Libya / The Italian Cemetery of Tripoli Whilst the German memorial and the various cemeteries of the Allied forces in Libya are well known, this is not the case for the Italian cemetery. Actually I was not aware that it even exists for many years and when I went there for the first time, it was even forbidden to take any photographs. This was about five years ago. I did not know that the desolate and broken up cemetery was not forgotten by everybody and that there was one Italian who had started a private venture… Many years ago he started to study the files in his spare time and began to draw a map of all the graves which boxes in the walls which were broken up to a good part, gravestones removed and so on. The cemetery was actually not destroyed by the Libyans but in 1970 the new Government had decided that they did not want any more Italian soldiers in their Country. None alive and even none dead. Only 10 days were given to the Italians to remove all the bones of the killed soldiers and to bring them to Italy. So, all had to be done in a rush and then the cemetery went nearly forgotten for a long time. Until the day when this one man started his huge task! And since no decision is final and since his work started to pay out, the Libyan Government has given permission for a rehabilitation of the old military cemetery. Not that it was the intention to bring back the bones of the killed soldiers who found their final place of rest at the cemetery of Bari but it was decided to collect all the bones of the civilians from their disappeared graves and destroyed tombs and give them their last place in the abandoned shelves of the former military cemetery. The buildings were renovated in the last few years and the works are nearly completed now. The cemetery is no longer a forgotten place today:
Hello Kuno, I have some contact details for the Italian War Graves Commission, if they are of interest to you. Unfortunately no website, as far as I can see but I don't speak Italian so I may be wrong.. CS Commissariato generale per le onoranze ai Caduti di guerra Founded 1919. Contact: P. le L. STURZO 23 - 00144 ROME Telephone 06 - 5913632 Fax 5918562
I know that it is not good to compare the figures of the killed soldiers of each nation. But I think it is worth mentioning that the former military cemetery is now occupied by the remnants of 6’250 civilian dead which were replaced from outside into the shelves of the buildings. As I was told, there would be place for 7’000. I cannot say, if it was completely filled by killed Italian soldiers once – but I think that this figure is more than proof that not all Italian soldiers have just surrendered to the enemy during the Desert War.
The most famous “inhabitant” was Italo Balbo, whose grave plate –including the ones of those others who were with him in the same plane when it was shot down on approach to Tobruk- is still there beyond the chapel with the six lions.
…when I left the place, Mr. Bruno invited me to come back at any time. I replied that I would do that but that I feel the accommodation he can offer are a little bit small for me. He looked at me and said: “You are right for today. And probably as well for tomorrow… but one day it will fit as well for you as it did for everybody until today!”
