^{(“Rastrellamento”, xilografia di Adolfo Balduini)}
Barga is preparing to recall a dramatic episode of its history during the Second World War, what is known by all as “Battle of Sommocolonia”. In that incident, which occurred on December 26, 1944, the small mountain village was the scene of a violent confrontation between German troops barricaded the Apennines and the allies – at that time there with the 92nd Division Buffalo – that kept the position in country. Even civilians were involved in a battle that left more than 100 field vittime.Ogni year by the town of Barga and associations remember that time and celebrate the anniversary of the fallen, but this year – the 70th anniversary of period more intense and bloody war in Barga – other initiatives are planned in a continuum already launched in October to mark the arrival of the Allies in our territory.A working group coordinated by the administration has therefore drawn up a number of the initiatives to anticipate and amplify the memory of the tragic events of December 26, 1944.

The main day will be December 13 next, when it will be inaugurated at the rooms of memory, a new exhibition dedicated to the passage of the front from the territory of Barga, in collaboration with the Association of Recreational Sommocolonia, which over the years has set up a small but it provided that the museum collects objects, documents and relics of the time. Exhibited in the same venue also material from the historical museum of the Resistance of Lucca chaired by Andrea Giannasi.

Together with the opening of the exhibition and the whole day will then be distributed according to the number of the magazine “The Seventieth”, a special key papers, testimonies and images on the ‘tragic Christmas Barga’, when not only was the scene Sommocolonia homonymous battle but the capital itself was repeatedly bombed and its people forced to flee to neighboring countries manned by allied commands.

In the evening the celebrations will become more intimate feel with a show that will be held at the theater of Different to relive the drama of those days.

Valeria Belloni and Alessandro de Lutri The Fortunate Exceptions will read excerpts from books-paper Bruno Sereni and Solace Wales Sheets where are collected the vivid memories of those who were there. The narrative voices will be interspersed with gospel choirs just like when, seventy years ago, in the church of Sommocolonia, echoed by the voice of many black soldiers present who wanted to celebrate Christmas together with civilians.

It will be a moment of participation and remember that promises to be strong, intense, evocative, just to make it clear to us what our grandparents saw and lived.

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