Associazione Nazionale Partigiani d'Italia (ANPI; National Association of Italian Partisans) is an association founded by partisans and participants of the Italian Resistance against the Italian fascist regime and the subsequent Nazi occupation during World War II.[2]
ANPI was founded in Rome in 1944,[3] as the war continued in northern Italy. It was constituted as a charitable foundation on 5 April 1945. It persists due to the activity of its anti-fascist members.
After the fall of the Italian Social Republic, the ANPI spread over the country as far as the southern tip of Italy. Most of the partisans who fought came from the center-north of Italy, but there were also members from Yugoslavia, Greece and France.
On 5 April 1945, the day that the ANPI was recognized as a charitable foundation, the association represented all the Italian partisans and was managed by a council reuniting the different brigades that fought in the war (Brigate Garibaldi, Ferruccio Parri’s Giustizia e libertà [it], Brigate Matteotti [it], Mazzini Society, independent groups and Catholic partisans groups), but after the first national congress, which took place in Rome in 1947, problems arose due to different visions of internal and foreign politics within the group.
ANPI's objectives are the maintenance of the historical role of the partisan war by means of research and the collection of personal stories. Its goals are a continued defense against historical revisionism and the ideal and ethical support of the high values of freedom and democracy expressed in the 1948 constitution, in which the ideals of the Italian resistance were collected.[9]
Members
I am a member of ANPI because the resistance is not only part of the past but is still present in current times.
Unlike other veterans' associations, veterans can become ANPI members if they belong to one of the categories listed in Article 23 of its regulations. These include partisans, patriots, soldiers who fought against German soldiers after the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces, prisoners or deportees—during the civil war—for political activities or racial discrimination, imprisoned military persons who did not support the Italian Social Republic, and also all citizens who, without any distinction of age, declare themselves as antifascists, in accordance to ANPI regulations.[11]
With the introduction of a new regulation, approved during the 14th congress,[12] in 2006, ANPI allowed a generational change in the direction of members of the association. In 2010 its membership count was about 110,000 affiliated members.[13][14][15]
In addition to the 10% of members categorized as "historic partisans", 10% of the organization consists of young people between 18 and 30 years of age, and the majority of members (60–65%) are between 35 and 65 years old.
In the three years between 2006 and 2009, membership increased from 83,000 to 110,000,[13] with a great number of young antifascists elected to high-ranking positions at the local and national level.
The association is currently structured with local groups, district groups, council groups, and provincial and regional committees. The association's headquarters are at Via degli Scipioni 271, Rome.
Arrigo Boldrini was the ANPI president from the first congress (1947) until 2006. Until June 2009 Tino Casali was the honorary president, Raimondo Ricci was the national president and Armando Cossutta was the vice-president.[17]
In April 2011 the national committee of the ANPI elected new leadership. Carlo Smuraglia, partisan fighter, lawyer, senator, and labor-rights professor was elected to be the new national president. The following vice-presidents were also elected: Armando Cossutta, Luciano Guerzoni, Giovanna Stanka Hrovatin, Lino "William" Michelini, Carla Nespolo, Marisa Ombra, Alessandro Pollio Salimbeni, and Massimo Rendina.[18] National secretaries include: Carlo Smuraglia (Presidente), Luciano Guerzoni, Marisa Ferro, Marisa Ombra, Carla Argenton, Andrea Liparoto, and Paolo Papotti.[19]
In May 2016 the national committee confirmed the presidency of Carlo Smuraglia, electing Luciano Guerzoni, Carla Nespolo, Marisa Ombra, Alessandro Pollio Salimbeni as vice-presidents.[20]
In 2017, following an announcement by Smuraglia, Carla Nespolo was elected to the office of national president, the first woman to be elected to the position and also the first president not to have participated in the original partisan struggle in WWII. Smuraglia was conferred the title president emeritus.
ANPI publishes a magazine called Patria Indipendente (Independent Nation).[21] Since 2015 it is only published digitally.[22]
The magazine focuses on historical-political issues, noting events related to the Italian resistance and promoting the respect of Constitutional themes.
ANPI national festival
Since 2008, ANPI organizes its national festival. During the event, meetings, debates, and musical concerts that focus on antifascism, peace, and democracy are organized.[23]
