NEW - Antonino Scopelliti – prosecuting magistrate
Shocking killing of judge remains unpunished
The murder of Antonino Scopelliti, a prosecutor in the Italian Supreme Court, is alleged to have been carried out by the ‘Ndrangheta on this day in 1991 in Piale, a frazione of Villa San Giovanni in the region of Calabria. Scopelliti was thought to have been killed by ’Ndrangheta members who were acting on behalf of the Sicilian Mafia. The 'Ndrangheta is a powerful mafia-type criminal organization, which originated in Calabria in the 19th century. The judge was on holiday at the time, visiting his family, when he was ambushed on a road. At the time of his murder, he was preparing to argue the Italian Government’s case against Cosa Nostra - the Sicilian Mafia - in the final appeal in the ‘Maxi Trial’ in the Supreme Court. It is believed the reason for killing him was to hold up the trial so that the legal terms of detention for the mafia bosses would expire, and they would be freed. Read more…
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Emilio Vedova - painter
Self-taught Venetian became influential figure in 20th century Italian art
The painter Emilio Vedova, regarded as one of the most influential Italian artists in the second half of the 20th century, was born in Venice on this day in 1919. Vedova was known for his expressive abstract paintings, which often had a raw and violent character seemingly inspired by the tumultuous political climate of his time and the apprehension that clouded people’s lives. A politically engaged figure, in 1942 he joined the Milanese anti-Fascist artists’ association known as Corrente, which included other painters such as Renato Guttuso and Renato Birolli, and fought in the Italian Resistance movement from 1943-45. After World War Two, he was a co-signatory with Corrente member Ennio Morlotti of the Oltre Guernica - Beyond Guernica - manifesto in 1946, which encouraged artists to use abstract notions rather than figures to reflect the reality of society. Read more…
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Romano Prodi – politician
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Il professore became prime minister and European Commission president
Romano Prodi, who has twice served as prime minister of Italy, was born on this day in 1939 in Scandiano in Emilia-Romagna. A former academic, who was nicknamed Il professore by the Italians, Prodi was also president of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004. Prodi graduated from the Catholic University in Milan in 1961 and studied as a postgraduate at the London School of Economics. After moving up to become professor of economics at Bologna University, Prodi served the Italian government as minister for industry in 1978. In 1996 after two productive stints as chairman of the Institute for Industrial Reconstruction, Prodi set his sights on becoming Italy’s prime minister and built a centre-left base of support known as the Olive Tree coalition. While Silvio Berlusconi used television to campaign, Prodi went on a five-month bus tour around Italy. Read more…
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Leaning Tower of Pisa
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Poor foundations created tourist attraction by accident
Work began on the construction of a freestanding bell tower for the Cathedral in Pisa on this day in 1173. The tower’s famous tilt began during the building process. It is believed to have been caused by the laying of inadequate foundations on ground that was too soft on one side to support the weight of the structure. The tilt became worse over the years and restoration work had to be carried out at the end of the 20th century amid fears the tower would collapse. At its most extreme the tower leaned at an angle of 5.5 degrees but since the restoration work undergone between 1990 and 2001 the tower leans at about 3.99 degrees. The identity of the architect responsible for the design of the tower is not clear but the problem with the structure began after work had progressed to the second floor in 1178. It is thought the tower would have toppled had construction not been halted for almost a century. Read more…
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Filippo Inzaghi - football manager
World Cup winning player turned successful coach
The former Azzurri striker Filippo Inzaghi, who was a member of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad, was born on this day in 1973 in Piacenza. A traditional goal poacher, known more for his knack of being in the right place at the right moment than for a high level of technical skill, Inzaghi scored 313 goals in his senior career before retiring as a player in 2012 and turning to coaching. He spent the 2019-20 season in charge of Serie B side Benevento, near Naples. Inzaghi came off the substitutes’ bench to score the second goal as Italy beat the Czech Republic 2-0 to clinch their qualification for the knock-out stage of the 2006 World Cup in Germany but found it impossible to win a starting place in competition with Luca Toni, Alberto Gilardino, Francesco Totti and Alessandro Del Piero in Marcello Lippi’s squad. Read more…
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Book of the Day: Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia, by John Dickie
John Dickie is Professor of Italian Studies at University College, London. He is an internationally-recognised specialist on many aspects of Italian history and culture and his books have been translated into more than 20 languages. His history of Italian food, Delizia!, was turned into a six-part series for Italian television.
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