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.
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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.
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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