Frequency annual | Date April 25 | |
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Official name Anniversario della liberazione d'Italia Also called Festa della Liberazione, anniversario della Resistenza, 25 Aprile Significance Celebrates the end of the Fascist regime and the end of the Nazi occupation of Italy Similar International Workers' Day, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Easter | ||
Italy's Liberation Day (Festa della Liberazione), also known as the Anniversary of the Liberation (Anniversario della liberazione d'Italia), Anniversary of the Resistance (anniversario della Resistenza), or simply April 25 is a national Italian holiday commemorating the end of the Italian Civil War and the end of Nazi occupation of the country during World War II. This is distinct from the Feast of the Republic (Festa della Repubblica) which takes place on June 2.
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History
The date was chosen by convention, as it was the day of the year 1945 when the National Liberation Committee of Upper Italy (CLNAI) officially proclaimed the insurgency in a radio announcement, announcing the seizure of power by the CLNAI and the death sentence for all fascist leaders (including Benito Mussolini, who was shot three days later).
By May 1, all of northern Italy was liberated, including Bologna (April 21), Genoa (April 23), Milan and Turin (April 25), and Venice (April 28). The liberation put an end to twenty years of fascist dictatorship and five years of war. It symbolically represents the beginning of the historical journey which led to the referendum of June 2, 1946, when Italians opted for an end to the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic, which was followed by the adoption of the republic's Constitution of Italy in 1948.
Institutionalization of the date
The actual date was chosen in 1946, and in most Italian cities, marches and parades are organised to commemorate the event. On April 22, 1946, the Disposizioni in materia di ricorrenze festive ("Provisions on festive occasions") decree created the national holiday. The bill states that Per celebrare la totale liberazione del territorio italiano, il 25 aprile 1946 รจ dichiarato festa nazionale ("In celebration of the total liberation of the Italian territory, April 25, 1946 is declared a national holiday"). On May 27, 1949, bill 260 made the anniversary a permanent, annual national holiday.