Giuseppina Tuissi, better known as Gianna (also La Staffetta Gianna;[2] 23 June 1923 – 23 June 1945) was an Italian communist and partisan during World War II. She was part of the 52nd Brigata Garibaldi "Luigi Clerici".[3] From September 1944, she was a collaborator of the partisan Luigi Canali (known as the captain Neri) and, with him, had an important role in the arrest and the execution of Benito Mussolini and Clara Petacci.[4]
In 1943, she started serving as a partisan courier, using the pseudonym "Gianna". On 6 January 1945 she was arrested with Canali in Lezzeno by the members of the XI Black Brigade "Cesare Rodini" and tortured for 23 days.[1] After this period, she was transferred to SS headquarters in Monza by a Gestapo officer, Captain Vernig, who pitied her condition and was impressed by her bravery. On March 12, she was released. Refusing an escape route to Switzerland, she continued participating in the partisan struggle in northern Lombardy. She and Neri were present during the arrest of Mussolini and Petacci, on 27 April near Dongo; and to their execution, the day after, in Giulino.[4]
She was suspected of betrayal and to have revealed names of partisans during her detention. She was arrested in Baggio on April 29 and detained until May 9. She was interrogated by Pietro Vergani, regional commander of the Garibaldi Brigades and PCI member.[5][1]
At the end of May 1945. she went to Milan with Luigi's sister Alice Canali, to learn more about his death. Despite threats, she continued to ask questions, threatening to reveal what she learned. In June, she met Ferruccio Lanfranchi, editor of the Corriere d'Informazione, that investigated Mussolini's death.[6] Feeling abandoned by her comrades, she disappeared on 23 June 1945, on her 22nd birthday. It is presumed she was killed and her body thrown into Lake Como near Cernobbio.[1][7]
Her death and those of Neri and other partisans in the late spring of 1945, represent an unresolved mystery of the Italian resistance history.[1] In 1957 Dante Gorreri, PCI secretary of Como, and Pietro Vergani, were charged for the murder as instigators; Dionisio Gambaruto and Maurizio Bernasconi as executors. The trial, held in Padua, did not complete because of a series of procedural impediments.[8]
^(in Italian) Biographical infos at italoeuropeo.it
^ ab(in Italian) An article about the death of Mussolini
^(in Italian) Biographical infos about Pietro Vergani at ANPI website
^(in Italian) Summary of Ferruccio Lanfranchi main inquiries at the Order of Journalists of Lombardy website
^(in Italian) Franco Giannantoni: "«Gianna» e «Neri»: vita e morte di due partigiani comunisti". Mursia, EAN 9788842512264
^F. Giannantoni (2007). L'ombra degli americani sulla Resistenza al confine tra Italia e Svizzera (in Italian). p. 237. ISBN9788889666166.
External linksEdit
The last minute of Gianna at antiwarsongs.org
October 21, 2023
giuseppina, tuissi, better, known, gianna, also, staffetta, gianna, june, 1923, june, 1945, italian, communist, partisan, during, world, part, 52nd, brigata, garibaldi, luigi, clerici, from, september, 1944, collaborator, partisan, luigi, canali, known, captai. Giuseppina Tuissi better known as Gianna also La Staffetta Gianna 2 23 June 1923 23 June 1945 was an Italian communist and partisan during World War II She was part of the 52nd Brigata Garibaldi Luigi Clerici 3 From September 1944 she was a collaborator of the partisan Luigi Canali known as the captain Neri and with him had an important role in the arrest and the execution of Benito Mussolini and Clara Petacci 4 Giuseppina TuissiBorn 1923 06 23 23 June 1923Abbiategrasso ItalyDied23 June 1945 1945 06 23 aged 22 Cernobbio ItalyCause of deathkilled uncertain 1 Occupation s Laborer Italian resistance memberExternal imagePortrait of Giuseppina Tuissi at itwiki Contents 1 Early life 2 Partisan 3 Literature 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditGiuseppina was born in 1923 in Abbiategrasso in the Province of Milan She lived and worked as laborer in Baggio a Milan suburb Partisan EditIn 1943 she started serving as a partisan courier using the pseudonym Gianna On 6 January 1945 she was arrested with Canali in Lezzeno by the members of the XI Black Brigade Cesare Rodini and tortured for 23 days 1 After this period she was transferred to SS headquarters in Monza by a Gestapo officer Captain Vernig who pitied her condition and was impressed by her bravery On March 12 she was released Refusing an escape route to Switzerland she continued participating in the partisan struggle in northern Lombardy She and Neri were present during the arrest of Mussolini and Petacci on 27 April near Dongo and to their execution the day after in Giulino 4 She was suspected of betrayal and to have revealed names of partisans during her detention She was arrested in Baggio on April 29 and detained until May 9 She was interrogated by Pietro Vergani regional commander of the Garibaldi Brigades and PCI member 5 1 At the end of May 1945 she went to Milan with Luigi s sister Alice Canali to learn more about his death Despite threats she continued to ask questions threatening to reveal what she learned In June she met Ferruccio Lanfranchi editor of the Corriere d Informazione that investigated Mussolini s death 6 Feeling abandoned by her comrades she disappeared on 23 June 1945 on her 22nd birthday It is presumed she was killed and her body thrown into Lake Como near Cernobbio 1 7 Her death and those of Neri and other partisans in the late spring of 1945 represent an unresolved mystery of the Italian resistance history 1 In 1957 Dante Gorreri PCI secretary of Como and Pietro Vergani were charged for the murder as instigators Dionisio Gambaruto and Maurizio Bernasconi as executors The trial held in Padua did not complete because of a series of procedural impediments 8 Literature EditFabio Andriola Appuntamento sul lago Milan SugarCo 1996 ISBN 88 7198 022 0 Giorgio Cavalleri Ombre sul Lago Varese Arterigere 1995 2007 ISBN 88 89666 21 8 Giorgio Cavalleri and Franco Giannantoni Gianna e Neri fra speculazioni e silenzi Varese Arterigere 2002 Roberto Festorazzi I veleni di Dongo ovvero gli spettri della Resistenza il Minotauro 2004 ISBN 88 8073 086 X Luciano Garibaldi La pista inglese Chi uccise Mussolini e la Petacci Ares 2002 ISBN 88 8155 238 8 Franco Giannantoni Gianna e Neri vita e morte di due partigiani comunisti Milan Mursia 1992 ISBN 88 425 1226 5 Franco Giannantoni L ombra degli americani sulla Resistenza al confine tra Italia e Svizzera Varese Arterigere 2007 ISBN 88 89666 16 1 Urbano Lazzaro Dongo mezzo secolo di menzogne Milan Mondadori 1993 ISBN 88 04 36762 8 Vittorio Roncacci La calma apparente del lago Como e il Comasco tra guerra e guerra civile 1940 1945 Varese Macchione 2003 ISBN 88 8340 164 6References Edit a b c d e in Italian The case of Gianna and Neri at ANPI website i e Gianna the Courier in Italian Biographical infos at italoeuropeo it a b in Italian An article about the death of Mussolini in Italian Biographical infos about Pietro Vergani at ANPI website in Italian Summary of Ferruccio Lanfranchi main inquiries at the Order of Journalists of Lombardy website in Italian Franco Giannantoni Gianna e Neri vita e morte di due partigiani comunisti Mursia EAN 9788842512264 F Giannantoni 2007 L ombra degli americani sulla Resistenza al confine tra Italia e Svizzera in Italian p 237 ISBN 9788889666166 External links EditThe last minute of Gianna at antiwarsongs org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Giuseppina Tuissi amp oldid 1123622566, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
