½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

[QUOTE=manopello]if you are interested in Abruzzo History can I tell you about these great websites I found?

[url]www.civitellamesserraimondo.info/civitella/mostra_bhtml[/url] for some very moving old pictures of the people who lived in Civitella.Tells a fascinating story.

Then for in depth history on towns in Abruzzo.

[url]http://roccalett.tripod.com/Manoppello.html[/url] this will take you to the page on Manoppello but you can navigate to other places.

The story of Lettopalena in February 1944 is particularly moving as 200 of the inhabitatants were rounded up by the Germans and jailed in Palena.They were released at 4.00am and set out on foot in heavy snow to Rocca Pia 15 died including many children on this 20 hour journey.Lettopalena itself was blown apart by German mines on 19th November 1943.

It seems that Abruzzo has a very tragic history,sorry for such a gloomy post but I hope you enjoy these sites.

Becky[/QUOTE]

Thanks alot for sharing, Becky.

As a history buff I'm always interested at different areas and their past. Wars are responsible for too much damage caused. It's sad that villages were annihilated often for no other reason that to take away the livelyhoods of the 'small people'. Shameful and very sad chapter indeed.

Stephanie

I think its very hard for us to understand how many older ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs must feel about what happened in the war and the poverty their families endured.Not that we didnt suffer here but in a different way.

My Uncle was in Montecassino when he was just 18 fighting with his brother in the Essex Regiment.He can remember Italy in those awful times and I think he still feels proud of the role he and his brother played out there.Its sad that he's now too old to revisit some of the places he went to.

I will pass on any other sights I come across about ½ûÂþÌìÌà history.

Becky

[QUOTE=manopello]I think its very hard for us to understand how many older ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs must feel about what happened in the war and the poverty their families endured.Not that we didnt suffer here but in a different way.

My Uncle was in Montecassino when he was just 18 fighting with his brother in the Essex Regiment.He can remember Italy in those awful times and I think he still feels proud of the role he and his brother played out there.Its sad that he's now too old to revisit some of the places he went to.

I will pass on any other sights I come across about ½ûÂþÌìÌà history.

Becky[/QUOTE]

I agree with you there. Poverty and fear of denunciation were all rife way across Europe. Your uncle has good reason to be proud.

Being German, I haven't had a chance to talk about wartime experiences with elderly ½ûÂþÌìÌÃs (yet), but have done so with elderly French and English former soldiers. I always found it very interesting and humbling.

Thanks for passing on any historical information!

Stephanie