Petru Giovacchini
Encyclopedia
Petru Giovacchini was a Corsican activist, born in Canale-di-Verde
to an old noble Corsican family with deep-rooted pro-Italian feelings. Giovacchini was the most renowned of the Corsican Italians, who actively promoted the unification of Corsica to the Kingdom of Italy
during the Fascist
years.
and founded the pro-Italian magazine "Primavera", where published the poems "Musa canalinca" and "Rime notturne". Giovacchini was disappointed with the moderate positions of the Movimento Autonomista Corso and decided to move to Italy
in 1930 to study medicine at the Pisa University.
In Italy Giovacchini entered in contact with the Italian irredentism
movement and because of this was harshly attacked by the French
authorities when he returned to Corsica. One of the main accusations he received was that he considered Pasquale Paoli
(the hero of Corsica) as the precursor of the Corsican irredentism in favor of the unification of the island to Italy.
He escaped to Italy and in November 1933 founded in Pavia
the famous "Gruppi di Cultura Corsa", with Corsican university students in Italy. In 1936 Giovacchini got his degree and, as a member of the Fascist Party, he quickly volunteered to fight in Ethiopia
and successively in Spain
, where he was wounded and got the "bronze" medal of honor.
In June 1940 Petru Giovacchini organized hundreds of manifestations in many cities of Italy in order to request the Corsica unification to Italy. Because of this he was elected to represent Corsica in the Italian Fascist Parliament in 1942. When Italy occupied Corsica in November 1942, Giovacchini was named as the possible Governor of Corsica if the Kingdom of Italy
would have annexed the island of Corsica. He worked with colonel Petru Simone Cristofini to make the Corsican population accept the Italian occupation of Corsica
(and later a possible union to Italy).
After the Italian armistice in September 1943, Petru Giovacchini was forced to hide until 1945. Prosecuted by a French tribunal in Corsica, he received a death sentence in 1945 and so went in exile to Canterano
(near Rome
).
On September 1955 Petru Giovacchini died, as a consequence of former combat wounds, and since his death, is considered one of the most famous Corsican Italians of the Italian Irredentism era
.
The Corsican Italians who promoted the ideal of Corsican irredentism published mainly in Italy, because of the persecutions from the French regime in the island. This was the case of Petru Giovacchini, who (after his initial poems Musa canalinca and Rime notturne, done when young) wrote his main literary works in Italy.
Indeed, he wrote Aurore, poesie corse in 1936 in Livorno
, followed by Corsica nostra and the Archiatri pontifici corsi in 1942 and 1951 in Rome
(the last, just a few years before his premature death).
Canale-di-Verde
Canale-di-Verde is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Administration:Canale-di-Verde is part of the canton of Moïta-Verde, together with 13 other communes: Aléria, Moïta, Ampriani, Campi, Chiatra, Linguizzetta, Matra, Pianello, Pietra-di-Verde, Tallone,...
to an old noble Corsican family with deep-rooted pro-Italian feelings. Giovacchini was the most renowned of the Corsican Italians, who actively promoted the unification of Corsica to the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
during the Fascist
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
years.
Life
Since young he collaborated with writings to the literary newspaper A Muvra. In 1927 he was expelled from the "Liceo National" of BastiaBastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
and founded the pro-Italian magazine "Primavera", where published the poems "Musa canalinca" and "Rime notturne". Giovacchini was disappointed with the moderate positions of the Movimento Autonomista Corso and decided to move to 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...
in 1930 to study medicine at the Pisa University.
In Italy Giovacchini entered in contact with the Italian irredentism
Italia irredenta
Italian irredentism was an Italian Irredentist movement that aimed at the unification of all ethnically Italian peoples....
movement and because of this was harshly attacked by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
authorities when he returned to Corsica. One of the main accusations he received was that he considered Pasquale Paoli
Pasquale Paoli
Filippo Antonio Pasquale di Paoli , was a Corsican patriot and leader, the president of the Executive Council of the General Diet of the People of Corsica...
(the hero of Corsica) as the precursor of the Corsican irredentism in favor of the unification of the island to Italy.
He escaped to Italy and in November 1933 founded in Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
the famous "Gruppi di Cultura Corsa", with Corsican university students in Italy. In 1936 Giovacchini got his degree and, as a member of the Fascist Party, he quickly volunteered to fight in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and successively in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where he was wounded and got the "bronze" medal of honor.
In June 1940 Petru Giovacchini organized hundreds of manifestations in many cities of Italy in order to request the Corsica unification to Italy. Because of this he was elected to represent Corsica in the Italian Fascist Parliament in 1942. When Italy occupied Corsica in November 1942, Giovacchini was named as the possible Governor of Corsica if the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
would have annexed the island of Corsica. He worked with colonel Petru Simone Cristofini to make the Corsican population accept the Italian occupation of Corsica
Italian-occupied Corsica
Italian-occupied Corsica refers to the military occupation by the Kingdom of Italy of the island of Corsica during World War II...
(and later a possible union to Italy).
After the Italian armistice in September 1943, Petru Giovacchini was forced to hide until 1945. Prosecuted by a French tribunal in Corsica, he received a death sentence in 1945 and so went in exile to Canterano
Canterano
Canterano is a comune in the Province of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about 45 km east of Rome. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 363 and an area of 7.3 km²....
(near Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
).
On September 1955 Petru Giovacchini died, as a consequence of former combat wounds, and since his death, is considered one of the most famous Corsican Italians of the Italian Irredentism era
Italia irredenta
Italian irredentism was an Italian Irredentist movement that aimed at the unification of all ethnically Italian peoples....
.
Works
The literary works of Petru Giovacchini were:- Musa Canalinca (1929)
- Rime notturne (1930)
- Aurore, poesie corse (1936)
- Corsica Nostra (1942)
- Archiatri pontifici corsi (1951)
The Corsican Italians who promoted the ideal of Corsican irredentism published mainly in Italy, because of the persecutions from the French regime in the island. This was the case of Petru Giovacchini, who (after his initial poems Musa canalinca and Rime notturne, done when young) wrote his main literary works in Italy.
Indeed, he wrote Aurore, poesie corse in 1936 in Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, followed by Corsica nostra and the Archiatri pontifici corsi in 1942 and 1951 in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(the last, just a few years before his premature death).
External links
See also
- Italia irredentaItalia irredentaItalian irredentism was an Italian Irredentist movement that aimed at the unification of all ethnically Italian peoples....
- Corsican Italians
- Italian-occupied CorsicaItalian-occupied CorsicaItalian-occupied Corsica refers to the military occupation by the Kingdom of Italy of the island of Corsica during World War II...
- Petru Simone Cristofini