Calvene
Encyclopedia
Calvene is a town in the province of Vicenza
, Veneto
, Italy
. It is east of SP349.
Population of Calvene: The population has remained relatively stable throughout the years. The most recent census showed 1324 inhabitants.
One of the forms of the Venetian dialect is spoken in Calvene and its surrounding towns:
Dialect: Calvene l'e un bel paese pianta sui sassi russi, Lugo i xe quattro mussi.
Italian: Calvene è un bel paese costruito sui sassi rossi, in Lugo ci sono quattro asini.
times because of numerous archeological discoveries over various epochs, some of which carry inscriptions of a certain “gens Calvena” (or Calvenia) settled in Venetian area. There have, in fact, been numerous discoveries of relics and money in the Astico valley from Roman times, proving the dominion of the Romans on the locals.
Calvene and its entire region remained subject to Roman rule as it went from splendor to its downfall and consequent destruction
by Barbarian
Hordes who invaded Italy
at various times.
Calvene was also subject to Lombard
authority. One point of evidence is some of the last names that came from German ancestry such as Bordogni, Bisozzo and Bissoli. In addition, there exists an ancient document in which it speaks of a certain “Giusto”, son of Martino, of the Lombard people, who possessed fields, houses, household effects and furniture in Calvene.
There was a parish at that time that stood in Calvene where, according to some hypotheses, in ancient times stood a Roman forum
. It is presumed that the old church stood close to where the cemetery is today. It was rebuilt in the 16th century and was swept away in the flood of the Chiavona in 1850.
The position of the forum and of the next church makes one presuppose that in the past the village grew more to the south and that for reasons of defence in medieval times it moved to its present position.
Lombard rule lasted for two centuries and was then taken over by the Franks
and Charlemagne
in 774. Under the Frank’s reign began the rule of bishops, princes, landowners and tithe collectors. The bishop of Padova (Padua) reigned over this region.
During this time, the Carolingian Dynasty came to an end and the Holy Roman Empire
fell.
In 911 the king of the Kingdom of Italy
, Beregario I, Marquis of Ivrea, confirmed to the bishop of Padova (Padua) the ownership of the goods that had been promised to him and the power to erect castles.
Around 1100 there were 2 castles of which nothing remains, only names and places of where they were: Castellaro was in the center in the land of homonymy, and Monte Castello, or Rocca was north of the region. The first castle was to reign the Astico valley (down below the pharmacy), the Chiavona valley (below via Villa) and the main streets of the region; the second was to reign the Chioda (up on the hill northwest of the center of town) and Porca valleys and the plains on the other side. These places necessitated a greater defence and thereafter formed the fastest access way between the plains and the upland and vice-versa.
In a document from 1268 Calvene was already a village with a mayor and a procurer who took care of the goods that the parsonages of Vicenza would give them.
During this time, taxes no longer were paid by the elected vassal to the bishop, but to the dean of the fiefdom elected by the people and then deposited to the village accounts.
In the 14th century Calvene was taken over by the Vicentine, Paduan, Carraresan
, Scaligeran and Viscont
powers.
In 1347 the Venetians, having obtained permission to cross Vicentine territory, went down into the Astico valley with an army of German
soldiers to fight the enemy Francesco de Carrara, bringing destruction and inflicting terror.
In 1404 Calvene, like all of the provinces, came under the dominion of the “Serenissima” or the most Serene Republic of Venice
. In that period tradition says that an important but troublesome person from Chioggia was exiled to Calvene and this person named the Val di Chioda (found above and north of town).
In 1390, one spoke of the fiefdom of the villages of Calvene, Lugo and Lonedo (where the villa Godi Malinverno is), which shows that the 2 other villages had attained administrative autonomy.
In the 15th century the major resources of the village were the cultivation of wheat, corn, rye, oats, grapes and olives. The cultivation of olives was the prevalent interest of the hilly land on the northwest side of town owned by the Bordogni, Rossi, Collesello, Valsavina and Termine (in Valsavina down below Viale Divisione Julia) families.
The main artisan activity was the production of wool.
Only a few houses in Calvene remain from the 10th century; most of them were built between the 15th-17th century. A few of them maintain the characteristics of the old manor home that belonged to noblemen of the area who however preferred to reside in the stability of Vicenza and cross into the original area only during the summer months.
In this area not many of the original family names from Calvene have been retained but these have: Testolin, Brazzale, Dalle Molle, Cappozzo, Binotto etc... The powerful families from the village were simply named “De Calvene” or Of/From Calvene.
The church was rebuilt and restored in 1525.
The Plague took many victims in 1575 who were buried in an area of the village called Lazzaretto near the Chiavona stream. A stone marker called San Rocco or the Stone of the Plague was built at the top of Lazzaretto.
In 1640, after different occurrences, the church of Lugo, up to then under Calvene’s jurisdiction, separated and the parish was reduced to 446 members, assuming its present size.
In 1574 the church of San Bellino was constructed in the hamlet of Monte, which was at that time made up of seven families.
In the 18th century began the use of the villages’ numerous hydrolic resources by using the Maglio (an area down near the Astico where an old hydroelectric factory and a steel foundry was) and its many mills, the first of which had been built in the 15th century.
In 1797 under the Treaty of Campo Formio
, the Republic of Venice was ceded to Austria
. In 1805 this was annexed to other Napoleonic
conquests on the Kingdom of Italy
. When the Napoleonic Empire fell, the region returned under Austrian rule.
In 1850 a violent flood inundated the village of Calvene sweeping away the cemetery, transforming the church and the bell tower into ruins. The archpriest, however, launched the idea to the community that a new church should be built in a more stable place. Therefore, in 1852, the construction of the new church began under the architect Antonio Diedo from the Venetian school and the Austrian court. The church was rebuilt using both Ionic
and Doric
details.
With the finances secured from the Austrian court, works of art were able to be recovered and restored from the old church, among these: the canvas of the Annunciation
by the artist Alessandro Maganza
(on the main altar), the canvas depicting the Annunciation, artist unknown, from circa 600, the canvas of Emmaus
’ dinner attributed to the Veronese School, the painting of The Martyr
Saint Peter
by Jacobo da Ponte
, and the 4 marble
altar
s of which one is a tabernacle
from the second half of the 6th century.
Other works of art were placed in the sacristy
after the restoration; the terra cotta
of Saint Peter the Martyr from the year 400, the Gothic
crucifix, the ancient Pieve Baptistry from the 10th century and the Bizantine statue of the Madonna the chaste.
In 1863 the parish of Calvene had a new bell tower erected next to it.
In 1878 the bridge over the Chiavona was constructed, resolving the problem of connecting the village with the rest of the province.
In 1900 the fresco from Constantine vision was carried out and in 1901 the stone marker dedicated to the Redeemer was erected in Magan (on the other side of the Astico, but still in Calvene).
In 1912 the new parish had an 18-metre spire built on the bell tower. This brought the bell tower’s height to 55 metres. The façade of the church was restored this same year, and the choir was decorated the following year.
When it was decided that the Rossi paper and cotton factories would not be constructed in Calvene, this resulted in the emigration of numerous Calvenese people. This is why over the past 100 years the population of Calvene has remained practically the same.
Some of the significant works completed during these years are:
During the First World War, following the rupture of the alliance between Italy and Austria and for fear of reprisals by the Austrians, the town of Calvene was evacuated. The population took refuge in Thiene until 1917.
Calvene was the base of a huge ammunitions deposit and in Valsavina there was a large munitions store. This was the reason why Italian and English soldiers remained in Calvene until 1919.
The military path of Monte Cavalletto, which connected Calvene with the mountains on the other side, was modified at the end of 1917 by the engineer Daglioni. He did this by having the road pass next to the cowsheds found on the north side of Monte. Daglioni also built the road and the steps of the church in Monte. In addition, he built the road going from Larghetto up to Monte Cavalletto connecting to various mountain houses in Caltrano.
Immediately following the war, the most important job for the entire population was to repair the damages and close the trenches from the war. Soon after this, however, many emigrated to other parts of Europe, to Africa and to the Americas. The people who remained in Calvene dedicated themselves to farming silkworms and straw. The village’s only income was from cutting wood, renting mountain homes and from state contributions.
In 1933, construction began on the fascist house.
During these years the following public works were realized:
In 1938, the first public connections were made for gas, electricity and water.
During the period preceding the Second World War unemployment in Calvene was at a very high level. 74 were unemployed and 234 were on welfare out of 1429 inhabitants.
During the war the German garrison was in the Sartori home (via Villa 5).
In 1945 the village was occupied by resistance fighters, and in retaliation 7 houses (up on the hill towards Mortisa) were burned by the Germans.
The first free elections took place on the 3rd of June 1945.
After the war the most diffuse activities were the cultivation of fields, farming silkworms, working straw, copper, iron and zinc down in the Maglio area (down by the Astico river), and up on the Monte firestarter/slack (used as charcoal and to make plaster) was produced.
(Official Calvene Homepage)
Province of Vicenza
The Province of Vicenza is a province in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Its capital city is Vicenza.The province has an area of 2,723 km², and a total population of 840,000 . There are 121 comuni in the province...
, Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is east of SP349.
Population of Calvene: The population has remained relatively stable throughout the years. The most recent census showed 1324 inhabitants.
One of the forms of the Venetian dialect is spoken in Calvene and its surrounding towns:
Dialect: Calvene l'e un bel paese pianta sui sassi russi, Lugo i xe quattro mussi.
Italian: Calvene è un bel paese costruito sui sassi rossi, in Lugo ci sono quattro asini.
Historical Analysis of the Settlement of Calvene
The village of Calvene rises 201 metres above sea level and is in a valley through which the river Astico and Chiavona stream run. We know that Calvene has existed since RomanRoman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
times because of numerous archeological discoveries over various epochs, some of which carry inscriptions of a certain “gens Calvena” (or Calvenia) settled in Venetian area. There have, in fact, been numerous discoveries of relics and money in the Astico valley from Roman times, proving the dominion of the Romans on the locals.
Calvene and its entire region remained subject to Roman rule as it went from splendor to its downfall and consequent destruction
Decline of the Roman Empire
The decline of the Roman Empire refers to the gradual societal collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Many theories of causality prevail, but most concern the disintegration of political, economic, military, and other social institutions, in tandem with foreign invasions and usurpers from within the...
by Barbarian
Barbarian
Barbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
Hordes who invaded Italy
History of Italy
Italy, united in 1861, has significantly contributed to the political, cultural and social development of the entire Mediterranean region. Many cultures and civilizations have existed there since prehistoric times....
at various times.
Calvene was also subject to Lombard
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
authority. One point of evidence is some of the last names that came from German ancestry such as Bordogni, Bisozzo and Bissoli. In addition, there exists an ancient document in which it speaks of a certain “Giusto”, son of Martino, of the Lombard people, who possessed fields, houses, household effects and furniture in Calvene.
There was a parish at that time that stood in Calvene where, according to some hypotheses, in ancient times stood a Roman forum
Forum (Roman)
A forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
. It is presumed that the old church stood close to where the cemetery is today. It was rebuilt in the 16th century and was swept away in the flood of the Chiavona in 1850.
The position of the forum and of the next church makes one presuppose that in the past the village grew more to the south and that for reasons of defence in medieval times it moved to its present position.
Lombard rule lasted for two centuries and was then taken over by the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
and Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
in 774. Under the Frank’s reign began the rule of bishops, princes, landowners and tithe collectors. The bishop of Padova (Padua) reigned over this region.
During this time, the Carolingian Dynasty came to an end and the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
fell.
In 911 the king of the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (medieval)
The Kingdom of Italy was a political entity under control of Carolingian dynasty of Francia first, after the defeat of the Lombards in 774. It was finally incorporated as a part of the Holy Roman Empire in 962....
, Beregario I, Marquis of Ivrea, confirmed to the bishop of Padova (Padua) the ownership of the goods that had been promised to him and the power to erect castles.
Around 1100 there were 2 castles of which nothing remains, only names and places of where they were: Castellaro was in the center in the land of homonymy, and Monte Castello, or Rocca was north of the region. The first castle was to reign the Astico valley (down below the pharmacy), the Chiavona valley (below via Villa) and the main streets of the region; the second was to reign the Chioda (up on the hill northwest of the center of town) and Porca valleys and the plains on the other side. These places necessitated a greater defence and thereafter formed the fastest access way between the plains and the upland and vice-versa.
In a document from 1268 Calvene was already a village with a mayor and a procurer who took care of the goods that the parsonages of Vicenza would give them.
During this time, taxes no longer were paid by the elected vassal to the bishop, but to the dean of the fiefdom elected by the people and then deposited to the village accounts.
In the 14th century Calvene was taken over by the Vicentine, Paduan, Carraresan
Carraresi family
The Carraresi were an important family of northern Italy in the period 12th-15th centuries. As signori of Padua, their overwhelming power and patronage placed them in an isolated position far outshining any other single family...
, Scaligeran and Viscont
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
powers.
In 1347 the Venetians, having obtained permission to cross Vicentine territory, went down into the Astico valley with an army of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
soldiers to fight the enemy Francesco de Carrara, bringing destruction and inflicting terror.
In 1404 Calvene, like all of the provinces, came under the dominion of the “Serenissima” or the most Serene Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. In that period tradition says that an important but troublesome person from Chioggia was exiled to Calvene and this person named the Val di Chioda (found above and north of town).
In 1390, one spoke of the fiefdom of the villages of Calvene, Lugo and Lonedo (where the villa Godi Malinverno is), which shows that the 2 other villages had attained administrative autonomy.
In the 15th century the major resources of the village were the cultivation of wheat, corn, rye, oats, grapes and olives. The cultivation of olives was the prevalent interest of the hilly land on the northwest side of town owned by the Bordogni, Rossi, Collesello, Valsavina and Termine (in Valsavina down below Viale Divisione Julia) families.
The main artisan activity was the production of wool.
Only a few houses in Calvene remain from the 10th century; most of them were built between the 15th-17th century. A few of them maintain the characteristics of the old manor home that belonged to noblemen of the area who however preferred to reside in the stability of Vicenza and cross into the original area only during the summer months.
In this area not many of the original family names from Calvene have been retained but these have: Testolin, Brazzale, Dalle Molle, Cappozzo, Binotto etc... The powerful families from the village were simply named “De Calvene” or Of/From Calvene.
The church was rebuilt and restored in 1525.
The Plague took many victims in 1575 who were buried in an area of the village called Lazzaretto near the Chiavona stream. A stone marker called San Rocco or the Stone of the Plague was built at the top of Lazzaretto.
In 1640, after different occurrences, the church of Lugo, up to then under Calvene’s jurisdiction, separated and the parish was reduced to 446 members, assuming its present size.
In 1574 the church of San Bellino was constructed in the hamlet of Monte, which was at that time made up of seven families.
In the 18th century began the use of the villages’ numerous hydrolic resources by using the Maglio (an area down near the Astico where an old hydroelectric factory and a steel foundry was) and its many mills, the first of which had been built in the 15th century.
In 1797 under the Treaty of Campo Formio
Treaty of Campo Formio
The Treaty of Campo Formio was signed on 18 October 1797 by Napoleon Bonaparte and Count Philipp von Cobenzl as representatives of revolutionary France and the Austrian monarchy...
, the Republic of Venice was ceded to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. In 1805 this was annexed to other Napoleonic
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
conquests on the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state founded in Northern Italy by Napoleon, fully influenced by revolutionary France, that ended with his defeat and fall.-Constitutional statutes:...
. When the Napoleonic Empire fell, the region returned under Austrian rule.
In 1850 a violent flood inundated the village of Calvene sweeping away the cemetery, transforming the church and the bell tower into ruins. The archpriest, however, launched the idea to the community that a new church should be built in a more stable place. Therefore, in 1852, the construction of the new church began under the architect Antonio Diedo from the Venetian school and the Austrian court. The church was rebuilt using both Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
and Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
details.
With the finances secured from the Austrian court, works of art were able to be recovered and restored from the old church, among these: the canvas of the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
by the artist Alessandro Maganza
Alessandro Maganza
Alessandro Maganza was an Italian painter of the Mannerist style, born and active in Vicenza, as well as in Venice.He likely trained with his father, Giovanni Battista Maganza, also a painter; as well as by Giovanni Antonio Fasolo. He is said to have spent the years 1572–1576 in Venice...
(on the main altar), the canvas depicting the Annunciation, artist unknown, from circa 600, the canvas of Emmaus
Emmaus
Emmaus was an ancient town located approximately northwest of present day Jerusalem...
’ dinner attributed to the Veronese School, the painting of The Martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
by Jacobo da Ponte
Jacopo Bassano
Jacopo Bassano , known also as Jacopo dal Ponte, was an Italian painter who was born and died in Bassano del Grappa near Venice, from which he adopted the name.- Life :...
, and the 4 marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
s of which one is a tabernacle
Church tabernacle
A tabernacle is the fixed, locked box in which, in some Christian churches, the Eucharist is "reserved" . A less obvious container, set into the wall, is called an aumbry....
from the second half of the 6th century.
Other works of art were placed in the sacristy
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
after the restoration; the terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
of Saint Peter the Martyr from the year 400, the Gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
crucifix, the ancient Pieve Baptistry from the 10th century and the Bizantine statue of the Madonna the chaste.
In 1863 the parish of Calvene had a new bell tower erected next to it.
In 1878 the bridge over the Chiavona was constructed, resolving the problem of connecting the village with the rest of the province.
In 1900 the fresco from Constantine vision was carried out and in 1901 the stone marker dedicated to the Redeemer was erected in Magan (on the other side of the Astico, but still in Calvene).
In 1912 the new parish had an 18-metre spire built on the bell tower. This brought the bell tower’s height to 55 metres. The façade of the church was restored this same year, and the choir was decorated the following year.
When it was decided that the Rossi paper and cotton factories would not be constructed in Calvene, this resulted in the emigration of numerous Calvenese people. This is why over the past 100 years the population of Calvene has remained practically the same.
Some of the significant works completed during these years are:
- The village mill with the adjoining sawmill
- The bridge over the Astico
- Electric lights up and down all of the streets (completed in 1911 all around)
- The elementary schools in the center and up in Monte (1913)
- The nursery school (founded in 1914)
- The dairy (founded in 1907)
During the First World War, following the rupture of the alliance between Italy and Austria and for fear of reprisals by the Austrians, the town of Calvene was evacuated. The population took refuge in Thiene until 1917.
Calvene was the base of a huge ammunitions deposit and in Valsavina there was a large munitions store. This was the reason why Italian and English soldiers remained in Calvene until 1919.
The military path of Monte Cavalletto, which connected Calvene with the mountains on the other side, was modified at the end of 1917 by the engineer Daglioni. He did this by having the road pass next to the cowsheds found on the north side of Monte. Daglioni also built the road and the steps of the church in Monte. In addition, he built the road going from Larghetto up to Monte Cavalletto connecting to various mountain houses in Caltrano.
Immediately following the war, the most important job for the entire population was to repair the damages and close the trenches from the war. Soon after this, however, many emigrated to other parts of Europe, to Africa and to the Americas. The people who remained in Calvene dedicated themselves to farming silkworms and straw. The village’s only income was from cutting wood, renting mountain homes and from state contributions.
In 1933, construction began on the fascist house.
During these years the following public works were realized:
- In 1930 public lighting started up again
- In 1931 a public waterworks project was approved, taking water from the Rocca spring/well (found at the top of via Villa at the eastern most part of town) in order to resolve the problem of a lack of drinking water. People would draw the water from a series of different public fountains.
In 1938, the first public connections were made for gas, electricity and water.
During the period preceding the Second World War unemployment in Calvene was at a very high level. 74 were unemployed and 234 were on welfare out of 1429 inhabitants.
During the war the German garrison was in the Sartori home (via Villa 5).
In 1945 the village was occupied by resistance fighters, and in retaliation 7 houses (up on the hill towards Mortisa) were burned by the Germans.
The first free elections took place on the 3rd of June 1945.
After the war the most diffuse activities were the cultivation of fields, farming silkworms, working straw, copper, iron and zinc down in the Maglio area (down by the Astico river), and up on the Monte firestarter/slack (used as charcoal and to make plaster) was produced.
Sources
(Official Calvene Homepage)