In the last few days we have been talking a lot about Except for purchaseyoung Italian carabiniere known to the historical news for sacrificing himself to save a group of civilians, give a Nazi retaliation during the Second World War. On February 24, in fact, Pope Francis authorized the Dicastery of the causes of the saints to promulgate the decree that recognizes “the offer of life” of Salvo D’Acquisto, bringing the young carabiniere closer to the beatification.
On September 23, 1943, in fact, while the deputy abbigadier was in service in Torrimpietra (town in the province of Rome), a brigade of German soldiers captured some Italian civilians during a raking, and threatened to execute them in response to a partisan attack. Purchase, who was only 23 years old at the time, although not involved in the attack offered in place of those innocent, and the Germans executed it. Precisely for this heroic action – a symbol of love for his homeland – was awarded the gold medal for military valor.
Who was safe and what he did
Salvo D’Acquisto was born on October 15, 1920 a Naplesfirst of five children of a deeply Catholic family. After attending several schools and the Conservatory, in 1939 he enlisted in the carabinieri. He attended the Carabinieri Student School of Rome, and the following year he was assigned to the second carabinieri division “Podgora”. Later, he participated in the North Africa campaignwhere he was mobilized with the 608th Carabinieri Section of the 13th Air Division “Pegaso” a Benghazi. During the conflict, he was injured and was hospitalized for several weeks due to malaria.
In 1942, he returned to Italy and attended an accelerated course to become vicebrigadier (If you are questioning your duties, this figure must coordinate and supervise a carabinieri station and can be responsible for certain operations), obtaining the degree on December 15 of the same year. In short, a flash career that allocated him to the Carabinieri station of Torrinpietranear Rome.
The accident that led to the retaliation of the Germans
After September 8, 1943, following the proclamation Badoglio – that is, the armistice between Italy and the allies that actually marked the end of the Italian participation in the Second World War alongside Nazi Germany – about 25 German divisions settled in Italy. The Nazi occupation, which mainly affected the center and the north of the country, entailed the presence of numerous departments, and among them there was also that of the German paratroopers of the 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division who settled near Torre Perla di Palidoro, who was under the jurisdiction of the station in which he served Salvo d’Acquisto.
On September 22 of that year, some of the German soldiers were inspecting old ammunition seized by the Guardia di Finanza, when they were affected by theexplosion of a hand bomb, or perhaps by some devices used for illegal fishing. Two of the paratroopers died instantly, and two others were injured.
The commander of the department immediately attributed the responsibility of the accident to “Acts of sabotage by local unknown“And he asked the carabinieri to collaborate to find the culprits within the dawn, otherwise there would have been a retaliation. The purchase deputy vicebrigadier, who in those days commanded the station in the absence of the marshal, tried to explain that the accident had been completely random and that there was no malice behind. retaliation would arrive.
At dawn of September 23, the Nazi department began to rake the area, and he stopped 24 people (23 men and a boy) chosen at random among the inhabitants. Twenty -two of them were brought to the place of execution, the main square of Palidoro, waiting to be shot.
Because of purchase it was shot
The same purchase came forcedly taken from the barracks by a group of armed Germans and was taken to the square, where the hostages had already been gathered. After keeping a Farorsa interrogation During which all the hostages declared themselves innocent, Angelo Amadio was also brought to the square, that the Nazis believed to be colleague of D’Acquisto, and that he would witness as a witness to what was about to happen. When the deputy abbigader was asked to repeat the name of the men present in front of him aloud, he refused, because he knew they were not responsible for that accidental explosion. Precisely for this act of disobedience he was separated by all and beaten and beaten by some men of the German ward.
After this fact, the hostages and the young vicebrigadier were transferred out of the town (near the Torre di Palidoro). Vanghe was given to the first dig the common pit in which they would end A few hours later. Then the Nazis prepared for shooting. At the last moment, however, suddenly one of the German officers freed the prisoners and met them at home. Only two men remained: Amadio and purchase.
Amadio, who was actually not a carabiniere but a railway operator, was the last to give way, and the last to see alive of purchase, that he had taken on all the fault of what happened to free the innocent to his shoulders.
Once the prisoners on the run towards the country were over the edge of the horizon, the deputy thudrigadier remained in front of the platoon, then came executed. His last words, aloud, were: “Long live Italy!” As Amadio witnessed, who telling the facts in 1957 he said:
We had already resigned ourselves to our destiny, when the non -commissioned officer began to speak with an officer through the interpreter. What D’Acquisto said to the officer in question is not given to know. The fact is that after a while we were all released: I was the last to get away from this location, but I felt his last cry: “Long live Italy!”
Amadio, among the branches, saw the soldiers while covering the body of purchasing with soil, moving it coarsely with their feet.
The temperament of the young carabiniere had very impressed the Germans, who the following day in the country said:
Your brigadier died as a hero. Impassive also in the face of death.
For this heroic gesture, on February 25, 1945, the gold medal for military value was conferred on D’Ac D’Acquisto. Its body rests today in the left side chapel of the Basilica of Santa Chiara of Naples.
Salvo’s beatification Purchase by Pope Francis
The blessed purchase process, which recognizes its heroic sacrifice and courage as Example of Christian virtuewas started in 1983 by Catholic Church. The young man was declared Servant of Godas the first step towards beatification: this means that the Church has started to study her life, its virtues and martyrdom. In 1992, D’Acquis was also declared martyr from the congregation for the causes of the saints.
The cause of beatification continued its path, and in 2013 Pope Francis authorized the decree that recognized his heroicity of virtues.
On February 24, during the hearing granted to Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Secretary of State) and Monsignor Edgar Peña Parra (substitute for general affairs), the Pope – currently hospitalized at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome – authorized the Dicastery of Causes of the saints to promulgate the decrees concerning the offer of the life of the deputy abbigadier.
In any case, the final step for beatification is the recognition of a miracle attributed to its intercessionwhich must be verified and approved by the Church.
