Carabinieri return valuable Radetzky letter to Bergamo State Archives

On March 19, 1848, during the First War of Independence, Field Marshal Johann Josef Radetzky, military governor of Lombardy, sent an extremely important missive to the military command in Bergamo. In this letter, Radetzky ordered the immediate transfer of an infantry battalion, commanded by Archduke Sigismund, to Milan because of the seriousness of the revolt taking place in the city of Milan. The document read, “The revolt in Milan is taking on such serious characters that I am forced to transfer new troops here.” This valuable document, dating back to a crucial moment in the Italian wars of independence, was recently spotted for sale at a foreign business. Thanks to collaboration between institutions and the effective work of the Carabinieri of the Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Culturale in Monza, the document was recovered and returned to the State Archives in Bergamo. The handover ceremony took place today, marking the return of a fundamental piece of our history to the place where it belongs.

The letter, signed by Field Marshal Radetzky and dated precisely March 19, 1848, was addressed to the Military Square Command in Bergamo, which up to that time could count on a garrison of two battalions. The order to send one of these battalions, Archduke Sigismund’s infantry battalion, to Milan highlights the gravity of the situation and the urgency of the military measures taken.

The document will now be kept by the State Archives in Bergamo, where the director will see to its preservation and future use by the public. This recovery underscores the importance of protecting assets of archival interest, considered a fundamental pillar of Italy’s cultural heritage. Their protection is a priority duty for all institutions in order to preserve a heritage of inestimable value.

The return of this historical document represents not only an achievement in safeguarding cultural heritage, but also a moment of reflection on the importance of historical memory. Thanks to the efforts of the institutions and the Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, this piece of history can be studied and appreciated to further keep alive the memory of crucial moments in Italian history.

Carabinieri return valuable Radetzky letter to Bergamo State Archives

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