German WWII Fortifications and Historical Resources of Lake Garda
The German fortifications of World War II, the humble goats as a key economic resource of the past, and even more. These are the main topics of the latest issue of Giurisdizione di Pénede, the 14th volume in the series published by the Gruppo Culturale di Nago-Torbole. It is the engineer Giorgio Cocconcelli who covers the defensive works in Alto Garda. Part of the Blaue Linie, built on Hitler’s orders in 1944.
Defense works and fortified lines
This refers to a series of positions and anti-aircraft shelters, walkways, some of which reuse remnants of the defensive lines built during the previous Great War, traces of which still remain along the entire northern shore of Lake Garda.
Ferdinando Martinelli, on the other hand, discusses the history of a never-realized project: the Gardesana railway. It was supposed to connect Verona to Riva. Discussions began at the end of the last century, and it was even designed, but nothing was ever built due to political reasons.
The historical reconstruction of the goat
Back then, there was still a border broadly between Trentino and Italy. A particularly interesting and at the same time curious historical reconstruction of the goat’s epic has been written by Giovanni Berti. It recalls in detail, well known to the elders, the times when the animal was abundant in Torbole, but especially in Nago.
An animal that, according to those who lived through those times and know well, would deserve a monument—since it was fundamental, often the only resource for many disadvantaged families, regardless of its reputation as a pest to vegetation.
Remembrances and restorations
There are also pages dedicated to memories: those (many) of Elfriede (an Austrian with Torbole origins) and Giacomo Nones. Nones’ memories evoke the figure of his father, a teacher of generations of students.
The section concludes with archaeological findings of fragments of pottery by Tullio Pasquali and the restoration of the S. Andrea church, carried out by Aldo Miorelli.