Italian partisan brigades

The Italian partisan brigades were armed formations involved in the Italian resistance during the World War II.

They were formed on voluntary base by irregular soldiers and sometimes were organized by former army members who served in the Italian occupied territories. Those formations had been active between the 8 September 1943 (with the Badoglio Proclamation) and the end of the war on 6 May 1945.

History

During the WWII, groups of partisans were formed after the Badoglio Proclamation by former members of the Royal Italian Army located in the north centre of Italy and in the territories occupied by the Kingdom like those of the Balkans. The former soldiers were then flanked by anti-fascists, exiles and expatriates.

In the autumn of 1943, the Direction of the Italian Communist Party suggested the formation of organized structures and promoted the creation of the Garibaldi battalions. These groups were conceived as assault brigades because they had to be immediately active but the organization would be formed during their activity.

Components

During the war, new formations were continuously created until April 1945, and an important event was the creation of the General Command of Corpo Volontari della Libertà (CVL, "Corps of Freedom Volunteers") on 9 June 1944 in Milan, ^[1] where the headquarters of main partisan organizations were located. The CVL represented the partisan movement among Allies and the Italian government and it had the purpose of coordinate brigades and local National Liberation Committees. ^[2]

According to the communist members, the brigade formation implied a military-like model of organization with a hierarchy formed by General Command, divisions, brigades, battalions, companies, squads and groups. ^[3] It was also introduced the charge of the "political commissar" according to the experiences of the October Revolution and the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. ^[3] This kind of organization would be realized only in summer 1944, when also the other parties adopted the military-political structure, with or without "commissars" representing the party of reference. ^[3]

Brigades of army-men were formed mainly abroad by former soldiers and officers who did not submit to be humiliated and imprisoned by the Nazis. ^[4] After the Armistice of Cassibile, Allies allowed the Kingdom to reorganize the remaining army forces which were initially left without any order but most soldiers decided to join the resistance brigades already active. ^[4]

According to the newspaper Avvenire , catholic formations were often in contrast with the other ones of different political sides, but during the liberation war there was still a collaboration from both the sides. Catholics who actively took part to the Resistance were 65,000 - 80,000 out of about 200,000 partisans. ^[5]

During the Resistance various formations merged and subdivided according to the situations of the operative areas, with different criteria and sizes. For example, some Garibaldi groups had a pyramidal structure:

• The Squad (Squadra), which was the lowest unit which was formed by 10-20 combatants
• Three Squads formed a Company (Compagnia) or Detachment (Distaccamento), with 30-60 combatants
• Three Companies or Detachment formed a Battalion (Battaglione) of 90-180 combatants
• Three Battalions formed a Brigade (Brigata) of 270-540 combatants
• Three Brigades formed a Division (Divisione) of 810-1620 combatants

Political affiliations

Within the Corpo volontari della libertà there were the following political affiliations:

• Brigate Garibaldi , GAP and SAP were related to the Italian Communist Party (PCI) ^{[3] [6]}
• Brigate Giustizia e Libertà , led by Ferruccio Parri, were related to the Action Party (PdA) ^[7]
• Brigate Matteotti were related to the Italian Socialist Party of Proletarian Unity (the name of the Italian Socialist Party at the time) led by Sandro Pertini and Giuseppe Saragat. ^[8]
• Brigate del popolo , Brigate Fiamme Verdi and Brigate Osoppo were related to the Christian Democracy (DC) and the catholic religion in general. ^[9]
• Brigate Mazzini were related to the Italian Republican Party (PRI). ^[10]
• The formations called badogliane (also known as azzurre or autonome) were mainly formed by those with liberal or conservative ideals, united by their loyalty towards the Monarchy. Born among the divisions of the Royal Army, they were affiliated with the House of Savoy and recognized Raffaele Cadorna as their military leader. ^[11] The azzurre formations maintained their hierarchical structure and they could give to the Resistance their war expertise and relations with the Allied Forces, essential for supplies and aids.
• Organizzazione Franchi of Edgardo Sogno represented the Italian Liberal Party and the monarchicals. ^[11]
• There were also Trotskyist organizations, like the Movimento Comunista d'Italia, and anarchic formations like Brigate Bruzzi Malatesta of Milan. ^[11]

Sometimes names were not closely linked to the relative parties: for example, the Osoppo Brigades of Friuli, which were born with an important contributions of PdA, accepted their dependence on DC and the Friulian clergy. ^[12] The Brigate Fiamme Verdi diversified themselves in the territory: the Lombard ones, formed by catholic intellectuals, became exclusive military formations with a liberal orientation; the ones of Reggio Emilia, instead, were directly led by DC as the Brigate del Popolo. ^[9] The Mazzini Brigades in Veneto did not have a close relationship with PRI as the Lombard ones.

Partisan mountain formations in April 1945

In Italy

The following is a list of Division and Brigade Commands of partisan formations which operated in the mountains of centre-north Italy in April 1945, classified by partisan and historian Roberto Battaglia. ^[13]

There were:

• 46 Garibaldi formations
• 33 GL (Giustizia e Libertà)
• 12 Matteotti
• 4 Fiamme Verdi
• 15 autonomous formations

No.	Operative areas	Formations	Notes
1	Milan	Comando generale CVL Corpo volontari della libertà
2	Ossola	Divisione Garibaldi Redi
3		Divisione Valtoce
4		Divisione Flaim
5		Divisione Beltrami
6	Varese	Divisione Alto Milanese
7		Brigata Greppi
8		Brigata Passerini
9		1ª Brigata Loto
10		Divisione Garibaldi Fratelli Varalli
11		Divisione Garibaldi Pajetta
12	II Aosta Valley	C 1ª Brigata Autonoma. Valle d'Aosta
13		Divisione Matteotti Aosta
14		7ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Elter
15		2ª Divisione Alpina GL Ferriera
16		Brigata Autonoma GL Leone
17	I Biellese	5ª Divisione Garibaldi R. Maffei
18		12ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Nedo
19	III Canavesan Lanzo	8ª Divisione Autonoma Giovane Piemonte
20		Raggruppamento Brigata Matteotti Davito
21		7ª Divisione Garibaldi GL Canavesana
22		Colonna GL R.Giua
23		2ª e 4ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Unificate
24	IV Susa - Chisone	Brigata Matteotti Martorelli
25		4ª Divisione Alpina GL Stellina
26		3ª Divisione Garibaldi P.Deo
27		10ª Divisione Autonoma Val Chisone
28		13ª Divisione Garibaldi Pietrorame
29		9ª Divisione Autonoma De Vitis
30		Divisione GL Campana
31		5ª Divisione Alpina GL S.Tosa
32		Divisione GL Torino
33		Divisione Matteotti Giachino
33a	V Sangone Valley	Divisione Autonoma Valsangone
34	VI Monferrat Langhe	5ª Divisione Autonoma. Monferrato
35		GMO GL
36		Divisione Matteotti Rossi
37		6ª Divisione Autonoma. Alpi
38		9ª Divisione GL Ferreira
39		I Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Lanfranco
40		Divisione Matteotti Cattaneo
41		8ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Asti
42	VI Monregalese Langhe	9ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Imerito
43		C IV Brigata Autonoma. Brà
44		3ª Divisione GL Langhe
45		11º Garibaldi Piemonte Langhe
46	Left plain of Tanaro	103ª Brigata Autonoma Amendola	Colonel commander Renato Gancia
47	VI Monregalese Langhe	14ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Capriolo
48		2ª Divisione Autonoma. Langhe	Piero Balbo - Enrico Martini general commander
49		1ª Divisione Autonoma. Langhe
50		4ª Divisione Autonoma. Alpina
51	V West Cuneo	Divisione Matteotti Lungense
52		2ª Divisione Alpina GL
53		10ª Divisione GL
54		11ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Cuneo
55		XXV ª Brigata GL Bellano
56		XXI ª Brigata GL Paglieri
57		1ª Divisione Alpina GL
58		3 ª Divisione Autonoma. Alpi
59	Imperia	Divisione Garibaldi Cascione
60		Divisione Garibaldi Bonfante
61	II Savona	Divisione Bevilacqua
62		Divisione Panevino
63		Divisione Fumagalli
64	VII Alessandria	2ª Divisione Autonoma. Patria
65		10 ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Italia
66		8 ª Divisione GL.
67		16 ª Divisione Garibaldi Piemonte Viganò
68		Divisione Matteotti Marengo
69	Oltrepò Pavese	Divisione Matteotti Barni
70		4 ª Divisione Garibaldi Lombardia Gramsci
71		2 ª Divisione GL Masia
72		3 ª Divisione Garibaldi Lombardia Aliotta
73	VI Zone (between Alessandria and Genoa)	Divisione Garibaldi Pinan Cichero
74		Divisione Garibaldi Cichero
75		Brigata Caio
76		Divisione GL Matteotti
77		Divisione Garibaldi Coduri	Eraldo Fico
78	XIII Piacenza	1ª Divisione GL Piacenza
79		Divisione Garibaldi Bersani Val d'Arda
80		Divisione Valnure
81	East-West Cisa Parma	Divisione Valceno
82		Divisione Valtaro
83		Divisione Garibaldi Monte Orsaro
84		Divisione Cisa
85		Divisione Garibaldi Ricci
86	IV La Spezia	Divisione Garibaldi Picchiara
87		Brigata Borrini
88		Divisione Garibaldi Centocroci
89		Brigata Muccini
90		Brigata Giustizia e Libertà
90	Reggio Emilia	Brigata Fiamme Verdi (RE)
91		1ª Divisione Garibaldi Reggiana
92	Modena	Divisione Modena Pianura
93		Divisione Modena Armando
94		Divisione Modena Montagna.
95	Bologna	Divisione Bologna Pianura.
96		Divisione Bologna Montagna
97	Forlì	Divisione Leggera Forlì
98	Ravenna	Divisione Leggera Ravenna
99	Ferrara	Brigata Ferrara
100	Rovigo	Brigata Tasso
101		Brigata Bonato
102	Plain of Verona	Brigata "Verona"	Commander "Redi" (Renato Tisato)
103		Brigata "Anita"	Commander "Gallo" (Cesare Albertini)
104		Brigata "Stella Rossa"	Commander "Spartaco" (Armando Plazzi)
105		Brigata "Adige"	Commander "Romeo" (Di Lorenzo Francesco)
106		Brigata "Scaligera"	Commander "Cambrone" (Giovanni Ballarotto)
107		Brigata "Italia"	Commander "Enzo" (Fiorenzo Olivieri)
108		Brigata "Stella Pianura"	Commander "Siva" (Marcello Perazzolo)
109		Brigata "Carlo Montanari"	Commander "Ettore" (Enzo Falcetta)
110	Vicenza	Brigata Vicenza	Giacomo Prandina
111	Padua	Brigata Damiano Chiesa	Vito Olivetti
112		Brigata Silvio Trentin
113		Brigata Garibaldi (PD)
114		Brigata Lubian GL
115		Brigata Negri
116		Brigata Pierobon
117		Brigata Rutoli
118	Venezia Mestre	Brigata Ruspo
119		Brigata Pellegrini	Antonio Pellegirini "Carlo"
120		Brigata Piave (VE)
121		Brigata Erminio Ferretto
122		Brigata Iberati
123		Brigata Gramsci (VE)
124		Brigata Conti
125	Friuli	5ª Divisione Garibaldi Osoppo Friuli	[14]
126		Divisione Carnia
127		Divisione Sinistra Tagliamento
128		Divisione Destra Tagliamento
129		Divisione Sud Arzino
130		Brigata Rosselli (Friuli).
131		Brigata Picelli
132		3ª Divisione Garibaldi Osoppo Friuli	[14]
133		1ª Divisione Garibaldi Osoppo Friuli
134		Divisione Udine
135		2ª Divisione Garibaldi Osoppo Friuli	[14]
136		4ª Divisione Garibaldi Osoppo Friuli
137	Treviso	Brigata Bortolato.
138		Brigata Tito Speri
139		Brigata Furlan	Antonio Furlan
140		Brigata Orerto
141	Padua - Treviso	Divisione Garibaldi Sabatucci
142	Treviso	Brigata Zancanaro
143		Brigata Badini
144		Brigata Treviso
145	Piave (Belluno)	Brigata 7º Alpini.
146		Brigata Val Cordevole
147		Divisione Garibaldi Belluno
148		Brigata Fulmine
149		Divisione Garibaldi N. Nannetti	Francesco Pesce
150		Brigata Piave
151	Monte Grappa	Divisione Monte Grappa
152	Mount Ortigara (Asiago plateau)	Divisione Monte Ortigara	Commander Giacomo Chilesotti
153	Bolzano	Divisione Val dell'Adige
154	Trento	Divisione Garibaldi "Ateo Garemi"	Commander "Alberto" (Nello Boscagli)
155	Verona (Lessini)	Brigata "Luciano Manara"	Commander "Paolo" (Luciano Dal Cero)
156		Brigata "Pierobon"	Commander "Elvio" (Bortolo Antonio Deganello)
157		Brigata "Avesani"	Commander "Gianni" (Gianpietro Marini)
158	Sondrio	1ª Divisione Alpina GL Valtellina.	Commander "Camillo" (Giuseppe Motta)
159	Brescia	L 4ª Brigata Garibaldi Belotti
160		Divisione Fiamme Verdi Tito Speri
161		Brigata GL Monte Suello
162		7ª Brigata Matteotti
163		C 22ª Brigata Garibaldi (BS)
164		Divisione Fiamme Verdi Lunardi
165		Brigata GL Barnaba
166		Gruppo Brigata Apolitiche - III settore.
167		Formazione Chiari - V settore.
168	Bergamo	Divisione Garibaldi (BG)
169		Divisione GL Orobica
170		Divisione Fiamme Verdi (BG)
171	Como Lecco	1ª Divisione Garibaldi Lombardia.
172		2ª Divisione Garibaldi Lombardia
173		16ª Divisione GL
174		Divisione Puecher
175		Brigata Piazza (Como)
176		Brigata Benetta
177		C 4ª Brigata Citterio
178	VI Zone (between Alessandria and Genoa)	Divisione Garibaldi Mingo

Other partisan formations

The following are the Divisional and Brigade commands of partisan formations which operated during the Resistance and had not been classified by Battaglia.

No.	Operative areas	Formations	Notes
1	VI Zone (between Alessandria and Genoa)	Battaglioni Matteotti Valbisagno
2	Como- Lecco	55ª Brigata F.lli Rosselli	See No. 172 of the previous table
3	Umbria	Brigata Garibaldi "Antonio Gramsci"
4	Rome	Bandiera Rossa
5	Marzabotto	Brigata Partigiana Stella Rossa
6	Venice	Brigata partigiana Martiri di Mirano
7	Massa	Battaglione Lucetti
8	Friuli	Brigata Osoppo	See No. 125,132,133,135,136 of the previous table
9	Apuan Alps	Divisione partigiana Lunense	[13]
10	Ravenna (plain)	28ª Brigata Garibaldi "Mario Gordini"	Arrigo Boldrini
11	Umbria	Brigata Risorgimento
12	Pistoia	XI Zona Patrioti
13	Tigullio	Divisione "Coduri"	Eraldo Fico
14	...	Gruppo Patrioti della Maiella (Brigata Maiella)	Ettore Troilo
15	Romagna	8ª Brigata Garibaldi Romagna
16	VI Zone (La Spezia)	Battaglione Val di Vara (Brigata Giustizia e Libertà)	Commander Daniele "Dany" Bucchioni
17	Trentino (Tesino and Valsugana)	Battaglione Gherlenda (Brigata Gramsci)	Commander Isidoro Giacomin "Fumo"

Notes about other formations

The Brigate Osoppo were coordinated for a period of 1944 by unified military command of division together with the Brigate Garibaldi while having the organizational autonomy. An example of this was during the government of the partisan Free Republic of Carnia.

Partisan formations abroad

Partisan formations abroad were significant and were formed by militars of former divisions of the Royal Italian Army located outside the current national borders at 8 September 1943, in the Balkans. Soldiers decided voluntarily to reorganize themselves in order to avoid the imprisonment by Nazis and to collaborate with local groups. ^[4] Among the formations, there were:

No.	Operative area	Formation
1	Kingdom of Yugoslavia	Divisione Italia
2	Italian occupation of Montenegro	Divisione italiana partigiana Garibaldi (Montenegro)
3	Kingdom of Yugoslavia	Italia Brigade
4	Italian protectorate of Albania	Antonio Gramsci Battalion

See also

• Italy portal

• National Liberation Committee
• Italian Resistance Movement
• ANPI

References

1. "La costituzione del CVL Corpo Volontari della Libertà". A.N.P.I. di LISSONE - Sezione Emilio Diligenti (in Italian). 9 June 1944. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
2. "Corpo Volontari della Libertà - CVL". ANPI (in Italian). 28 December 2010. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
3. "Brigate Garibaldi". ANPI (in Italian). 3 January 2011. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
4. "La Resistenza dei militari". ANPI (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
5. Paouzi, Angelo (18 October 2014). "Cattolici d'Italia, partigiani di carne e di spirito". Avvenire (in Italian). Retrieved 22 September 2016.
6. Among the Brigate Garibaldi there were also leaders of the Italian Socialist and Republican Party.
7. "Brigate Giustizia e Libertà". ANPI (in Italian). 10 January 2011. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
8. "Matteotti". ANPI (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
9. "Fiamme Verdi". ANPI (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
10. "Brigate Mazzini". Storia e Memoria di Bologna (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-09-08.
11. "Formazioni Autonome". ANPI (in Italian). 5 January 2010. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
12. "Brigate Osoppo". ANPI (in Italian). 11 January 2010. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
13. Battaglia 1964.
14. The five Divisioni Garibaldi Osoppo are individuated by Battaglia because some unified military commands, existed for a long period of 1944 under request and solicitation of the Allies, included Garibaldi and Osoppo formations.

Bibliography

• Battaglia, Roberto (1964). Storia della Resistenza Italiana (seconda edizione ed.). Turin: Einaudi.
• Oliva, Gianni (2002). Foibe: le stragi negate degli italiani della resistenza delle Venezia Giulia e dell'Istria. Milan: Arnoldo Mondadori Editore.
• Longo, Luigi (1947). Un popolo alla macchia. Milan: Mondadori.
• Secchia, Pietro; Frassati, Filippo (1962). La Resistenza e gli alleati. Milan: Feltrinelli.
• Secchia, Pietro (1971). Il Partito comunista italiano e la guerra di liberazione 1943-1945: ricordi, documenti inediti e testimonianze. Milan: Feltrinelli.
• Bianco, Dante Livio (1979). Le brigate Garibaldi nella Resistenza. Milan: Feltrinelli.
• Forni, Irnerio (1992). Alpini garibaldini: Ricordi di un medico nel Montenegro dopo l'8 settembre. Milan: Mursia.
• Il Veneto nella Resistenza, contributi per la storia di liberazione nel 50º anniversario della Costituzione. Venice: Associazione degli ex consiglieri della Regione Veneto. 1997.
• Sittoni, Giuseppe (2005). Uomini e fatti del Gherlenda. Strigno, Trento: Ed. Croxarie.

External links

• "Associazione Nazionale Partigiani d'Italia" (in Italian).
• "Storie della Resistenza italiana". ANPI (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-09-08.