Pratovecchio Stia

At dawn on April 16th 1944, a contingent of the Exploring Unit stationed in Casalino were heading towards Monte Falterona. On their way (rumour has it, thanks to a tip-off from an Istrian forest ranger) the troops came to the Casa dell’Oja, where they surpised a group of 20 partisans in their sleep. The rebels had retreated from Romagna where on April 12th 1944 the Grande Brigata had been targeted in a massive rounding-up operation in the Bidente Valley. Like many of their comrades, they had broken up into groups of various sizes and moved onto the southern slopes of Monte Falterona and Casentino, unaware of the terrible trap they would be in when the Hermann Göring Armoured Parachute Division began its actions in the area. Alerted by smoke from the chimney, the Germans surrounded the refuge and threw hand grenades inside. They then broke in and immediately shot a possibly-wounded partisan. Another partisan was killed a few metres from the house. The remaining 18 partisans were taken towards Ponte Biforco. On the way, another unknown rebel (he too probably wounded) was killed in Terra Rossa. The remaining prisoners were probably “handed over” to the Göring troops in Stia, where they were excuted at the municipal cemetery of Stia in the night between April 16th and 17th 1944.