Projects

• Italian War Route

• Kirov – Russia – 2017, 2018

  • The Kirov Pits by Manuel Noferini

• The North Apennines Po Valley Park

• Documentation and Historical Research Center and the Giogo Pass stations

  • Catalog and database
  • The library
  • Jack Lewis

• Horizons of Freedom – Thematic routes

Kirov – Russia – 2017, 2018

In 2017, the volunteer members of the Associations belonging to the NAPV (North Apennines Po Valley Park) and the Gustav Line Association participated in the mapping operations of the mass graves found in Russia in the Kirov region and in the subsequent recovery of the fallen there they lie. Participation in the excavations is the result of a preliminary meeting held in Kirov in December 2016, during which the local representatives and the Russian authorities carefully evaluated the work and skills of the various associations which, with their volunteers, made available to provide the operation with all possible support until the completion of the work.

In June 2017, in agreement with the Russian Association “Military Memorials”, personnel from the General Commissariat of the Italian Ministry of Defense carried out a second reconnaissance of the area of discovery of the collective burial of Shikhovo. At the conclusion of the meeting with the Russian authorities, it was decided to continue the research and localization work on all the remains buried in the area, which will be organized and carried out, on behalf of the local authorities of Kirov, by the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge (VDK), association delegated by the German Government for the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and that of the Federal Republic of Germany on the maintenance of German military graves in Russia, with the use of its own specialized and expert personnel and also providing for the contribution of the personnel of the competent organizations of the participating nations.

The 2017 operations were partly coordinated by the Public Volunteer Youth Reconnaissance Organization of Kirov “DOLG” which has the mandate of the Russian Authorities. The activity continued for the entire summer with the rotation of three teams, the excavations were conducted using an archaeological method. During the mission, the remains of approximately 300 fallen soldiers were located. Various materials and objects were found, including of Italian type and manufacture, all in a poor state of conservation. The proximity of some Italian-made objects to the mineralized remains of around ten fallen soldiers would confirm their belonging to the Italian Armed Forces.

The 2018 operations were carried out in July and saw the participation of one of our teams of volunteers (coming from Italy and belonging to the NAPV association group of which Gotica Toscana and Associazione Linea Gustav are the leaders) in support of the Russian and German volunteers . After over a year of activity (logically interrupted during the winter months) the findings of the mineralized remains of the Fallen have been concluded. The works were organized and carried out, on behalf of the local authorities of Kirov, by the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge (VDK). Around 1600 Fallen were recovered, in most cases without concrete possibility of identifying their nationality. This mission concluded on July 29.

For further information visit the dedicated section on the NAPV website.

With 2019, the'Italian Recovery Team, The founders are Gotica Toscana Onlus (Scarperia – FI), Gustav Line Association (Frosinone), Museum of the Second World War of the Po River in Felonica (Mantua). The Italian Recovery Team is a non-profit organization, made up of volunteers and has as its objective the study of the battlefields and places of imprisonment of Italians during the Second World War. The field research is aimed at mapping the places, recovering artefacts for study and the common intention of repatriating the fallen.

For further information visit the dedicated section on the dell website'Italian Recovery Team.

The missions were financed by the volunteers who make up the recovery teams and their associations. However, it is possible for anyone to contribute to the financing of the missions by making a bank transfer to the account IT87P0832505473000000064497 in the name of Gotica Toscana Onlus or by using the paypal account finance@goticatoscana.it reporting in both cases the reason KIROV 2017.

The Kirov Pits

with the patronage of the Municipality of Scarperia and San Piero (FI)

The story of the Recovery Mission 2017 and 2018 is finally available as it was experienced by the volunteers who took part.

A5 format, 76 pages with numerous color illustrations.

To receive a copy, send €12 (including shipping fee) with the following advance payment methods:

IBAN IT87P0832505473000000064497 payable to Gotica Toscana Onlus

 PayPal account finance@goticatoscana.it

 Specifying in the reason "Purchase Kirov book"

send a copy of the bank transfer to the address info@goticatoscana.eu specifying the number of copies requested and the shipping address.

For information: info@goticatoscana.eu

From the Ministry of Defense website

Italians fallen in Russia (updated 28 June 2017)

Italians fallen in Russia (updated 8 August 2018)

The North Apennines Po Valley Park

The Park was born from a joint idea of some organizations and associations that deal seriously and non-profit with the preservation of the historical memory of the events of the last world war. In particular, our association, the Winter Line Association of Pianoro (BO) and the Second World War Museum of the Po River in Felonica (MN), the Municipalities of Scarperia and San Piero, Pianoro and Felonica. The Memorial Museum of Freedom of Bologna and individuals also joined the project.
In 2016 an important new piece becomes part of the NAPV circuit: the ROVER JOE Museum. This is the Rover Joe Museum in Fidenza which brings together a unique collection of communication instruments and radio vehicles from the 2GM. For more information visit the NAPV website.

Documentation and Historical Research Center and the Giogo Pass stations

In September 1944 the area of the Passo del Giogo, in the municipality of Scarperia and S. Piero (FI), was the scene of one of the key battles in the breakthrough of the Gothic Line. The intervention affects two
areas of the Municipality of Scarperia (since January 2014 Municipality of Scarperia and San Piero): the first is part of the hamlet of Ponzalla, where the association intervened with the recovery of the property which became the "Historical Documentation and Research Centre" and of the adjoining museum. The second is located on the ridge that divides Mugello from Alto Mugello, between the municipalities of Scarperia and Firenzuola in the Passo del Giogo area; in this area the intervention took into consideration cultural and landscape assets, providing for their restoration and valorization.

Gotica Toscana onlus together with the other members of the NAPV, promotes and organizes exhibitions, meetings and contacts with veterans and their families, archiving and dissemination of testimonies and activities in the field. The latter have as their main protagonists the places and landscape testimonies still present today. These elements are used for the planning and creation of thematic itineraries, an approach that has led to an increase in attendance and a general increase in interest in this sector also on the part of foreign institutions.

The Documentation and Historical Research Center of Gotica Toscana onlus was inaugurated on 24 September 2011. The CDRS hosts the Museum of the Gothic Line, the headquarters of the association, the secretariat of HMV Italia and is an affiliate member of the American MVPA. For further information visit the website of the “Historical Documentation and Research Centre”.

Since 2009 we have signed a Convention with the Mountain Union of Mugello Municipalities (former Mugello Mountain Community) for the recovery and conservation of the Gothic Line artefacts present in the area.

Our Association has identified some important locations and artefacts, dating back to the Second World War, of considerable historical interest, present in our area for which we have prepared a program of recovery and restoration interventions. This is a first series that takes into account the structure, position and strategic importance as well as usability by the public. The first ones selected, out of many dozens surveyed, have been restored and are accessible during the "A Dive into History" event. Others are visible along the paths in the area.

Catalog and database

With the update of the site, the database is temporarily offline, we are working on updating the CDRS catalogue/inventory and its exhibitions.

The library

Gotica Toscana onlus offers CDRS visitors a library of over 500 publications, the library catalog is available in pdf format. The CDRS library also includes the publications of the “Fondo Renzo Milani” and the “Fondo Vertova”. During 2015 the library was enriched with further volumes donated by the “Claude Moore Health Sciences Library” of the University of Virginia Health System – Historical Collection & Services. The texts can be consulted upon request after booking, using the usual contacts.

Jack Lewis

When we inaugurated the CDRS in September 2011 we were fortunate enough to have as our guest Jack Lewis, a veteran who had served in Italy in 1944 with the US Army in the medical departments.

Jack Lewis – CDRS 24 September 2011 – Photo Ilaria Gatti

Jack left us on April 5, 2014 and in his memory his family wrote:

” (.) Jack also honorably served his country during World War II in the medical corps, beginning in Africa and then mainly in Italy. He had a unique honor three years ago when he returned to Florence to tour the area where he had been stationed. Though nothing more than a coincidence, a new WWII museum was being dedicated in the town of Scarperia, and Jack had the honor of cutting the ribbon to open the facility, addressing the delighted crowd in Italian. (.)”
“(.) Jack also served his country honorably during World War II in medical departments, first in Africa and then mainly in Italy. He received a very special honor three years ago when he returned to Florence for a visit to the places where he had served. Nothing more than a coincidence, a new museum dedicated to the Second World War was about to be inaugurated in the town of Scarperia and Jack had the honor of cutting the ribbon by addressing those present in Italian (.)”

Horizons of Freedom – Thematic routes

In September 1944, the area of the Passo del Giogo in the municipality of Scarperia and S. Piero (FI) was the scene of one of the key battles in the breakthrough of the Gothic Line. Gotica Toscana onlus has surveyed the war installations still detectable and has taken care of the recovery and restoration of those functional to the project of hiking itineraries of varying duration and difficulty, including those accessible to people with reduced mobility. The proposal of Gotica Toscana Onlus concerns the sectors of protection and management of natural and cultural heritage with a view to an ecosystem approach to territorial planning.
The intervention concerns the area of the Municipality of Scarperia (since 2014 Municipality of Scarperia and San Piero) which is located on the ridge that divides the Mugello from the Alto Mugello, between the municipalities of Scarperia and Firenzuola in the Passo del Giogo area; in this area the intervention took into consideration cultural and landscape assets, providing for their restoration and valorization. The first phase saw the census of war stations dating back to the Second World War with the creation of a database to correlate the documentary information with the surveys on the ground. The second phase identified the functional stations for the creation of hiking routes of varying length and difficulty (including those for people with reduced mobility). The third phase saw the planning of the restoration and recovery interventions of the identified war positions and the positioning of information panels created in collaboration with the Mountain Union of Mugello Municipalities. The area is entirely included in the Apennine ridge and represents one of the areas of high environmental value located between the regions of Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. The project also has among its objectives the increase of that "ecomuseum" system made up of private and public libraries or municipal and parish archives, some small theatres, naturalistic museums and those that tell the story of culture and represent an identity value to be enhanced also through the involvement of the population. This project involves the coordination and presentation in the form of thematic itineraries of all the activities organized by the bodies connected to the "North Apennines Po Valley Park" (NAPV), a historical-thematic park on the Second World War dedicated to the preservation of the memory of the last phase of the Italian Campaign. The NAPV offers with its museum network an alternative interpretation of the Italian panorama compared to the traditional artistic and gastronomic approach through the organization of exhibitions, events such as "A Dive into History - Open-Air Museum", rallies of vintage vehicles and re-enactors who retrace the streets of Liberation (The Column of Freedom). For more information visit the dedicated page.