Deep in Neapolitan history is the pride and courage that the people showed during the unforgettable event of the Four Days of Naples. An amazing story of insurrection people that took place between September 27 and 30, 1943, at the height of the World War II, by which the German forces of the Wehrmacht and their fascist allies were arrested.

After long and dramatic years of war that destroyed many landmarks in Naples, the people reacted against the enemy. The episode earned them the Military Valor Medal and made Naples the first city to rise up and free itself from German occupation; in fact, when the Allied Forces finally arrived in Italy on October 1, 1943, the city was already free of the enemy.

The anniversary of the Liberation of all of Italy is celebrated every year on April 25. However, the Four Days of Naples remains forever in the memory of Neapolitans as these days of hard struggle and resistance prevented the Germans from reducing the city to ashes. It was an event of exceptional resistance and courage, cooperation and organization of the people who alone and reduced to starvation were able to react and put the enemy at the door.

Many are the monuments erected to the memory of the Four Days of Naples. At Vomero, near the Collana Stadium, the Square, the scene of many clashes, was named after the Four Days. The Adolfo Pansini High School, was named instead after the young student who distinguished himself in the struggle and died during the stadium assault on the penultimate day. In the neighborhood of Poggioreale, however, it is the Four Days School that bears the name of the historical episode as well as the Four Days Gallery linking Piedigrotta to Fuorigrotta.

For each point in the city, a symbol or place of the hard battle, stands a license plate commemorative: at the Vomero in Belvedere Street in honor of Aldo de Gioia, a Don Luigi Sturzo Street, at the entrance of Stock Exchange Building, the one at the Forest of Capodimonte, on the Sanità Bridge and at the entrance to the Church of the Immaculate Conception and St. Anne at Vasto. In Matteotti Square, on the side of the Post Office building, a date commemorates the massacres of women and children that also occurred there.

In Republic Square in the area of the Chiaia Riviera, stands instead a unique monument "allo scugnizzo" depicting Neapolitan scugnizzi on each of the four sides of the sculpture, the work of 1963 artist Marino Mazzacurati.

World War II in Naples

In 1838 Mussolini, allied with Nazism, enacted the racial laws declaring war on the West. His was a huge mistake since Italy was in no condition to participate in World War II and moreover, anti-fascist forces resisted Mussolini's choice of black shirts.

Naples was totally unprepared for war. In 1940 its already meager defenses relied on naval ships and artillery of the National Anti-Aircraft Protection Union. Fighter planes were few and inadequate and other techniques were still unknown to our countrymen. Numerous shelters sprang up before the war reached Italy, and a siege was simulated on June 2, 1940, to prepare the people for defense.

War damage to the city and people of Naples

During a war it is always the people who suffer the greatest penalty. With World War II there was extensive damage especially in the port and industrial areas, many citizens lost their homes and found shelter in natural caves and tunnels. As witnessed in Aldo De Gioia's "Fragments of Naples": "The first bombs fell on the night of November 1, 1940; at 4:20 the first bomb fell on Naples. The British night bombing lasted until July 11, 1941."

On November 18, 1941, bombs destroyed the shelter of Concordia Square and the occupants lost their lives. From December 4, 1942, American daylight bombing was also added.

It was destroyed theLoreto hospital and the attacks, intensified during the first months of 1943, also destroyed the warning system. By now the suffering people were aware of the arrival of the planes only by the sudden gunfire that spread terror and chaos. Also hovering in the sky were what were commonly called "storks" with very light and barely audible engines that took pictures of the damage or upcoming targets.

Dramatic was the fire aboard the ship Caterina Costa on March 28, 1943. The ship was loaded with ammunition and gasoline and could therefore explode at any moment. Despite this, it was not towed out to sea to contain any damage; rather, on Mussolini's orders, an attempt was made to save its dangerous cargo. Unable to control the fire, the ship exploded, also destroying the other boats moored there. Sparks, shrapnel and pieces of plate, flew through the sky to Charles III Square, causing thousands of deaths and injuries.

They were hard months of an interminable war that destroyed not only roads and buildings (damage was evident throughout the city, Via Marina was totally destroyed and bombing was intense even at the central station) but also wanted to bend the people and bring them to the brink. Not only "war targets" but also civilian targets were targeted. The Germans became so well established in the ranks of the Neapolitan people that hardly a line could be distinguished.

In Bagnoli, in theCostanzo Ciano Hospital a special ward was set up for German soldiers and pilots wounded during the war, and on the Vomero hill, specifically at the Santarella, a convalescent home was erected.

February 21, 1943 went down in history as "the Cathedral Street Massacre" because of the many casualties and the destruction of the city center, resulting in the demolition of the streets of Fork, the historic Cathedral Street, Via Foria and Via dei Tribunali and in general the entire Decumanus area. In April, however, damage was done to the streets of Corso Garibaldi, Depretis Street, Martucci Street and Amedeo Square with the nearby Margherita Park. Still in July, the historic "Caffè Vacca" in the Municipal Villa.

A few months later, on August 4, 1943 Naples was hit again by the Americans who bombed it day and night for a full 43 hours. Buildings including hospitals, orphanages, private homes and churches were razed to the ground, but also construction sites in Mass Gate, with thousands of deaths.

Several streets in Naples both in the historic center and in the suburbs were reduced to rubble as Monteoliveto Street and Martyrs' Square. Irreversible damage was caused to the Basilica of St. Clare where the wooden roof burned completely, causing much of the structure to collapse. It was the firefighters, in fact, who were put to the test. Fires due to the bombing were the order of the day, and the work to quell the flames was almost interminable.

Aldo de Gioia again writes in his book, "The Neapolitans gratefully nicknamed them 'e cape 'e fierro because of their distinctive burnished metal headgear. Their headquarters was in the ancient city, in the area of the courts, on Via del Sole, from where rescue teams moved to reach the outlying garrisons as soon as enemy apparatuses were sighted."

In the following months, there were the last American raids. The worst was in early September when blocks of flats in the Vomero area were demolished for 24 hours, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and the Margaret Park. It was destroyed the Corona cinema to Street of the Thousand and thePilgrims Hospital recorded numerous damages as well as the Poggioreale Cemetery.

On September 3 of the same year, the surrender of Italy to the Allies was announced, now destroyed and divided. On September 8, 1943, Marshal of Italy Badoglio's Proclamation was read over the radio, announcing that the Cassibile Armistice had come into effect. From that day military commands found themselves in disarray throughout the Italian peninsula. In Naples, many high generals fled away while intolerance and resistance against the German enemies spread among the people. Trains were stormed and the suburbs became crowded.

The beginning of the Neapolitan Resistance

The people, tired of the war and exasperated by losses began to rebel. Student demonstrations were organized in Plebiscite Square and the first assemblies were held at the Sannazaro High School at Vomero.

Meanwhile, German troops, although weakly hindered, continued their skirmishes through the city. A bitter clash occurred when the Italian military and some Neapolitan citizens managed to prevent some German vehicles from passing near Plebiscite Square. The Germans then set fire to the National Library And they fired on the crowd.

On Sept. 11, the Germans attacked a detachment of Public Security, machine-gunning the hotel where they were residing at the Chiaia Riviera. The officers reacted by taking to the streets and forcing the enemies to surrender, as is reported by Antonio Ghirelli in his "Quelle giornate" (Guida, Naples, 1973).

Later, on September 12, the Germans captured and sank several Italian ships in the Port of Naples. Even today, you can still see the memorial plaque at the entrance of Stock Exchange Building, in memory of sailors and financiers killed in an exemplary manner in the public square and at theFederico II University. When executions were held, the crowd was forced by the Germans to applaud. That was the day when Colonel Walter Scholl proclaimed a curfew and a state of siege.

As a result of all these and other events, the Neapolitans began to organize and take up arms against the enemy. Meanwhile, on September 23 Colonel Scholl ordered the immediate clearing of the entire coastal strip for the creation of a "military security zone." Citizens had to leave their homes while a prefect's manifesto called all young males between the ages of 18 and 33 to compulsory labor service in labor camps in Germany.

The call, however, was answered by only about a hundred Neapolitans out of the expected 30,000, so the commander sent military patrols for the immediate shooting of the defaulters. Following this event the people could not help but rise up, and so from all parts of the city people of any age, sex or social class took to the streets armed and as early as September 26 went on the rampage against the German roundups, freeing young men destined for deportation to Germany.

The insurrection and struggle of the Neapolitan people

The Four Days of Naples began on September 27, 1943 in different parts of the city. When partisans attacked a German car, killing the marshal, riots began. Meanwhile, Allied forces were landing in Bagnoli. Partisan Vincenzo Stimolo, leading a group of 200 insurgents, stormed the armory of Castel Sant'Elmo taking away numerous weapons. On another side, a group of citizens reacted against the Germans near the Forest of Capodimonte while on the same day arms depots in Via Foria and Carbonara Street.

On September 28, the fighting intensified. In Materdei, a German patrol sheltering in a building was surrounded and held under siege for hours until reinforcements arrived. A Porta Capuana instead, a group of men set up at a German checkpoint, killing and capturing enemies. Other fighting took place at the Angevin Male, at Vasto and Monteoliveto.

Subsequent German raids still took place in the Vomero at the historic Vanvitelli Square and inside the Sports Field known today as the Collana Stadium. The partisans reacted and stormed the camp to free the prisoners while the people, taking up arms, reacted among the streets of Scarlatti Street and Via Luca Giordano.

In the third of the four days, local figures emerged such as. Maddalena Cerasuolo and his father Carlo, the group of so-called "femminielli" and many others in every neighborhood of the city. Prominent among the young men, however, was Adolfo Pansini, a student at the Vomerese Sannazaro high school who resisted the war and was one of the victims whose brave deeds are still remembered today.

In Giuseppe Mazzini Square, the Germans attacked and claimed casualties as well as in the working-class neighborhood of Ponticelli. Other fighting took place near theCapodichino Airport and of Ottocalli Square but also to Salvator Rosa Street to Materdei and in the area of the Museum, Dante Square and Toledo Street.

Meanwhile at the German headquarters in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, a negotiation took place between Colonel Scholl and Enzo Stimolo following the clash at the sports center. The colonel obtained free passage to leave Naples, while in return, the partisans obtained the release of the hostages from the sports field in addition, of course, to the liberation of the city.

During the last of the four days, the fighting continued and German guns hit Port'Alba, Materdei and Porta Capuana, doing a great deal of damage, such as those reported to the funds of theState Archives of Naples Which were reduced to ashes. Original scrolls of the Angevin Chancery were also lost.

The figure of Maddalena Cerasuolo

Lenuccia, a young woman and worker, was among the symbolic figures of the Neapolitan resistance. The anti-fascist patriot fought actively during the popular uprising to such an extent that she earned the city the Gold Medal for Military Valor while she herself was awarded the Bronze Medal. When the armistice was signed on September 8, 1943, the year the Allies landed in Salerno, Magdalena called by the battle name of "Maria Esposito," voluntarily joined the group of "gun seekers" to arm the people against the enemies.

He distinguished himself particularly in the area of Materdei and the ward Star, where he went forward to observe and calculate German forces and report details to insurgent collaborators. He took part in the armed confrontation, slinging a rifle for the first time, to defend the Sanità Bridge. For her bravery, in addition to the medal, she was invited to Royal Palace by General Montgomery, who personally welcomed her.

Even when the enemies were driven out of Naples, Maddalena continued her collaboration with British intelligence, participating in several missions between southern and northern Italy. Her courage and secret identity were crucial in the struggle. For this she obtained prestigious thanks and recognition, not only military but also civilian.

Her daughter Gaetana wrote a bibliography dedicated to her in 2014, while in 2013, just a year earlier, the figure of Magdalene was mentioned in the novel The devils' paradise by Franco di Mare and in the books Women will inherit the earth and May my blood serve by Aldo Cazzullo, finally in The children's train By Viola Ardone.

The 1995 short film Barricate, by director Alessandro Scippa, was also dedicated to her, while singer-songwriter Carlo Faiello also wrote the lyrics of a song for her called precisely Magdalena, proudly interpreted by many artists and musical groups.

Gennarino Capuozzo, story of a young partisan street urchin

Gennarino Capuozzo, only 11 years old, was born in 1931. He lived with his parents and 3 siblings in a humble room in a low-rise in the alleys of Naples. Soon this fearless child realized that he had to step in for his father by becoming the head of the family, as the latter was to leave for the front in June 1941. Gennarino then began working as an apprentice in a workshop to support the family, despite the fact that fear and poverty caused by the war hovered in the air in Naples.

The port of Naples was crucial to the Germans, who had occupied the city for this reason. When Badoglio signed the armistice the soldiers were in disarray, the Germans, at first allies, became the enemy. In the city there was an order to shoot anyone who would be responsible for hostile acts against the Germans: at which point the population rose up. On September 27, 1943, the Four Days began. Gennarino at that time was 12 years old. One evening, returning from work, the boy heard gunshots; frightened and intrigued, after hiding he saw the bodies of a man, a woman and their child shot in cold blood. That image filled him with anger and strength: at which point he grabbed a canteen of water, a loaf of bread and greeted his mother by giving her a kiss, then ran off saying "I will return when Naples is free". 

He was joined by a group of scugnizzi, mostly children and boys, who miraculously decided to help the insurgents by going to the Pagliarone farmhouse in Vomero and stealing weapons from the Germans. The news that a group of scugnizzi was putting the soldiers to the test spread quickly throughout Naples.

Word began to spread that 10 civilians, including women and children, had been killed in Mugnano, so Gennarino and his men decided to avenge them. Aware and at the same time indifferent to being children, they saw a truck of German soldiers and hid behind concrete blocks; Gennarino threw a grenade at the armored vehicle. The Germans, taken aback, stopped, but Gennarino did not kill them: he led them to the insurgents' camp and handed them over to them. The child partisan became a hero.

On September 29, 1943, dozens of Neapolitans had erected barricades in the street with everything they had at their disposal. Gennarino was lurking and firing volleys at German trucks; he saw an armored tank, knew he would not have a chance with his machine gun, so he filled his pockets with grenades and without a second thought ran at the tank screaming and threatening the soldiers. Gennarino Capuozzo thus lost his life at the age of 12, contemptuous of death and with great Neapolitan pride.

Gennarino was the youngest partisan in Italy, and for this act of bravery he was awarded the gold medal for military valor to memory.

The end of the war

On October 1, 1943, the first tanks of the Allies. However, by the time they arrived in the city, the German enemies had already retreated and the few forces of Italian fascists had not been seen since September 8, 1943.