From December 7 to 15, the Sala del Mosaico at Palazzo Doria in Loano hosts an exhibition dedicated to Felice Cascione, the partisan known by his battle name “U Megu” and awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor.
Born in Imperia, Cascione was a schoolmate of Alessandro Natta, the future secretary of the Italian Communist Party. A young doctor and Italian swimming and water polo champion, he devoted his life to caring for those in need. After September 8, he joined the partisan struggle with 23 others, forming the Garibaldi Brigade to fight against Nazism and Fascism. In the mountains, he met the partisan Ivan, with whom he began composing “Fischia il vento,” which became an anthem of the Resistance.
The citation for his medal reads: “Wounded in a clash with overwhelming Nazi-Fascist forces, he refused any aid and remained in place to lead the withdrawal of his men. To save a comrade captured and tortured to reveal his commander’s identity, he stood up from where he lay bleeding and defiantly shouted, ‘I am the leader,’ and fell in a hail of bullets.”
The Garibaldi Brigade, expanded with new forces, will become the Garibaldi Division “Felice Cascione”, which included the writer Italo Calvino and his brother Floriano.
The exhibition aims to honor one of the most emblematic figures of the Liberation struggle in Liguria through documents, photographs, and artifacts collected by Pino Fragalà. It also traces the milestones of the Resistance movement in the First Liguria Zone and the Albenga area.
The exhibition is open daily from 9 AM to 12 PM and from 4 PM to 7 PM. For guided tours or visits outside regular hours, contact Anpi Loano at anpi.loano@tiscali.it or call 335.7891924.
The official presentation will take place on December 7 at 10 AM in the council hall of Palazzo Doria. Following the welcome from the authorities, journalist and writer Daniele La Corte will narrate the story of Cascione, from medical student in Bologna to partisan commander in the mountains until his death in Alto on January 27, 1944. A singing and dance performance by students of the Asd Modern Jazz Dance led by maestro Teo Chirico will follow.
The event is organized by the Anpi (National Association of Italian Partisans) “Renato Boragine” section of Loano and the Aned Savona-Imperia section, with the sponsorship of the tourism, culture, and sports department of the Municipality of Loano.