Tunnel Rescue in Sempione: "A Model for Future Generations" - Varzo's Recollection
A Memorial in Piazza 22 Aprile, Varzo:
A monument stands proud in Piazza 22 Aprile, a testament to a daring rescue operation by local partisans that saved the Sempione railway tunnel. On a crisp spring weekend, locals and visitors gathered to pay homage to the events that unfolded in the stunning Val Divedro from April 21 to 22, 1945.
"The monument is a poignant reminder of an essential moment in our community's history," said Mayor Bruno Stefanetti.
The commemoration was part of the initiatives spearheaded by the municipal administration as part of the 80th anniversary of the Liberation. In 2019, the square in front of the train station was renamed Piazza XXII Aprile, a nod to the crucial role the Sempione gallery played in the region's story.
Stefanetti explained, "The preservation of the Sempione gallery was the final act of the Garibaldini in Ossola."
As the war neared its end, the retreating German troops stored a substantial amount of explosives near the railway station, aiming to destroy the tunnel and impede the railway connection between Ossola and Switzerland.
The Mayor of Varzo added, "At a strategic level, the operation had immense importance."
Thanks to intelligence from Swiss services and aid from local residents, the partisans managed to thwart this plan, ultimately averting potential damage to the Sempione gallery that could have had far-reaching implications for relations between nations.
"Eighty years later, we can say that it was a significant act not just in terms of strategy but also in terms of image and ideology," said Stefanetti.
These sentiments were echoed by Matteo Giorgetti of the Casa della Resistenza during the event. Giorgetti underscored the importance of actions like these in inspiring future generations, despite the considerable passage of time. The explosives meant to bring destruction were safely neutralized without any loss of life.
In the afternoon, Elena Mastretta, the director of the Historical Institute of the Resistance of Novara and Vco, presented a reprint of the book "Sempione '45: The Rescue of the Tunnel" by Guido Petter. Born in Luino, Petter was a scholar and children's writer who participated in the resistance movement in Ossola and on Lake Maggiore. Local and Swiss historians followed with in-depth analyses, and the ceremony concluded with certificates presented to former mayors of Varzo.
In honor of brave partisans who risked their lives to save the Sempione tunnel and safeguard its vital role in Italy and Switzerland's history, both nations have strengthened their friendship—a testament to the power of unity and perseverance.
- The preservation of the Sempione tunnel in 1945 had immense importance, as it prevented potential damage that could have had far-reaching implications for relations between Italy and Switzerland.
- The operation to save the Sempione railway tunnel was a significant act not just in terms of strategy but also in terms of image and ideology, according to Mayor Bruno Stefanetti.
- Matteo Giorgetti of the Casa della Resistenza emphasized the importance of actions like those that saved the Sempione tunnel in inspiring future generations, despite the considerable passage of time.
- Thanks to the daring rescue operation by local partisans, the Sempione railway tunnel was saved, and both Italy and Switzerland have strengthened their friendship—a testament to the power of unity and perseverance.
