History

 

The trekking routes we offer are located  in a portion of the Gothic Line, between Bologna and Modena.

This mountain section was the scene of fierce battles that took place from autumn 1944 to April 1945: the last German efforts to try to stop the Allied victory.

The first itineraries will make you retrace the paths used by American soldiers of the Tenth Mountain Division to defeat the ridge of Mount La Riva and the tip of Mount Belvedere, during the operation called  "Encore" in Feb. 1945.

These troopers had been trained in Colorado on the Rocky Mountains and they had learned advanced techniques for climbing on any kind of slope in risky conditions. They arrived on Apennines with the task of freeing the Mount Belvedere, but they had to release La Riva ridge before.

The operation began at night rising the ridge on five routes individuated earlier, so they catch german Army and conquered the whole ridge; in a short time also Mount Belvedere be held by Allies.

In Autumn there were other attempts to conquer (28th  Oct, 24th Nov, 12th Dec); In December, closed to Mount Belvedere,  died Antionio Giuriolo, Captain Toni from "Brigata Matteotti Montagna".

 

In Gaggio Montano district  the route follows the ridge Ronchidoso – Guanella; in this section are visible some German defensive outposts and various monuments to the Fallen.

In September 1944, durign the construction of difense line called "Greeen Line 2", the retreating Nazi troops were guilty of heinous crimes: in Ronchidoso they massacred 67 civilian in retaliation. The victim relics are conservated inside Cason dell'Alta chapel.

 

Then you arrive at Castel d'Aiano discrit: this village was almost completely destroyed by Allied bombing in November 1944 and it was released only 5th March by  "10th Mountain Division". Americans quartered in the village and Germans posted on the hight around the village.

The final offensive for breaking through of these last outposts began 14th April and in few days the way toward the Plain was now free. As well as many monuments to American and Brazilian soldiers on Monte della Spe are still visible German trenchs and American fox-hole.

 

Our route now offers a descent towards the river Reno passing through tracts where worked the partisan brigade "Stella Rossa"  lead by Mario Musolesi. This brigade was formed spontaneously in Autumn '43 in Vado and since begginning had  taken important sabotages of German convoys both both in Reno than Setta valley.

 

During summer of 1944 in Monte Sole e Monte Vignola area, due to several clashes with Nazi-Fascist troops, the population suffered raids that led in some cases to the killing of civilians.

From Reno river you'll climb to the top of Monte Sole, that was the scene of the massacre with the highest number of civil victims during the II World War in West Europe.

 

In Monte Sole died 800 people mostly children, women and aged.

 

Our itinerary takes you inside the Historic Park of Monte Sole  for visiting the scene of the massacre.

Inside the protected area everything stopped at Summer '44

 

 

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