Museum of the First World War 1914-1918

in Cortina d'Ampezzo

 

"It is with great pleasure that I inform you that the President of the Italian Republic grants his patronate to the exhibition "The First World War 1914-1918 in Cortina d'Ampezzo".

 Yours faithfully,

 Gaetano Gifuni

                                               Secretary of the President of the Italian Republic

Telegram sent to:

Mr. Paolo Franceschi

Mayor of Cortina d'Ampezzo

 Why this museum?

 "Museum of the First World War 1914-1918 in Cortina d'Ampezzo"

The Organizing Committee for the institution of the Museum of the First World War was established in 1979, and it is presently composed and managed by a group of collectors and observers of the argument. Such group carried out research work on battle fields, interviewed war survivors and soldiers and visited libraries and private/public museums for over 20 years, after which the decision of creating a permanent museum was made. 

In 1981 Mr. Sandro Pertini, at the time President of the Italian Republic, gave his approval to the initiative to create a museum.

In July 1988 the first temporary war exhibition called "Vita in trincea" (Life in the trenches) was established in the "Ciasa de Ra Regoles" building in Cortina, in co-operation with the A.P.T. (Local Board of Tourism) and the Veneto region. 53.000 people visited the exhibition.

The construction work of the museum began during the month of September 1989, but soon stopped due to a heavy snowfall and to the lack of the financial support promised by the town council

The exhibition "Vita in trincea" (Life in the trenches) was temporarily set up in April 1990 in Carmignano sul Brenta, in co-operation with the local A.N.A., and was visited by 5.000 people.  

Again, in July 1990 the exhibition was set up in Lozzo di Cadore, in co-operation with the town council, and was visited by 3.000 people.  

The same exhibition was once again set up in Vigo di Cadore from June to September 1991, in co-operation with the town council, and was visited by 5.000 people.  

In 1997, a new committee called "Il Comitato pro cengia Martini" was instituted, with the plan to restore the Monte Lagazuoi area and to create a War Museum inside the tunnels built by the Italian and the Austrian soldiers during the war. 

The Committee, guided by the co-operation spirit of its members, hopes to bring benefits to the various initiatives connected to the war in the Ampezzo area.

       

Between July 29th and September 30th 1998, the Cortina town council, in co-operation with G.I.S. (a local association) and other organizations, prepared the basis of the exhibition:

"The First World War 1914-1918 in Cortina d'Ampezzo".

The temporary exhibition, while waiting for a permanent site, illustrated the life of the Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers in the Dolomites of Ampezzo with images, objects and original documents. The museum remained open for 14 months, and welcomed 21.000 visitors, of which very many foreigners.

On Sunday July 26th 1998, the Town Councils of Cortina, Livinallongo and La Villa in Badia organised a ceremony on Passo Falzarego, to commemorate the end of the war 80 years before. This ceremony was proposed by the Promoting Committee for the creation of a permanent war museum. 

The exhibition "Vita in trincea" (Life in the trenches), visited by 2.000 people, was opened again in La Villa in Badia during the months of July and August 1998.

In November 1998, the exhibition "La memoria della grande guerra sulle Dolomiti" (Memories of the First World War on the Dolomites) was set up in the city of Rovigo, and was visited by 8.000 people.  

      

These exhibitions have brought to light the value of the soldiers, not only as army fighters, but as men. Getting accustomed to the mountains and to their natural discomforts was the hardest and most exhausting battle of all. In such conditions, and after the first bloody battles, the real human values arised, as well as the absurdity of using the war as a means to solve political issues.

The Museum, illustrating the tragic reality of the war, "is an invitation to bear in mind the innumerable sacrifices and the terrible sufferings that every single war, enemy of mankind, brings to entire populations. Precious young lives are destroyed because people in authority are unable to communicate, and believe that weapons can replace honest and loyal communication between governments.

The War reminds us all of the high price paid for the unity of Italy, which is a very important value and a supreme benefit for peaceful fraternity and strong unity. War teaches us that peace is the only richness and priceless value for mankind, and that maintaining it is a commitment for us all".

(Telegram sent from the President of the Italian Republic, Mr. Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, to the Mayor of Cortina, Mr. Paolo Franceschi, in July 1998).

The exhibition illustrating the First World War emphasises the tragedy of the Dolomites Ladins and particularly of the Ampezzo population, who were shocked by the decisions of the governments and by the fact that they considered them and their land objects to control, without respecting their historical traditions and ancient cultural identity.

The young Ampezzo conscripts of 1914 had to defend the Austro-Hungarian empire on the Russian border, losing many soldiers.

In 1915, the locals left in the Cortina area, mostly women, children and the elderly, (men were called to fight in the Habsburg army) experienced the invasion of the Italian army, and had to get accustomed to a new economic and political administration, as well as to the kingdom of Italy from 1919, which embodied the Ladin territory of the Dolomites, a land conquered without respecting the local culture and organisation.   

Announcement

After 40 years of research and 7 temporary exhibitions with an attendance of 95.000 visitors, the Organizing Committee for the institution of the Museum of the First World War in Cortina has established a volunteer's Association called "Hayden - Cortina d'Ampezzo" which aims at collecting and registering in a computer system the iconographic documents related to the Dolomites front of Cortina.

The Association collects all kinds of material and documents connected to facts that occurred on these mountains, particularly during the First World War: military and public events illustrated by the press at the time, episodes connected to the life of soldiers or officers (diaries, letters sent to their families, pictures, objects and any other item suitable for the museum).

The goal of the Committee is to continue all above-mentioned activities, organising more events and finally, after a 30 years long wait, to establish a permanent site for the museum.        

The Committee welcomes any kind of information or object coming from historical archives, libraries and private collectors, as well as anyone interested in deepening their knowledge of the War. In addition, the Committee organises and promotes dialogue and further exhibitions between collectors and war observers.

The Committee can supply, to those who are interested in organising an exhibition about the War, all necessary material to help make it more interesting and exciting, and, considering the past accomplishments, any initiative will surely be successful.  

We invite everyone to co-operate with us!

Any picture, card, diary, letters and similar matter connected to the war can be sent to the Committee for duplication and filing. All material will be returned to the legitimate owners.

Documentation Centre "Hayden - Cortina d'Ampezzo"

 

P.O. BOX 185 - 32043 Cortina d'Ampezzo (BL) - ITALY

Phone: 0436.86.11.12 or 0436.86.75.06

E-mail: lorislanc@sunrise.it