The end of the vanquished! John D'Avanzo, by a robber policeman - Preface by Valentino Romano Preface by Valentino Romano di Fiore Marro latest work entitled: The end of the vanquished! John D'Avanzo-From a robber policeman.
The history of the southern reaction to the invasion of Piedmont is the whole story to tell, it is still stifled by the false rhetoric and patriotic celebration of a Renaissance noble and romantic in understanding the many liberals who believed it and mercenary, whatever, never in the vast Most of the men of that 'ideal for legalization if they have appropriated to their unspeakable interests of the workshops, lobbying or kingdom.
E 'story yet to read, to decipher with caution, to be released with the calmness of one who brings out the reasons of the vanquished to contrast with the serene consciousness of those who know all the reasons (and the reasons for all ) have equal dignity in the flow of time, is a story that allows different sensitivities to capture different nuances.
It is thanks to the emergence of such sensitivity that the true story of the lands and men of the South does, from time to time, wise, reconstruction historical, journalistic report, complain, complaint, commitment, stories, novels, even poetry.
This story untold, denied, insulted and raped more and more urgent to transform the conscience of memory retrieval in pride and commitment in this newspaper and a life. As Fiore Marro. Taking
probably inspired the revival of a work published during the years of hard drive, Antonio Vismara
from Vergiate, The robbers La Gala: Stories of murders, kidnappings and robberies in the aftermath of the Unit 'Italy, Lecce: Capone, 2008, Fiore Marro also shows how to seize through the form of the novel, the deeper meaning of events, their real reasons, their exact location in the political scene. In addition, this is not required to take her to the reader but only suggested. Better yet, Flower suggests to the reader the existence of a key reading and assigned him the task more onerous: to discover it by himself.
The novel revolves around the human story of the brothers La Gala, Cipriano and Jonah La Gala, born in Nola near Naples, the first in 1834, the second two years later. In 1855 the two brothers were sentenced to 20 years in prison for a robbery. In 1860 the two brothers escape from the prison of La Gala Castellamare and damage to the bush, but Jonah was arrested immediately after again and locked up in prison in Caserta, a year after it escapes. Cipriano form his own band, which reaches three hundred men, whose operational area is located mainly in the mountains of Taburno, in a whirlwind series of clashes with the troops united, kidnappings, looting and violence of a war in which they jump all the rules. In January 1862 the two La Gala reach Rome, where they meet King Francis II de Bourbon, who wants to send them to Marseilles and Barcelona to recruit European legitimacy that would support his cause. Embark on the French ship Aunis, believing that extraterritorial immunity guarantees the wood of a foreign nation: it is not because the Piedmontese, advised by a spying and violating the laws of the sea and the international conventions, they go on a ship flying the French flag - still in the port of Genoa - and stop them. Broke out a furious diplomatic incident and a dispute arises that moves along the double track of the rules of international law and the "reason of state". In the end, painfully, is a settlement: The Gala will be returned to the French so that they can support the recognition of the rules of international law by Italy. But the subtle and subterranean feluccas game - which has as its main objective the preservation of "dignity" of both states before international public opinion has sealed the fate of two brothers ebbed the clamor of the story, are delivered to Italy because they can process, almost certainly with the assurance of salvation in the lives of two prisoners. The trial, held in Naples, with a significant media impact in the classroom always packed with spectators (also corresponding flock of major Italian and foreign newspapers) concludes with the likely death sentence for two defendants. But this is just the umpteenth play, the sop to feed the respectability of public unity. In reality, the underlying agreement between France and Italy, leading to the granting of grace by the latter. Which, on time and spentisi the spotlight on the issue, is: The Gala is made to save his life and the sentence is transformed into life imprisonment: Cyprus is locked in the prison yard of the Mouth and Jonah to Genoa in Portoferraio. And it is worth even more atrocious than the capital because the conditions of detention - to read several documents - look horrible.
So Jonah and Cyprian La Gala leave from history, from the history that has seen them at the same time the protagonists and victims.
With a successful literary invention Flower transforms today sent a hypothetical newspaper of 1864, intent on tell the story of a process which, as mentioned has attracted, attracted the attention of Europe - into a tool for better understanding to us that these events re-read 150 years later.
The author has chosen to flesh out the message you wish to entrust to the reader, a character called "minor" one of those that only appear on the scene. But no less important, indeed. Because they appear - if only for a moment, even with a joke - reveals deep truth did not emerge, it raises important questions that await an answer: Who is John D'Avanzo? why a man, let's say "Order" plays an important role in an alleged gang of "cutthroat"? who are these bandits? are just thieves? in behalf of those who occupy positions almost inaccessible as the mountains of Taburno?.
And the answers come with many questions: a man of order of King Francis with the robbers? Want to see who are soldiers who fight in other ways - such as the times require - under the banner of all time? Want to see that the choice of stations to the spot on those mountains responds to specific strategic decisions and military? Want to see if a force so large it can not survive only with, while necessary, robberies, then it means that should receive much more funding from somewhere? And if this is true, then we can no longer speak of common banditry but they must recognize the character of armed force and resistance fighter?
short Fiore Marro urges us to assist with Pauline Amato, the narrator of his work, a process that if the time was directly addressed to leaders of the gang La Gala, today - in the long run - it becomes a process courts at the time.
With the novel's international intrigue come to mind that we have mentioned. So, this time alone, one wonders: what is the true role of France in the affairs of the band La Gala, since the time of formation of the band? And the comeback
initial question: what makes us a man who has sworn allegiance to King Francis in the middle of the band? Want to see who is the controller, on behalf of its King, just to those who fight to defend it? If we think about the role and strategies of the powerful party "Murat" in the troubled story of unification, the question does not seem so very unreasonable. But that's another story, also yet to be written.
Fiore has a great merit: it hides a special Gala The process that makes one shiver even modest defenders of brigandage legitimist of yesteryear: an alleged incident of cannibalism by the brothers La Gala. It is indeed a long time of his narration. And why not indulge, as the public come to trial, the morbidity of an infinite horror. Far from it!
His narration is done in the excavation (if "done" then it really is, and not legend, if it is harsh reality or fiction inquisitorial rather intended to give color all'esecrazione crowd of right-thinking that must accompany the verdict to the execution), is researching the causes, not conviction, nor justification. Although passage of a guide of the process says a lot on his thinking: ... the President exclaimed indignantly: say in face of Europe in brief: This is who are the defenders of the throne and of the 'altar "
Here for Fiore Marro profound sense of the process, the need for horror: to justify themselves in "face of Europe" we are judging non-partisan cannibals, savages who carry around the genitals of the enemy killed, "Africans" who we need to tame to elevate the status of men. Other fighters that faced by fighting for a cause. And the judge who gives posture to his indignation is just the megaphone of his masters, "the Court of Europe and of humanity, our war is in your eyes downcast instead of winning is the war of liberation, of emancipation from slavery, a mission of raising offspring under which he occupies and controls a territory illegally and must be returned dignity and freedom. "
Here it is the main merit of the story of Fiore Marro: through the statement of the chronicle of an episode, after all forgotten, reopens the debate on the events, the grounds, on the real reasons for a period, depending on how you want to read, it is tragic or exhilarating.
And his eye uses a character "less than" totally ignored so far. But that embodies humanity, loyalty and consistency.
John Davanzo, with Fiore Marro, is no longer a stranger who has through our history: the daguerreotype is a certain way of being southern, consistency and the tragedy of those "Africans" who have guarded for centuries - although with limits - the cradle of Italian civilization el'hanno - though reluctantly - handed over to dream, still unfulfilled, of a nation looking to the future.
's humanity and advance the brothers La Gala, tragic in substance as well - if you will - in his cruel exterior, certainly did not deserve oblivion.
With Fiore Marro, therefore, to have avoided them, and this further disgrace for allowing us to pause for a moment, with the lightness of the story, over a period that has marked our destinies.
Valentino Romano
