Dongo, Lake Como
27-28 April 1945, Dongo, Italy. After the partisans had received information about a German military convoy moving along the west side of Lake Como, they set up a road block at the mouth of a tunnel near the village of Musso to intercept it. It was here that it was found the lorries were carrying the fascist leader Benito Mussolini, his mistress and a number of his party aides.
The Germans had been trying to take Mussolini and his supporters to safety as the fascists were on the verge of defeat and there was considerable danger for them to have remained in Italy. Although Mussolini had been given a German overcoat and helmet in an attempt to disguise him, one of the partisans was quickly able to recognise him.
Following negotiations with the partisans, the Germans handed over the Italians in return for their own safe passage: the captives were taken to the town of Dongo, a short distance north along the lakeside, and secured at the Municipio (town hall), which is the cream coloured building in this picture.
It is believed that Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci, were taken to a separate location - the village of Germasino - at some point during the day: the following day, 28 April 1945, they were taken to another nearby village, Mezeggra, where they were both shot.
As regards the remaining fascists, the partisan leaders deemed for 15 of them to be executed, which appears to have been a direct reprisal for an earlier fascist attack on the partisans, which left 15 dead, the previous August.
From contemporary photos I saw at the museum, when I visited in 2010, it seems the fascists were trooped from the town hall and stood up in a line, against the railings seen in this picture, looking out over the lake, and were then shot from behind.
The same photos I saw showed railings with three horizontal bars. Most of Dongo's waterfront has now been fitted with newer railings, but along the section where the executions took place it seems the originals have been retained.
Dongo, Lake Como
27-28 April 1945, Dongo, Italy. After the partisans had received information about a German military convoy moving along the west side of Lake Como, they set up a road block at the mouth of a tunnel near the village of Musso to intercept it. It was here that it was found the lorries were carrying the fascist leader Benito Mussolini, his mistress and a number of his party aides.
The Germans had been trying to take Mussolini and his supporters to safety as the fascists were on the verge of defeat and there was considerable danger for them to have remained in Italy. Although Mussolini had been given a German overcoat and helmet in an attempt to disguise him, one of the partisans was quickly able to recognise him.
Following negotiations with the partisans, the Germans handed over the Italians in return for their own safe passage: the captives were taken to the town of Dongo, a short distance north along the lakeside, and secured at the Municipio (town hall), which is the cream coloured building in this picture.
It is believed that Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci, were taken to a separate location - the village of Germasino - at some point during the day: the following day, 28 April 1945, they were taken to another nearby village, Mezeggra, where they were both shot.
As regards the remaining fascists, the partisan leaders deemed for 15 of them to be executed, which appears to have been a direct reprisal for an earlier fascist attack on the partisans, which left 15 dead, the previous August.
From contemporary photos I saw at the museum, when I visited in 2010, it seems the fascists were trooped from the town hall and stood up in a line, against the railings seen in this picture, looking out over the lake, and were then shot from behind.
The same photos I saw showed railings with three horizontal bars. Most of Dongo's waterfront has now been fitted with newer railings, but along the section where the executions took place it seems the originals have been retained.