Commemorating the Marzabotto Massacre: A Memorial for Peace and Responsibility

Italian President Sergio Mattarella and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gathered to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Marzabotto massacre. This tragic event, the largest civilian massacre by Nazi soldiers in Western Europe during World War II, saw Waffen SS troops and Italian fascists kill at least 770 civilians, including 271 children, women, and elderly, as a brutal reprisal for supporting partisans.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi led a memorial mass to honor the victims. The massacre, which occurred between September 29 and October 5, 1944, is a stark reminder of the atrocities committed during the war.

President Steinmeier, acknowledging the deep wounds left by such crimes, emphasized Germany's ongoing responsibility for its Nazi past and the importance of defending democracy against rising right-wing extremism. The remembrance serves not only as a tribute to the victims but also as a call to uphold the values of peace and unity in Europe.