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This is the title of a book about the
men, born in Pisciotta, who had to leave their town for the
war, and about some families who emigrated abroad, in
particular the United States and especially to Amsterdam,
N.Y.
It is a collection of photographs and documents put together
by the author Cav. Vincenzo D'Amato (better known as "Il Gemello"), with the contribution of Massimino Iannone.
It is a superb work not only because it
traces the history of Italy through the Pisciottani who
served the army, but also because Il Gemello,
patiently, visited almost all the families of Pisciotta,
Rodio, Marina e Caprioli in order to collect anything that
could be useful for this work (photographs, documents,
postcards, stamps and so on). As it usually happens in cases
like this, most families welcomed him, but others were
skeptical and shut the doors of their houses to him! Anyway
the book is without no doubt a well documented piece of
history starting from 1850 till the World War Two.
Glancing through it we find faces,
stories and situations we can't find anywhere else, and the
names of these men and their stories are the names and the
stories of true "heroes" unknown to the official books of
history, but who probably did and suffered more than anyone
could imagine or think, and who, in some cases, died without
their families knowing where and how. In each page of this
book, I'm sure, each Pisciottano will identify
himself, no matter how old he is.
A huge thank you to Il Gemello and
Massimino Iannone who gave Pisciotta such a present, and all
the Pisciottani, whether living here or abroad, should be
grateful to them forever!
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