Fascist-Era Built Heritage: A Walk through the City of Forlì

fascist-era built heritage: a walk throught the city of forlì

Yair Varon

School of Architecture Ariel University of Israel

In various countries throughout the world, debates are conducted regarding monuments, buildings, sculptures, and works of art that stand out in terms of size and design, and also carry cultural and historical significance. These are works that represent chapters in the nation’s history, and historical figures that have left their mark on its identity and development. In the southern United States, for example, the removal of Confederate monuments placed in public spaces has come to public notice in recent years, especially in light of the political climate in which incidents of racial and minority violence have increased in number. The same phenomenon has been occurring in Eastern European countries. Many of the Communist-era statues placed in city squares were removed by the new rulers who came to power following the collapse of the Communist regime. Some were smashed; others were assembled in open museums for educational purposes. These are now used to promote a discussion about the past, its perceptions, and its implications, rather than commemorating historical achievements and personalities. This phenomenon has also been seen in Italy (Battilani, Bernini, and Mariotti 2018). An article published in New York Magazine in October 2017 under the title “Why Are So Many Fascist Monuments Still Standing in Italy?” launched a public discussion regarding the legitimacy of leaving tangible remains of the Fascist regime in the Italian landscape. American historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat (Ben-Ghiat 2017) has alleged that while the U.S. has been removing Confederate symbols from city squares, especially in the south, and France has renamed streets that paid tribute to Nazi collaborator Marshal Pétain, Italy has allowed Fascist monuments to remain standing, while Italians “live comfortably” with symbols of the Fascist regime found in the public sphere. Ben-Ghiat claims, among other things, that many buildings, including the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in the EUR district in Rome that was built to host the World Exposition in 1942, are relics representing exceptional aggression, and yet are now considered icons of modern architecture. These arguments have stirred debate among the public and in intellectual circles in Italy and elsewhere. In an article published on October 12, 2017 in the online journal QuiComo (Manuela Brancatisano, “Demolire la Casa del Fascio di Como: la provocazione anti fascista che arriva

dall’America”), politician and art critic Vittorio Sgarbi claimed that statements about the illegitimacy of cultural heritage assets deserve condemnation. According to him, “regimes are condemnable, but not the expressions of the regime. A regime cannot be linked to a monument. The article’s author sees Fascism as an absolute evil, and therefore every expression of it is absolutely evil. This approach makes no sense, because it means destroying all of Italy.” Other reactions were even harsher.

Italy’s Relation to Fascist-era Built Heritage

These issues have preoccupied the Italian public for many years, mainly in light of the numerous symbolic structures dotting its urban landscapes,built between 1922 and 1943, under the Fascist rule of Benito Mussolini. Across the country, tangible reminders of the past (wall inscriptions, street names, buildings, and architectural details) are still visible, indicating a period considered by many citizens as a “dark stain” on the country’s history. At the same time, the wide distribution and large number of Fascist-era buildings and sites arouse curiosity and interest that can be harnessed for economic development, especially tourism. One of the most prominent phenomena in Italy is the transformation of “dissonant” cultural heritage assets (patrimonio dissonante) into tourist attractions (Tunbridge and Ashworth, 1996). In the process, historical and architectural landmarks are recast as cultural curiosities. This phenomenon was the focus of a study conducted in 2013 by researchers at the University of Bologna (Battilani, Bernini, and Mariotti 2013), that examined the creation and adaptation of tourism products related to dissonant heritage sites and rationalist architecture in Italy. The purpose of the study was to examine the degree to which residents of the cities of Forlì and Predappio were acquainted with local rationalist heritage assets, and their attitude toward the development of “built heritage” tourism products and toward the area’s history (Battilani et al. 2014). Two cities in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy were selected because of the significant change that has transpired in their image and their relation to the past. What was, in the 1920s and 1930s, a center and a symbol of Mussolini’s Fascist regime, has now become a region offering historical tourism activities. The present research will focus on the actions taken by the city of Forlì following European initiatives.

Forlì, “Città del Duce” – Heritage, Commemoration, and Public Attitudes

The city of Forlì in the Emilia-Romagna region has a rich history of settlement, dating back to ancient times. Over the years, it has become the largest inhabited city in the area and serves as

Figure 1b Former Casa del Balilla, later Casa della GIL “Arnaldo Mussolini” A look at the tower engraved with the young Fascists’ oath

the capital of the Forlì-Cesena province. According to Zanker (Zanker 2000),Forlì’s historical and geographical background facilitated the change in its status in the 1920s, when it became a “symbol city,” with new buildings, architecture, streetscapes, and land usage becoming the means of shaping its identity. From 1922 to 1943, Mussolini transformed the city of Forlì into a showcase of modernity, a kind of Fascist prototype, intended to prove the power of the regime and its acceptance by the population. A completely new urban center was built outside the Old City area, centering on an impressive new avenue called Viale Benito Mussolini (today Viale della Libertà). Other urban

Figure 1a Former Casa del Balilla, later Casa della GIL “Arnaldo Mussolini”

projects developed in the city during these years included a new train station, a youth sports center for the youth movement of the Fascist Party (the GIL) (figs. 1a, 1b), an elementary school (named after Mussolini’s mother, Rosa), the National Academy of Aeronautics (now a school complex) (figs. 2a, 2b), an institute of engineering and agriculture, and a memorial monument to Italian soldiers killed in World War I. In addition, an industrial zone was established, and Italy’s largest military airport was built. As part of the development plan, large parts of the city wall and its historic gates were demolished and replaced by new public buildings and wide avenues (figs. 3a, 3b). Forlì’s status as a “symbol city” of the Mussolini regime made it a major target for occupation by Allied forces during World War II. On November 9, 1944, the British Army entered the city. About a month after the British occupation the city suffered heavy shelling from the Germans. In addition to the many casualties, numerous buildings were demolished in the city’s historical center. Present-day Forlì, with its streets, buildings, and architectural styles, is a kind of open-air museum documenting Italy’s 20-year-long Fascist era, and that era’s perceptions, events, and historical figures. The public and private buildings lining the city streets demonstrate the period’s dominant architectural styles: the eclectic style, the stile littorio (the monumental Fascist style), and

Figure 2b Statue of Icarus (F. S. Palozzi, 1941) Figure 2a former Collegio Aeronautico Bruno Mussolini

the rationalist style. This architectural heritage was the work of the best Italian architects of those years: Gustavo Giovannoni, Cesare Bazzani, Cesare Valle, and others, manifesting historical, urban, and social values that lend the city and its assets the status of a cultural heritage site. Since the 1990s, Forlì’s local leadership has been working to improve the city’s image, both in the eyes of its residents and for tourists. This activity reflects the need to strengthen local identity by providing information and tools that can assist residents in confronting their city’s past. At the same time it promotes the perception of Forlì as a cultural city with valuable assets that can attract tourists. This change of attitude towards the city’s heritage can be seen in the context of a more general change in the approach to the management of controversial heritage assets, which previously were often seen in a negative light. One of Forlì’s first and perhaps most notable steps in this respect was the 2005 opening of the San Domenico Museum (a complex of five buildings, including a church and a monastery), which quickly became the city’s cultural center. The museum assisted in reshaping the city’s image as a cultural hub by incorporating a regional network of art cities (Castellucci & Leech 2018). A few years earlier, in 1999, the San Domenico Museum mounted the seminal exhibition “La Città Progettata” (“The Planned City”), curated by architecture professor Ulisse Tramonti. The exhibition focused on the heritage of rationalist architecture in and around the city of Forlì. The

Figure 3a Piazza Saffi: general view

exhibition launched an unprecedented public debate, begun locally but reaching a national audience, regarding the Fascist regime’s architectural heritage and the various narratives associated with it. The discussion of the technical, stylistic, and aesthetic aspects of architectural works eased the public’s reluctance to engage explicitly with the historical legacy of the period in which these assets were created. After the exhibition, cultural activities continued on the subject of architecture: photography competitions were held, books and guides were published, and cultural meetings were convened to encourage local residents and the general public to take an interest in the city’s architectural heritage.

Dissonant Heritage Tourism: The ATRIUM Project

Another step taken by the city in dealing with the tangible memory of its Fascist past was to join the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. This organization, founded in 1987, aims to promote a European network, as a cross-border phenomenon that represents human rights, cultural diversity, democracy, understanding, tolerance, and the exchange of information and ideas. In 2009, the city of Forlì received a € 2 million grant from the Council of Europe to lead a

Figure 3b Palazzo delle Poste e dei Telegrafi: detail

cross-border cooperation program in southeastern Europe called ATRIUM: Architecture of Totalitarian Regimes of the XX Century in Urban Memory. The project unified, under one title, buildings and landscapes that shared controversial values embodied in a “dissonant” heritage. The purpose of the project was to foster a shared European identity strong enough to deal with uncomfortable aspects of 20th-century history, and to harness the “dissonant heritage” of many European cities in the interests of local development. The project’s rationale was explained by Bodenschatz (2014), who argued that architecture as a phenomenon should be explored not only in light of ideologies and conceptions belonging to specific historical periods, but also with regard to broader time-bound themes such as ways of thought and economic and social theories. With this insight in mind, the project proposed to separate architectural products from the conditions in which they were created. This approach was affirmed in 2014, when the Council of Europe recognized the ATRIUM project as part of the European Cultural Routes Programme. The official recognition was based on unified criteria for the appraisal of the architecture of totalitarian regimes. The structures that qualified for this designation were to be large, prominent buildings having a strong impact on the

urban landscape and expressing a lifestyle dictated and shaped by government institutions. These criteria define a form of culture (Baukultur) that characterized these regimes and should be analyzed in light of broad historical theories and developments. The inclusive approach that characterized the European Council’s official recognition of the ATRIUM project as part of the European Cultural Routes facilitated the promotion of many events related to urban development, restoration and preservation of cultural assets, and tourism activity at sites representing Europe’s dissonant heritage” – a term coined by the EU. In 2018 the project included 18 cities from 11 countries in southeastern Europe (among them Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Croatia) that were subjected to totalitarian regimes during the 20th century and currently manage a dissonant architectural heritage (Castellucci & Leech 2018). The general approach was to blur the direct Figure 4 ATRIUM GO!

relationship between the dates on which the buildings were erected and the architects, historical figures, and ideologies with which they were connected. Instead, project representatives chose to highlight urban day-to-day life, the building’s implications for city structure, and economic and social developments that were not unique to one state but common to all. This choice of neither erasing the past nor emphasizing it was in line with the European approach, according to which the “dissonant” events should be left to public-educational discussion. Recently, the first part of the project was concluded, after 18 months of collaboration between high schools from Italy and Croatia engaged in the study of Fascist rule in the Italian cities of Forlì, Bari, and Ferrara, and the Croatian cities of Zadar and Lavin. The activity took place under the title “ATRIUM GO! – School Tours of Architecture and Power in the Twentieth Century” (fig. 4). It included tours, workshops, meetings, and discussions, as well as mapping and

Figure 5 Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione o del Suffragio (1723-1748)

documenting historical sites and creating touristic routes. These activities were intended not only to promote socio-touristic experience, but also to impart historical information and to generate discussion among students and their instructors. The emphasis throughout the activity was on finding the means of narrating the local dissonant heritage and discussing its meanings. It is important to note that in Forlì, the discourse that has emerged in recent years regarding the Fascist architectural heritage as a cultural resource for tourism development was facilitated by

Figure 6 Symbols on the facade of a former public building

the political atmosphere created by the local leadership. In recent decades, local government has been led by democratic parties who consider the city’s Fascist past part of the agenda of promoting democratic discourse and strengthening local identity. This discourse does not deny or obfuscate the pas, but tries to confront its tangible manifestations still found in the public sphere (figs. 5-6).

Summary

The term “cultural heritage assets” links assets as mediators of the past representing historical phenomena, with their role in the present, mindful of their survival in the future. This study highlights the representational aspects of these structures as expressing past values and conveying cultural messages, as well as their role of promoting economic and political interests, strengthening local pride, generating touristic experiences, and provoking curiosity. The study focuses on cultural assets associated with dissonant, controversial events, which have nevertheless been chosen for preservation and for the promotion of political interests, economic and educational activities, and tourism.

The decision to designate buildings as places of historical-touristic interest was based on another characteristic of the term “cultural heritage assets,” namely – the distinction between the historical story expressed by the property, and its heritage. The buildings’ heritage is in constant change, adapting itself to the desires, needs, and perceptions of the present generation, and, as discussed above – the need to strengthen European cohesive identity and address the trends that call for differentiation and segregation. The fulfillment of this need was based on tourism and educational activities which emphasized the importance of each historical chapter in Europe’s heritage. The selection of cultural heritage assets worthy of being preserved for future generations cannot be separated from the discussion of historical issues and events and their memory, including the role and design of the structures that represent them. Indeed, the purpose of the study was to argue that tangible cultural heritage assets, disputed because of their “dissonant” past, are worthy of attention, examination, and interpretation – as is any other tangible cultural heritage property regarding which there is broad consensus. The interpretation of similar cases should be based not only on the story of the past but also on acquaintance with the present – the contemporary local population, its social and cultural characteristics, desires, needs, and access to the heritage which the city wishes to pass on to future generations. The messages which present-day European and Italian society wishes to convey are of historical continuity and the importance of each link for understanding the historical continuum; of unity, seeing all European countries as having survived the same difficult historical conditions; and a socio-educational message, according to which disagreement on the status of historical values does not preclude public debate, which is seen as a cohesive activity. In recent years, these messages have been used to combat the agenda of political movements in different European countries that emphasize difference and seek to avoid debate with their ideological opponents. The European Parliament’s approach to this issue has been expressed in statements, exhibitions, and conferences held since the 1990s, following the fall of the Iron Curtain and the induction of various Eastern European countries into the European Union. This approach favors highlighting the historical facts, which are to serve an educational purpose. The past is taught in the context of a contemporary, democratic, and inclusive outlook. The historical truth is not presented out of context, and cultural heritage assets that express historical phenomena representing evil, terror, and suffering are not ignored or erased, but rather contained in the context of a strong local identity. This containment approach is viewed by the EU countries as a response to two phenomena: 1) The differences that have always existed between European countries, expressing cultural diversity and including nationalist themes. 2) New political ideologies in different countries that seek to emphasize differences. These two trends are reflected in the preservation of the

tangible relics of Europe’s past, which represent its history as well as the legacy, messages, and insights that have characterized European society. This broad and inclusive approach has room for relics that recall grim and controversial historical events, but their heritage and messages express ideas that are undisputed, such as the importance of the historical continuum, the acceptance of different opinions, and the promotion of collaborative discussion. Viewing European history as consisting of chapters, some dark and some enlightened, and emphasizing historical continuity as that which unifies Europe’s heritage and identity, European institutions call for preserving controversial cultural heritage assets. Furthermore, such representative assets are considered to have additional goals, such as enriching touristic experiences, developing the economy of European cities and villages, and strengthening European identity as one that includes complexities and controversy. The approach of the European official institutions has also been adopted by the Italian state institutions, and the touristic projects they have developed express this approach to their heritage. This is a development that does not deny historical facts but seeks new ways to introduce them to the audience thirsty for new experiences. The new approach “softens” the memories associated with the grief of the past, and is reflected in the selection of cultural heritage assets worth preserving. The attractions that operate in these sites do not overlook their historical uniqueness, but rather highlight their cultural, educational, and social messages.

Fig. 1a: Former Casa del Balilla, later Casa della GIL “Arnaldo Mussolini” The former GIL building (named after Mussolini’s brother Arnaldo, a Fascist journalist and politician) is a milestone in the propagandistic design idiom of the Fascist regime, aimed to control the leisure time of young people and encourage them to engage in sports activities (architect: Cesare Valle, 1935). The building combined various roles, providing physical education facilities and culture and leisure activities. It is divided into three parts designed for different uses: a curved wing contains the library; a cubical wing, where a cinema hall operated; and an H-shaped wing housing an indoor pool and gymnasiums. The building faces Forlì’s main avenue (formerly Viale Mussolini) leading from the train station to the memorial for fallen soldiers. The building is noticeable because of the strong contrast between the brick-clad base and the three dark-colored rendered bodies. (Photo: Yair Varon, June 2019)

Fig. 1b: Former Casa del Balilla, later Casa della GIL “Arnaldo Mussolini” A look at the tower engraved with the young Fascists’ oath After the fall of the Fascist regime on July 25, 1934, a series of iconoclastic acts against Fascist symbols took place on the streets of Forlì. In one of these events, a group of young anti-Fascists climbed to the top of the Casa della GIL and removed the letters of the Fascist oath affixed to the building’s facade. Over the years the traces of the oath gradually faded. In 2009, extensive restoration work was done on the building, but the oath was not restored, though its letters can still be deciphered. This is a reflection of historical development: a relic attesting to an ideological oath taken by youth has become testimony of an act of vandalism as political protest. Today the building hosts important exhibits of totalitarian architecture, as part of the city’s attempts to confront its controversial heritage. The building also offers sports and leisure activities for the public. (Photo: Yair Varon, June 2019)

Fig. 2a: Former Collegio Aeronautico Bruno Mussolini – the Bruno Mussolini National Academy of Aeronautics, named after the Duce’s son Bruno, who was killed serving as a pilot in World War I The building was designed by architect Cesare Valle and built in 1934-1941. It was originally designed as a sports academy, but upon completion, Mussolini personally inaugurated it and decided it would house the National Academy of Aeronautics. In the 1950s the complex served as a cultural center hosting concerts, conferences, exhibitions, and official ceremonies. Today the building houses two schools and a branch of the University of Bologna. Photo:The building’s official entrance, used by the public during ceremonies and events.The entrance features a wide staircase and three massive pillars rising along the entire height of the building and emphasizing the portico, which is detached from the volume of the main building. Positioned next to the staircase is a statue of Icarus. (Photo: Yair Varon, June 2019)

Fig. 2b: Statue of Icarus (F. S. Palozzi, 1941) The statue is located in the front of the former Aeronautics Academy (ex Collegio Aeronautico “Bruno Mussolini”). It portrays the Duce’s son Bruno Mussolini, who was killed serving as a pilot in World War I. (Photo: Yair Varon, June 2019)

Fig. 3a: Piazza Saffi: General View Piazza Saffi was designed to become a functional space for festivities, rallies, and official ceremonies of the Fascist regime. Many of the piazza’s historical structures were demolished to make way for new monumental buildings, whose purpose was to demonstrate the regime’s power. At the northern end of the square stands the Post Office (Palazzo delle Poste e dei Telegrafi, architect: Cesare Bazzani, 1931-1932), one of the most prominent buildings in the central square of the city of Forlì. The impressive building was built in an eclectic classical and neo-Renaissance style and features a symmetrical facade with a double arcade of arched doorways and two side towers. Mussolini inaugurated the post office on October 30, 1932 to mark a decade since Fascism’s rise to power. (Photo: Yair Varon, June 2019)

Fig.3b: Palazzo delle Poste e dei Telegrafi (Post Office, detail) Two circular marble pillars flank the sides of the building. Each pillar is set on a square stone base and is topped by a bronze statue of an eagle. (Photo: Yair Varon, June 2019)

Fig. 4: ATRIUM GO! A marketing booklet for agencies that provide educational tourism activities to schools. One of the products of the ATRIUM project – a cultural route that follows the architecture of totalitarian regimes in Europe in the 20th century. The ATRIUM GO! project offers school tours and youth educational workshops on ‘dissonant heritage’ in the cities of Forlì, Bari, Ferrara (Italy), Zadar, Lavin (Croatia).

Fig. 5: Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione o del Suffragio (1723-1748) The facade of the church at the southern end of Piazza Saffi was completed in 1933 by architect Cesare Bazzani. The facade, like the building plan, is reminiscent of the Church of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale in Rome (designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and completed in 1661). The inscription above the front door indicates the year of completion in Roman letters. Beneath it is another inscription marking the 11th year of Fascist rule: E (ra) F (ascista) A (nno) XI. (Photo: Yair Varon, June 2019)

Fig. 6: Symbols on the facade of a former public building On the facade of the ex Edificio I.N.E.P.S. building (architect: Cesare Valle, 1936-7), today the Forlì Bank located on the Corso Republic, a bullet representing the symbols of the Fascist regime can be seen. (Photo: Yair Varon, June 2019)