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34-636: The division's lineage begins with the Brigade "Venezia" established on 1 November 1883 in Alessandria with the 83rd and 84th infantry regiments. The brigade fought on the Italian front in World War I . On 10 November 1926 the brigade assumed the name of XIX Infantry Brigade and received the 70th Infantry Regiment "Ancona" from the disbanded Brigade "Ancona" . The brigade was the infantry component of

68-470: A large sum owed him by the government. Of the 230 Jews living in the city in 1684, 170 were members of the Vitale family. The Jewish Ghetto was established in 1724. Between 1796 and 1814, among the rest of Italian Jewry, the city Jewish congregation was emancipated, under French influence. According to Benito Mussolini 's census in 1938, the town had 101 Jews. On 13 December 1943 the synagogue on Via Milano

102-570: A new big Cittadella on the left side of the river Tanaro, across from the city. With Napoleon's success at the Battle of Marengo (1800) , Alessandria fell to France and became the capital of the Napoleonic Département of Marengo . During this period another substantial fort was built to the north of the city containing impressive and substantial barracks which are still used as military headquarters and stores (2006). The remains of

136-515: A second fort to the south of the city (Cristo quarter) have been sliced in two by a railway (Forte ferrovia); a third one still remains in the middle of the same quarter (Forte Acqui). From 1814 Alessandria was Savoyard territory once more, part of the Kingdom of Sardinia . During the years of the Risorgimento , Alessandria was an active centre of the liberals. In a suburb, Spinetta Marengo,

170-534: Is also a major railway hub . Alessandria was founded in 1168 with a charter as a free comune; it was sited upon a preexisting urban nucleus, to serve as a stronghold for the Lombard League , defending the traditional liberties of the communes of northern Italy against the Imperial forces of Frederick Barbarossa . Alessandria stood in the territories of the marchese of Montferrat , a staunch ally of

204-492: Is moderate, with two minimums (summer and winter) and two maximums in autumn and spring. Alessandria railway station , opened in 1850, forms part of the Turin–Genoa railway . It is also a junction for six other lines, to Piacenza , Novara , Pavia , Cavallermaggiore , Ovada and San Giuseppe di Cairo , respectively. The town's professional football team is US Alessandria . Their stadium also hosts Juventus Next Gen ,

238-643: The Second Battle of Tembien , attacking on 26 February 1936 near Shire . On 2 March 1936 the division destroyed a large Ethiopian formation near Mai Nebri in Eritrea. On 3 March 1936 the division was in pursuit of retreating Ethiopian troops along the Tacazze river. The division then returned to Inda Silasē near Shire on 4 March 1936. On 5–7 March 1936 the division reached the town of Indabaguna, on 9 March 1936 Debarq , and on 2 April 1936 Dabat . The division

272-539: The attack on Greece the division was ordered on 26 October 1940 to move to Korçë near the border with Greece . On 2 November the division moved to the south of Lake Prespa to parry an anticipated Greek attack. Its defence stretched along the Zaroshkë - Bilisht - Kapshticë line. On 3 November 1940 Greek forces attacked the division's right flank. Although the Venezia initially held the position by 4–5 November 1940 it

306-601: The 19th Territorial Division of Florence , which also included the 19th Artillery Regiment . In 1934 the division changed its name to 19th Infantry Division " Gavinana ". In preparation for the Second Italo-Ethiopian War the division was mobilized on 28 March 1935 and shipped to Eritrea . The division was deployed near the Ethiopian border in the Adi Quala and Enda-Ghergis area. On 3 October 1935

340-550: The Battle of Marengo is reenacted annually, on 14 June. Alessandria was the first capital of an Italian province to be governed by a Socialist : the clockmaker Paolo Sacco was elected mayor on 25 July 1899. Owing to its marshalling yard and the bridges on the Tanaro and Bormida, Alessandria was a strategic military target during World War II and was subjected to intense Allied bombing (especially during Operation Strangle ),

374-563: The Devoll river, while the Greeks intensified their attacks on the retreating Italians on 17–19 November. On 21 November 1940 the Venezia lost contact with its neighbouring Italian forces on its southern flank and the division had to made a stand at the Pogradec – Buçimas – Bregu i Zervaskës line on the southern tip of Lake Ohrid . The Greeks resumed their attack 26 November 1940 and the Venezia

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408-641: The East of Tirana . On 24 August 1939 the 41st Infantry Division "Firenze" was raised in Florence as replacement for the Venezia, which was to be based permanently in the Italian protectorate of Albania . On 10 June 1940, the day of Italy's entry into World War II, the Venezia was patrolling the Albanian-Yugoslav border in the area between the Drin valley and Bulqizë . As part of Italy's preparation for

442-594: The Emperor, with a name assumed in 1168 to honour the Emperor's opponent, Pope Alexander III . In 1174–1175 the fortress was sorely tested by the Imperial siege and stood fast. A legend (related in Umberto Eco 's book Baudolino , and which recalls one concerning Bishop Herculanus ’ successful defence of Perugia several centuries earlier) says it was saved by a quick-witted peasant, Gagliaudo: he fed his cow with

476-750: The Kingdom of Italy . Alessandria Alessandria ( Italian: [alesˈsandrja] ; Piedmontese : Lissandria [liˈsɑŋdrja] ) is a city and commune in Piedmont , Italy , and the capital of the Province of Alessandria . It is also the largest municipality of the region. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, about 90 kilometres (56 miles) east of Turin . Alessandria

510-679: The Tanaro flooded a good part of the city, causing major damage, especially in the Orti quarter. The first known Jews in Alessandria, named Abraham (son of Joseph Vitale de Sacerdoti Cohen) opened a loan bank in or about 1490. In 1590, the Jews were expelled from the Duchy of Milan , and one of Abraham's descendants travelled to Madrid , which ruled the Duchy and was permitted to stay in the town due to

544-688: The Venezia reached Ersekë on the Greek border. In July 1941 the division was transferred to Podgorica in Montenegro and in August moved its headquarter to Berane in the Montenegrin Sandžak . The division also garrisoned Kolasin and from February 1942 also Pljevlja , which became the base of the newly arrived 383rd Infantry Regiment "Venezia". Throughout its time in Montenegro the division

578-561: The army of Gian Galeazzo Visconti , commanded by Jacopo dal Verme , heavily defeated the French army led by Jean III of Armagnac in Alessandria. In 1450 Alessandria passed with their possessions to the Sforza , following the career of Milan , until 1707, when it was ceded to the House of Savoy and henceforth formed part of Piedmont . The new domination was evidenced by the construction of

612-457: The city. The Emperor, fearing that the siege would last too long, left Alessandria free (malaria was probably the real cause of his departure). A statue of Gagliaudo can be found on the left corner of the city cathedral. Alessandria entered into jealous conflicts with the older communes of the region, in particular with Asti . In 1348 Alessandria fell into the hands of the Visconti . In 1391

646-588: The division be split in smaller units and so six brigades were formed, each one centered around one of the brigade's infantry battalions: On 2 December 1943 in Pljevlja the remaining Italian soldiers of the Venezia and 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" , together with remnants of the 155th Infantry Division "Emilia" , approximately 16,000 men in total, were grouped together in the Division "Garibaldi" . The division consisted of three brigades of 5,000 men each, with

680-517: The division being stranded by 9 December 1940 on the Breshenihcut mountain. These troops were rescued on 23–24 December 1940. In early 1941 the division was reinforced by the 72nd CC.NN. Legion "Luigi Farini". Despite these reinforcement and severe weather conditions the Venezia's positions continued to crumble, resulting in the failure of the Kungullit mountain defence on 7 January 1941. This

714-459: The division crossed the Mareb River and took an Ethiopian fortified position at De’āro Teklē. On 4 October 1935 the division captured the town of Ādī Ābun and on 6 October 1935 it entered Adwa . The advance then stopped, as several battles were fought around Adwa, in particular at Inda Mīka’ēl to the south of the town. After the Ethiopian counterattack had stalled, the division participated in

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748-701: The division, changed its name to "Venezia" and dissolved the XIX Infantry Brigade, with the infantry regiments coming under direct command of the division. On the same date the 19th Artillery Regiment was given the name "Venezia". On 15 September 1939 the division ceded the 87th Infantry Regiment "Friuli" to the 20th Infantry Division "Friuli" . The April 1939 the Venezia was mobilized for the invasion of Albania , landing in Durrës in Albania on 25–30 April 1939 and then occupying Elbasan and Pogradec to

782-476: The last grain remaining within the city, then took it outside the city walls until he reached the Imperial camp . Here he was captured, and his cow cut open to be cooked: when the Imperials found the cow's stomach filled with grain, Gagliaudo was asked the reason to waste such a rich meal. He answered that he was forced to feed his cow with grain because there was such a lot of it, and no room to place it within

816-601: The most serious being the raids of 30 April 1944, with 238 dead and hundreds wounded, and 5 April 1945, with 160 deaths, among them 60 children from the children's asylum in Via Gagliaudo. Altogether, 559 people were killed by air raids on Alessandria, which destroyed or badly damaged a thousand buildings. On 29 April 1945 the city was liberated from the German occupation (1943–1945) by the partisan resistance and troops of Brazilian Expeditionary Force . On 6 November 1994

850-733: The regiments of the 19th Infantry Division "Venezia" Italy's highest military honor, the Gold Medal of Military Valor . The division's commanding officers were: The names of twelve men attached to the division can be found in the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects (CROWCASS) set up by the Anglo-American Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force in 1945. The names can be found at: Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects from

884-666: The remaining Italian troops, mostly artillery, signals, engineer, and medical specialists, becoming instructors. Integrated into the Partisan 2nd Corps the division fought in Yugoslavia until February 1945, when the remaining 3,800 troops were repatriated via the liberated Dubrovnik . Attached from 1941: For their conduct after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile the President of Italy awarded on 15 March 1950 to

918-860: The reserve team for Serie A club Juventus Turin . Alessandria is twinned with: Kapshtic%C3%AB Coordinates : 40°36′9″N 21°0′36″E  /  40.60250°N 21.01000°E  / 40.60250; 21.01000 Village in Korçë, Albania Kapshticë Village [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Kapshticë Coordinates: 40°36′9″N 21°0′36″E  /  40.60250°N 21.01000°E  / 40.60250; 21.01000 Country [REDACTED]   Albania County Korçë Municipality Devoll Municipal unit Qendër Bilisht Time zone UTC+1 ( CET )  • Summer ( DST ) UTC+2 ( CEST ) Postal Code 7006 Kapshticë

952-521: Was attacked by supporters of the Italian Social Republic . Books and manuscripts were taken out of the synagogue and were set on fire at Piazza Rattazzi. In total, 48 Jews were deported from the province of Alessandria, most of them to Auschwitz where they were murdered. Alessandria is located in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa ), the city has moderately cold winters and hot, sultry summers. Rainfall

986-552: Was forced to retreat to the Shkumbin river valley after being outflanked on its right on 29 November 1940. The division's rearguards fought a delaying battle on 1–7 December 1940 at the outskirts of Pogradec and on the southern shores of Lake Ohrid , from Kalasë to as far south as the Qafa e Vashës pass. The outstretched southern flank of the Venezia was retreating to the north, but the rapid Greek advance resulted in some elements of

1020-563: Was locked in fighting with Yugoslav partisans . On 17 June 1943 the 383rd Infantry Regiment "Venezia" was assigned to the Territorial Defense Command Albania and moved to Tirana . After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943, the German 118th Jäger Division and Yugoslav Chetniks demanded the Venezia disarm, but both were refused. While the 383rd Infantry Regiment "Venezia" in Tirana

1054-486: Was pushed out of Kapshticë , Bilisht and Bitincke, falling back to the Devoll river. Consequently, the Greeks shifted the focus of their attacks on the centre and left (northern) flank of the Venezia, but without much success despite heavy fighting on 8–15 November 1940. On 16 November the Venezia was outflanked by the Greek breakthrough to Ersekë . The Venezia tried to rectify this by pulling back its southern flank from

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1088-499: Was quickly forced to surrender by invading German forces , the Venezia's commander General Giovanni Battista Oxilia was able to consolidate his forces at Berane and maintain discipline. On 10 October the division entered the 2nd Corps of Tito 's National Liberation Army and on 13 October 1943 the division began an offensive against Wehrmacht forces in Brodarevo , Murina , Berane and Kolašin . The new situation required that

1122-510: Was relieved from frontline duties on 22 April 1936 and sent to Axum . For the rest of war it participated in mopping-up operations around Mendefera . After the war the division returned to Italy. On 9 March 1937 the 70th Infantry Regiment "Ancona" left the division and moved to Libya to join the 61st Infantry Division "Sirte" . On the same day the division raised the 87th Infantry Regiment "Friuli" in Arezzo as replacement. On 15 April 1939

1156-526: Was the last major defeat for the Venezia, as the fighting's intensity began to decrease in January–March 1941. On 7 April 1941 a last Greek attack on Qafa e Vashës occurred. On 14 April 1941 the Italian forces began a general offensive. The Venezia advanced first to Pogradec , and then turned south to Maliq and Korçë , capturing both on 15 April 1941, without meeting sustained resistance. On 18 April 1941

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