stalked their streets. When Franco launched his attack on the democratically elected government of Spain, these men and women told themselves: we will fight!'

Councillor Jack Youd.

In turn, Cllr Youd explained his dedication to the cause of a memorial: 'I have always been an anti-fascist. My concerns brought me into contact with the IBMT. It goes without saying that I am a passionate Salfordian, and looking back at the history of our city, I feel that the Brigaders helped to give us our unique identity.'

Jack’s wife, Charlotte, also a councillor, echoed these sentiments. 'Yes, it’s about our history and identity, and that means our children’s future as well.' She added that the city remembers with pride not only the Salford Brigaders but also its citizens who made huge sacrifices to contribute to Spanish Aid and food ships, as well as those who welcomed and cared for many of the Basque children evacuated from Spain at the height of the war.

Supporting Barrie Eckford (centre), IBMT volunteers, from left to right, Rob Hargreaves, Stuart Walsh, Stephanie Turner and Ben Perry.

Another key contributor to the project is Ben Perry, a post-graduate research student at York University whose research has retrieved wide-ranging facts about individual Brigaders. “The IBMT Volunteer database has been invaluable’, said Ben, who helped man the IBMT stall at the festival. 

Stuart Walsh (left) and Barrie Eckford (right) with Salford Deputy Mayor, Cllr Heather Fletcher.

The campaign for a Salford memorial, envisaged as an obelisk bearing the names of the city’s volunteers, in the square adjacent to the Working Class Memorial Library (WCML), has the support of the mayor, Cllr Paul Dennett, Salford Trades Union Council, numerous community groups such as the Ordsall Community and Arts Centre, and the WCML itself.

Donations to the crowdfund can be made via the crowdfunding campaign.