Today was celebrated April 25th. They told us again, with a solemn voice, the story of a people who knew how to redeem themselves, who chose freedom and democracy, who turned the page with courage and dignity.
The institutions laid wreaths, the authorities gave vibrant speeches, the squares filled with flags and hymns. There was talk of unity, of shared values, of memories to be preserved. It was reiterated that April 25 is a celebration for everyone, the day on which Italy found itself again.
In some cities there were moments of tension during the marches, with protests and clashes between different groups of demonstrators. Episodes that highlight how the memory of the Resistance is still a ground of confrontation and, at times, of division.
On the other hand, if even today we childishly deny that we lost the last conflict – and we are happy to call an “armistice” an “unconditional surrender” – what objectivity can we ever represent when we try to leave our enclosure?
No mention was made of the complexities, the contradictions, the unhealed wounds. No mention was made of the summary purges, the vendettas or the mistakes committed in the name of justice (before and after April 25, 1945).
Freedom requires vigilance and verification. Fortunately, we live today in a democratic Italy with free information as a guarantee...
The rhetoric of April 25 offers us a reassuring image, but it risks transforming memory into ritual, history into myth, human reflection into parrot-like celebration.
Photo: Presidency of the Council of Ministers
