Liberation Day (Italy)

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Liberation Day

Anti-fascist demonstration for April 25th in Milan
Official name Anniversario della liberazione d'Italia
Also called Festa della Liberazione, anniversario della Resistenza, 25 aprile
Observed by Italy
Significance Celebrates the end of Nazi occupation of Italy
Date April 25
Next time 25 April 2014 (2014-04-25)
Frequency annual

Italy's liberation day (Festa della Liberazione), also known as anniversary of the liberation (Anniversario della liberazione d'Italia), anniversary of the Resistance (anniversario della Resistenza) or simply April 25 is a national holiday, celebrated every April 25[1] in Italy, to commemorate the end of the second world war and the end of Nazi occupation of the country.

History

The date was chosen by convention, as it corresponds to the day Milan and Turin were liberated, on April 25, 1945. This was also the day when the National Liberation Committee of Upper Italy (CLNAI) officially proclaimed the insurgency in a radio announcement, announcing the seizure of power by the CLNAI and the death sentence for all the fascists (including Benito Mussolini, who was shot three days later).

By May 1, all of northern Italy was liberated, including Bologna (April 21), Genoa (April 23), and Venice (April 28). The liberation put an end to twenty years of fascist dictatorship and five years of war. It symbolically represents the beginning of the historical journey which led to the referendum of June 2, 1946, when Italians opted for an end to the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic, which was followed by the adoption of the republic's Constitution of Italy in 1947.

Institutionalization of the date

The actual date was chosen in 1946, and in most Italian cities, marches and parades are organised to commemorate the event. On April 22, 1946, the Disposizioni in materia di ricorrenze festive ("Provisions on festive occasions") decree created the national holiday. The bill states that A celebrazione della totale liberazione del territorio italiano, il 25 aprile 1946 è dichiarato festa nazionale ("In celebration of the total liberation of the Italian territory, April 25, 1946 is declared a national holiday"). On May 27, 1949, bill 260 made the anniversary a permanent, annual national holiday.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Prefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo di Parma (ed.). ""La Repubblica neonata e la sua identità". Relazione di Giorgio Vecchio, Docente di Storia contemporanea dell'Università degli Studi di Parma". Retrieved 2011-05-24. 

External links

This article incorporates information from this version of the equivalent article on the French Wikipedia.
This article incorporates information from this version of the equivalent article on the Italian Wikipedia.


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