"We wanted to show with this event that this is not just a place of commemoration but a place of reflection looking to the future. A place of historical memory, but also a place of the future, of the environment and of education ". Thus the commander general of the Carabinieri, general of the army corps Giovanni Nistri, described the meaning of the new historical and environmental museum center inaugurated at the Palidoro Tower.
There where the Deputy Brigadier of the Carabinieri Salvo D'Acquisto shed his blood on 23 September 1943, there is now a museum complex with a space dedicated to him, set in the context of the redevelopment of the area. The medieval Torre di Palidoro was restored by the Lazio Region in order to make the complex usable, the management of which was entrusted to the Carabinieri who arranged the interior space of the building guaranteeing its opening to the public. The weapon also provided for the recovery of the relevant green area, by the staff of the Carabinieri Biodiversity Group, ensuring respect for the pre-existing vegetation and the gradual reintroduction of native plant species typical of the protected area. Particular importance has been attributed to the creation of an environmental didactic path, with the creation of a “Classroom in the Woods” in order to make the area accessible to schoolchildren, as well as spaces dedicated to rest and reflection.
The museum project consists of two parts, which illustrate some of the events of the carabinieri in the years from 1940 to 1946 as well as the details of the life of Salvo D'Acquisto, from childhood to his heroic deed. It was inaugurated in the presence of the Minister of Defense, Hon. Lorenzo Guerini - who cut the inaugural ribbon - accompanied by the president of the Lazio regional council, the Hon. Nicola Zingaretti, by the chief of defense staff, air squad general Enzo Vecciarelli, by the general commander of the Carabinieri, army corps general Giovanni Nistri, and by the Hero's brother, prof. Alessandro D'Acquisto. The presentation was by the interregional commander "Podgora", general of the army corps Ilio Ciceri.
Minister Guerini said: "From Palidoro, in memory of Salvo D'Acquisto's sacrifice, I wish to renew my heartfelt and profound thanks to all the carabinieri, who wherever they are called to work, contribute to preserving the civil values that we have conquered at a hard price and for the which, seventy-seven years ago, Salvo D'Acquisto sacrificed his life. The gesture of the young Deputy Brigadier is the symbol of the spirit of sacrifice and dedication of the weapon to the service of others and even today his figure, his message and his example are a point of reference for all the Italian carabinieri " .
The ceremony took place on the occasion of the celebration of the centenary of the birth and the 77th anniversary of the sacrifice of the life of Deputy Brigadier Salvo D'Acquisto, for which he was awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor in memory. The defense minister, the commander general and the authorities also placed a laurel wreath at the foot of the stele erected in memory of the decorated young man. Salvo D'Acquisto was shot by the Nazis in this very park, after offering his person in place of 22 civilians who represented the innocent victims of a reprisal.
"The approaching centenary", General Nistri remarked,"it reminds us of birth that is opposed to death, like a grain of wheat that by dying has produced its fruits that will also go beyond the historical fact. And so we wanted this day to be an exemplification of the fruits that grow".
Deputy Brigadier Unless PURCHASE
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was born in Naples on October 15, 1920, the first of five children, and by his parents, Salvatore D'ACQUISTO worker of Palermo origin and Ines MARIGNETTI housewife;
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at fourteen he left his studies to work with an uncle to contribute to the economic hardships of the family;
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on 15 August 1939 he enlisted in the Carabinieri: it is a road already traveled by his grandfather and two maternal uncles who were marshals, and by a paternal uncle, a carabiniere;
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on January 15, 1940 he was promoted to Carabiniere;
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on 10 February 1940 he was assigned to the Legion of Rome and assigned to the Nucleus for war fabrications;
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on 28 October 1940 he was mobilized and assigned to the 608th Section CC RR for the “Pegaso” Air Division of the Italian Air Force, reaching Tripolitania with his section;
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on 13 September 1942 he returned to his homeland to attend the 1st accelerated course for non-commissioned officers;
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on 15 December of the same year he was promoted to Deputy Brigadier;
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on 22 December 1942 he arrives, in secondary order, at the Carabinieri Station of Torrimpietra, of which he assumes command in the SV;
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on 23 September 1943 the Germans, in retaliation following the death, probably accidental, of one of their soldiers, were preparing to shoot twenty-two innocent inhabitants of Torrimpietra, when the young Deputy Brigadier took responsibility for that death, paying for salvation with his life hostages.
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Motivation for the Gold Medal for Military Valor “to the memory”, granted motu proprio by the Lieutenant General of the Kingdom Umberto di Savoia:
" Bright example of altruism, pushed to the supreme renunciation of life, on the very place of the torture, where, in barbaric retaliation, he was led by the Nazi hordes, together with 22 civil hostages from the territory of his station, innocent too, did not hesitate to declare himself solely responsible for an alleged attack on the German armed forces. Thus he faced death alone, fearless, imposing himself on the respect of his own executioners and writing a new indelible page of pure heroism in the glorious history of the weapon. "
Torre di Palidoro (Rome), 23 September 1943.
D. Place February 15, 1945.
