Rome, without apexes the Via Tasso Museum: the MiC did not renew them. The president opens the same

It is unusual, to say the least, the situation that has arisen in recent hours around the Historical Museum of Liberation, also known more informally as the “Museum of Via Tasso,” the institution dedicated to the months of theNazi-fascist occupation of Rome (from September 10, 1943 to June 4, 1944) and the subsequent liberation, housed in the building that was the headquarters of the SS Security Service Command as well as a prison where more than two thousand anti-fascists were imprisoned and tortured. It is, therefore, one of the symbolic places of the Resistance: the institute, inaugurated in 1955 and officially recognized in 1957, is a public law body placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, which appoints its president, and appoints five members to its steering committee (there are thirteen in all: two are representatives of the Ministry of Defense, one from Roma Capitale, and one each from the National Association of Italian Partisans, the Italian Federation of Volunteers for Freedom, the Italian Federation of Partisan Associations, the National Association of Ex-Internees, and the National Association of Italian Anti-Fascist Political Persecuted). Committee members serve three-year terms.

The museum’s top management was set to expire in December: however, the Historical Museum of Liberation has let it be known that the Ministry of Culture has not renewed the appointment of the president and board members. The current members appointed by the ministry, namely President Antonio Parisella and the four representatives (Piero Cavallari, Paolo Masini, Micaela Procaccia, and Sabrina Mingarelli), had all been appointed by decree number 499 of November 5, 2020, signed by then-Minister Dario Franceschini. Their appointment, which was free of charge, was for a three-year term.

The failure to confirm or appoint new representatives from the Ministry of Culture de facto risks halting the activities of the museum, which without a president finds itself without its legal representative, as well as the person who convenes the meetings of the steering committee, whose meetings are valid only in the presence of at least seven members. At the moment, according to the museum’s “Transparent Administration” section, the representatives of Roma Capitale and the Ministry of Defense are missing, as they have not been appointed. Therefore, only the five representatives of the associations remain on the committee.

Historical Museum of the Liberation of

Historicalof the Liberation of Via Tasso

Despite this situation, outgoing president Parisella decided to open the museum anyway: “The Historical Museum of Liberation,” reads a statement issued yesterday, "will be regularly open from Monday 9:30 a.m. to Sunday 6:30 p.m. This, despite the fact that since Dec. 20 it has been without top management, as the Ministry of Culture has not renewed the appointment of the president and members of the ministerial-appointed steering committee. The outgoing president, under his personal responsibility, decided not to hand over the keys, but to open anyway, in respect of such a relevant essential public service, which cannot be interrupted. He, in addition, thanks the workers/staff who guarantee both the program of school and non-school, individual and group visits and the use of scholarly services (archives, library, media library, collections).

Initial reactions include that of Parma Mayor Michele Guerra, a former colleague of Parisella’s at the University of Parma where they both taught: “if today the Museum of Via Tasso is not closed, if it is continuing to perform its essential role as a public service, as a space where history, memory and testimony meet for the benefit of its visitors, it is due to its outgoing president, who has taken on a personal responsibility of high civic value,” Guerra says. “What is needed now is for the Ministry of Culture to give an immediate response to what the Museum had been signaling since September and allow it to resume all its activities on a regular basis, lest very uncomfortable clouds gather over this situation.” Parisella also collects the solidarity of FP CGIL, “for the sense of responsibility shown,” the union writes in a note, also expressing closeness “to all the operators who continue to ensure, despite the neglect of the Ministry, the regular conduct of visits and consultation of the Historical Archives. With the hope that Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano will take action to solve the problem as soon as possible.”

Only a few days ago, moreover (this is December 28 news), the Historical Museum of Liberation was being included in the Fumetti nei Musei initiative, the series of comic strips dedicated to Italian museums, with a story signed by Rita Petruccioli. The hope, therefore, is that the institute’s situation will be resolved as soon as possible.

Rome, without apexes the Via Tasso Museum: the MiC did not renew them. The president opens the same

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.