MARCH 29, 2015 GENERAL SOCIETY MEETING – A SOCIAL EVENT!
AMHS members, friends and guests are cordially invited to our March 29, 2015, program at Carmine’s Restaurant at 425 Seventh Street N.W., just a short walk from Casa Italiana. As we welcome spring after a long, cold winter, it’s an opportunity to socialize with friends over a glass of wine and a delicious meal which will be served family style, in a private room set aside for us. Afterwards, we will have an impromptu “open forum” about the recent PBS programs on
“The Italian Americans” which were aired in two parts in February. The programs gave a historical perspective on the Italian immigrant experience going back to the late 19th century into the 20th century. All are invited to express their opinions or talk about their own or their families’ experiences. We will no doubt have a lively and interesting discussion!! The menu at Carmine’s restaurant in Penn Quarter will include pasta with vegetables, ravioli, veal saltimbocca, a dessert of cannoli with coffee, tea and a glass of wine. Please make your reservations early – the reserved room can accommodate 84 people - and bring your family members and friends to what is sure to be a very enjoyable meeting.
BERSAGLIERI PROGRAM A BIG HIT WITH AUDIENCE
Our first program of 2015 turned out to be a very popular one, judging by the enthusiastic audience response. AMHS members and guests were treated to a very informative and dynamic presentation by Major Elio Manes, a Bersaglieri commander who has served in Kosovo, Lebanon and Afghanistan and told us so much about this specialized infantry unit of the Italian army. Our speaker was arranged by Colonel Rodolfo Sganga, Military Attaché, Embassy of Italy, at the request of AMHS President Emeritus Lucio D’Andrea, our liaison with the Embassy.
Colonel Sganga also attended the program together with Bersaglieri Captain Massimo Salvemini. Before the program began, our three military guests spent time meeting our members and chatting with us. Major Manes was accompanied by his wife, Annalisa, and their three daughters, Giulia, Nicole, and Cicilia. He grew up in Formia, a city which is halfway between Rome and Naples. At the beginning of the program, AMHS President Maria D’Andrea thanked outgoing board members John and Eileen Verna, and installed new board members Rosina Brienza Schacknies, Ennio DiTullio, and Ray LaVerghetta. We also heard remarks from Christina McGrath, one of our 2014/2015 scholarship recipients, who announced to us that just the night before, she found out she was accepted into the Ph.D. program in Italian studies at the University of Chicago. Congratulations, Christina!!
For our program on the Bersaglieri, the idea for the talk was the result of a visit a few months ago by a group of Bersaglieri, wearing their plumed dress hats and uniforms, which travelled from Toronto, Canada, to visit Father Ezio Marchetto, their former pastor. As it turns out, some of our members, such as Lana Nardella, Dick DiBuono and Silvana DeLuca, have family members or loved ones who were Bersaglieri. Major Manes’ talk was entitled “From 1836 to 2014: A Run across the Centuries of History” and he meant that literally!! Bersaglieri are known for jogging in formation rather than marching, even while playing their instruments during parades.
Later in his presentation, Major Manes played a video showing the Bersaglieri in their dress uniforms jogging in a Festa della Repubblica parade in Rome in front of thenItalian President Giorgio Napolitano and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, with the Colosseum as a backdrop. They jog at 180 paces per minute, a very fast run, as Major Manes demonstrated for us. Using a very informative power point presentation, Major Manes explained that the Bersaglieri were formed in 1836 by Alessandro La Marmora. They were created as a crack infantry unit with expert marksmen (“bersaglieri”). The Bersaglieri are known for wearing the “vaira,” a plumed hat with black feathers on one side, originally meant to protect the 3 eyes of the marksman from the sun when shooting. At times, a fez has been worn, beginning with the war in Crimea in 1855 (the first campaign abroad for the Italian army, fighting against Russia). The Bersaglieri also wear black gloves, to match their uniform, whereas the rest of the Italian army wears brown gloves. Their saber has a curved shape with a lion on top.
Bersaglieri also carry a green cord, traditionally used to carry gunpowder, and the cord is put on the neck. Doing so, Major Manes explained, symbolizes that “if you catch us, we are ready,” since the cord was used to represent hanging. In the overview of the Bersaglieri history, we learned many interesting facts, going back to the time of Cavour, who ordered the Bersaglieri to shoot Garibaldi, and they did try to stop him in Aspromonte in Calabria and ended up shooting him. We were surprised to learn that Bersaglieri fought in the American Civil War, as volunteers in the 39th New York Infantry Regiment (Garibaldi Guard), and they were in parades with President Abraham Lincoln,. Major Manes commented that for him personally it was an honor to know that Bersaglieri had helped with America’s unification.
The Bersaglieri participated with bicycles during World War I and by the time of World War II, they used motorbikes. Also during World War II, they participated in campaigns in Eritrea and Ethiopia. Nowadays, they use tanks, and they are so agile that they jump up on moving tanks. Obviously, they must be more physically fit than most!! In recent times, Bersaglieri have been serving in the far-flung “hot spots” of the world, from the Balkans (Kosovo and Bosnia), to Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan. Major Manes himself has served in Kosovo, Lebanon and Afghanistan. He noted that in 2013, Bersaglieri Major Giuseppe La Rosa was killed in Afghanistan when he shielded his comrades from a grenade with his body. We learned that there are 6 regiments of Bersaglieri, with about 700 soldiers each. They are known for the very demanding physical training they undergo.
There are regiments stationed in Cosenza, Capo Teulada, Trapani, Bari, Caserta and Orcenico Superiore. There is a monument to the Bersaglieri in Rome near Porta Pia, where there is also a museum. During Major Manes’ presentation, we enjoyed watching a video taken in Canada in 2011 where the Bersaglieri sang their songs and the band (called fanfare) played with a great deal of energy. Another interesting fact we learned is that the Alpini, the elite mountain soldiers, were actually created from the Bersaglieri (who knew?). After the talk, Major Manes answered a lot of questions from the audience. The program wrapped up, appropriately, with an emotional story told by Joseph D’Andrea (Lucio’s brother and Maria’s uncle and godfather), who travelled from Pennsylvania for this event and shared how some Bersaglieri who were prisoners of war during World War II in Pennsylvania (near Carlyle) built a beautiful chapel there with a Florentine bell tower.
At the end of his presentation, Major Manes treated us to a rousing rendition of the Bersaglieri song, “All’Armi.” He then announced that he was donating a vaira from his regiment to our Society. Thank you, Major Manes!! Our thanks to Lynn Sorbara, our hospitality committee chairperson, who arranged for another wonderful, catered meal from Fontina Grille (Lynn also provided desserts), and to the team, including Peter Bell, Lana Nardella, Edvige D’Andrea, Joe and Joann Novello, Silvana DeLuca and all of the many people who volunteered to help out. We also thank the persons who donated items for the raffle, those who bought tickets, and to Dora Leo Santacroce who sold the raffle tickets. We raised $262 for the AMHS Annual Scholarship Fund. Our appreciation to all whose efforts made for such a wonderful event!