Paduli in America

History: Podesta'(mayor) Nicola Marcarelli – An Appeal (to Padulesi abroad) 15 October 1926

Posted on May 4, 2015 Updated on February 17, 2021

 

 

INTRODUCTION

On October 15, 1926, the Podesta’ [Mayor] of Paduli, Dr. Nicola Marcarelli, issued an appeal to the Padulesi Citizens abroad to contribute to build a memorial Park of Remembrance to those citizens f Paduli who died in World War I.  Below is a jpeg image of the text in the original Italian. Because the original text is difficult to read, I have provided a newly typed version as well. These are followed by a translation in English and some comments.

ORIGINAL TEXT/TESTO ORIGINALE IN ITALIANO

 

Ai Cittadini di Paduli: Emigrati

Padulesi!

Una prova del vostro amor Patrio già è stata data merçè l’opera attiva di un Comitato sorto tra Voi e di cui è Presidente il Sig. AURELIO IMBELLI.

Quanto entusiasmo e quanta ammirazione abbia destato in tutta la Cittadinanza la Vostra nobile iniziativa lo avrate già appreso dal sullodato Presidente alcui, per lettera, ho già comunicato brevemente i principali problemi di pubblica utilità.

Prima però di dare inizio alle soluzione di detti problemi, è nostro dovere ricordare i nostri fratelli morti in guerra.

Il sacrificio per la Patria è nobile, ed è più nobile ricordarsi di Coloro che offrirono il petto, con sereno spirito di patriottismo, sui Campi di battaglia. Il ricordo sarà imperituro; la pietra e la pianta esprimeranno un simbolo indelebile che sarà di monito e di orgoglio per i posteri, i quali vedranno in quel simbolo la Grandezza de loro padri e l’amore che essi sentirono per la Patria.

Sorgerà perciò a PADULI il; Parco della Rimembranza; ogni pianta dirà un nome; Un Eroe che offrì tutto se stesso alla Madre du tutti gli Italiani. Faccio pertanto appello al Vostro amor Patrio, alla vostra grande generosità, affinchè, prima di ogni altra cosa, concorriate alla spesa per la costruzione del Parco, che costituisce per noi tutti un obbligo morale verso gli Eroici Fratelli caduti per la maggior grandezza della Patria.

Sicuro che risponderete con il vostro abituale entusiasmo al mio appello, stringo a tutti cordialmente la mano,

Paduli, li 15 Ottobre 1926.

IL PODESTÀ

Dottor NICOLA MARCARELLI

Comune di Paduli Benevento

 

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

To The Immigrant Citizens of Paduli

Padulesi!

Proof of your Patriotism has already been given thanks to the active effort of a Committee selected from among you presided over by Signor AURELIO IMBELLI. See note below under Comments.)

You have already learned from your President about the enthusiasm and admiration that your noble initiative has aroused in all the Citizenry, and I have already briefly communicated to him the principal problems of public need.

Yet before commencing on the solution of these problems, it is our duty to recall our brothers who have died in war.

Sacrifice for country is noble, and it is even nobler to remember those who offered their breasts on the Fields of Battle with a clear spirit of patriotism. Their memory will be everlasting; the stones and the plants express an indelible symbol that will be a lesson and a source of pride for later generations who will see in that symbol the Greatness of their fathers and the love that they felt for their Country.

There will arise in PADULI a Remembrance Park; every plaque will contain a name: A Hero that offered all of his being to the Mother of all Italians. Therefore, I make appeal to Your love of Country, to you great generosity, so that, above all else, you will contribute to the expenses for the construction of the Park that constitutes a moral obligation for us all, to our Heroic Brothers who have fallen for the Greater Glory of their Country.

Certain that you will respond with your usual enthusiasm to my appeal, I stretch out my hand cordially to all.

Paduli, 15 October 1926

(SEAL)                       Podesta’ (Mayor)

Doctor NICOLA MARCARELLI

COMMENTS

The term podesta’, rather than sindaco, was used in reference to the Mayor for several stays in office.  I do not know why podesta’ instead of sindaco was used at this time but I  will try to find out.

As far as I know, the intended park of remembrance and the individual plaques for each soldier who died in World War I were never realized.  Instead, there is a Memorial to the Fallen (Monumento ai Caduti) in both World Wars located at the end of Viale Liberta’ opposite from the Communal Palace.

Aurelio Imbelli is listed on the Bronze Plaque.  We don not have much information about him except that he was already living in New York in 1903 when his brother, Pietro Antonio, arrived.  From the document above we also know that he was President of a Committee that was somehow involved in providing assistance to Paduli.

Nicola Marcarelli was referred to in the first letter from Abbot Follo as head of a faction that was opposed to the Christian conservatives.

Finally, to state the obvious, the administration in Paduli was relying on the immigrants to provide support.