The municipality of Gries am Brenner in Tyrol threw the grave cross of an Italian officer from the Second World War into the scrap container. The action caused protests and commotion.
A local citizen with an interest in history recently discovered the grave cross of an Italian soldier from World War II in the old iron container. According to the inscription on the tombstone, the officer with the rank of Colonel (Collonello) died on May 8, 1945 – the day of the surrender of Hitler’s Germany and the end of World War II in Europe.
The grave cross has been in the local cemetery in Vinaders for decades. As the inspection showed, the associated grave with the rim has since disappeared.
“War graves are permanent and should not just be left unattended,” said Grieser Albin Penz, who got the ball rolling. “It does not matter whether the deceased was a fascist or a communist. The significance of these graves lies in the memory of posterity. There is certainly not a second time in Europe that a soldier’s grave is removed just like that,” he says. convinced.
The case is given extra explosiveness by the explosive inscriptions: “My honor means loyalty” – that was the motto of the National Socialist Schutzstaffel (SS), a notorious Nazi combat unit.
The call failed
Asked by “Krone” at Gries town hall, department head Martin Renzler explained that the grave had been abandoned during a search for graves without authorized users: “Over a period of almost two months, we have put up signs on five graves asking relatives to to report,” says Renzler. After the deadline, the graves were then cleared.
In the meantime, however, the war graves commission “Black Cross” was involved. “Without any doubt and without any discussion, this case is a war grave within the meaning of the War Graves Act. An eternal right of rest for the deceased is attached to this. As a result, the municipality of Gries is not amenable to relinquishing the cemetery in question.” , writes Hermann Hotter, the government administrator of the OSK, in a letter to the municipality.
Plaque to come
Since it is not 100 percent certain that the person concerned is buried in this exact spot, if the tomb complex is removed, “a plaque commemorating Mr. Collonello Ruggero Manfredini should be placed in a suitable and dignified place in the cemetery”. The community now wants to do the same – if the bereaved don’t thwart the project. The granddaughter from Tuscany was reportedly already in Vinaders. It should be a judge…
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
