THE STORY OF A MEDAL: THE CIVIL MERIT AWARD TO THE MUNICIPALITY OF CURTATONE

On December 8, 2007, the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, on the proposal of the Minister of the Interior, Giuliano Amato, awarded the Municipality of Curtatone — which had already received the title of “City” in 2002 — the Silver Medal for Civil Merit.

This prestigious recognition honors the courage and determination of the Curtatone community during the dramatic events of World War II, particularly the massacre of the Martyrs of Aldriga and the bombing of the “Palazzo dei Vetri” in San Silvestro, which caused heavy losses among Italian soldiers and orphaned children. Despite the suffering, the local population distinguished itself through heroic solidarity, providing aid to the most vulnerable and actively participating in the partisan struggle.

Curtatone’s history is marked by examples of heroism and sacrifice across the centuries. As early as 1848, during the Battle of Curtatone and Montanara, young students and Italian volunteers courageously fought against Austrian troops for the unity and freedom of the country. In the following decades, the city’s citizens distinguished themselves again: figures such as Pierino Pari, who fell in Cephalonia, and Enrico Maffizzoni, who died in Russia, embody the fearless spirit of defending the homeland, also witnessed during the tragedies of World War II.

• Massacre of the Martyrs of Aldriga (September 19, 1943): Ten young Italian soldiers, all from Lombardy and prisoners of war, were brutally killed by the Nazis in retaliation, leaving an indelible wound in the community.
• Bombing of the “Palazzo dei Vetri” in San Silvestro (December 23, 1944): An Allied attack caused the deaths of eleven children and a young nun, guests of the infant institute “Ernesto Soncini”. The local population reacted with extraordinary generosity, saving the survivors and taking them into their homes.

Curtatone has always carefully preserved this heritage of memory, passing it down from generation to generation. The city remembers those who, in every era, fought for freedom, independence, justice, and love of the homeland.

The awarding of the Silver Medal for Civil Merit testifies not only to the historical importance of these events but also to the immense spiritual and cultural value that Curtatone has always represented — from the Risorgimento to the Resistance, and through the tragedies of World War II.

The silver medal awarded to Curtatone represents far more than an official recognition: it is a symbol of memory, courage, and solidarity of a community that, faced with tragedies and hardships, responded with heroism and humanity.

The Silver Medal for Civil Merit awarded to Curtatone was granted because, as a city of significant strategic importance, it suffered severe damage during the war: ten Italian soldiers were killed in a German reprisal, and a tragic Allied bombing struck the building that housed orphaned, abandoned, or displaced children, causing the death of eleven very young children and a young nun.

The community also distinguished itself through the courage shown in the partisan struggle and through heroic acts of solidarity toward those in need of aid and assistance.