World War II for Italy begins June 10, 1940 with the declaration of war to France and Britain by the Duce (Benito Mussolini). After that date follows a series of events that, except for the rationing of food and basic needs (pasta, bread, sugar, oil, soap) managed through nominal cards and for the calls of men to arms, does not directly involve this area of Valdera.
Since 1943, with the landing in Italy of the allied troops advancing from the south and the German invasion in the north, begin the first signs also in the area, people can hear the rumble of shelling from the nearby cities, especially the allied bombing on Livorno, strategic for the harbour, and on Pisa and observe the mass exodus of displaced people seeking a shelter also in the villages of Chianni and Rivalto.
Starting from September 1943, Germans set up a fixed command base in Bagni di Casciana and from there they distribute themselves on the territory with regional centers. In Rivalto they settle at La Canonica in Piazza della Compagnia and at Edvice Coppini's home, outside the village on the climb of La Lama.
Following the armistice on 8 September 1943 between Italy of Vittorio Emanuele III and Badoglio with the Anglo-Americans and the first desertions from the army, Mussolini constitutes the Repubblica di Salò (the Italian Social Republic), a "fictitious" state subordinated to the military control of Germans and arranges the Italian Republican Army through voluntary or compulsory conscription.
From this time, many men also in the area, to escape the army, join in bands of partisans and draft dodgers who oppose the German occupation and the collaborationist fascist forces of the "repubblichini" (provocative term to mean "republicans") and, by following the Italian movements of the Resistance, arrange, mostly with mountain guerrillas and makeshift equipment, sabotages of vehicles and weapons, traps and ambushes, actions for the protection of prisoners and potential deportees, in order to obstruct the Germans and slow down the retreat from the allies.
Germans and Republicans patrol the areas, looking for army deserters and for men capable of working in the construction of trenches and laying of mines, Jews for deportation to the death camps of the northern Europe, plundering, ransacking and subtracting goods, repressions and retaliation against the terrorized population. In the memories of children at that time, still alive the terror when, close and hidden between the maternal skirts, were assaulted by the Germans and taken to neighboring fields, under threat of pointing guns, with their back to the wall.
Meanwhile allies oversee the area from the sky, making some bombings on the hills and on the farms located among La Cascina, La Sterza and Miemo: there are no civilian targets but the intent is to signal the presence and control of the area.
Between 1943 and 1944, in the confusion of Italian soldiers scattered in various war campaigns, at the beginning allied with Germans, then with Americans, some rivaltini succeed in get away and returning to their country.
Among these Dino Gotti who is involved in the Yugoslavia campaign, member of the telegraphists department, thus manages to capture the immediate news on the situation after the Italian armistice and is able to board on a ship directed to Dolo, near Venice. The ship is bombed by German planes and the bulk of passengers dies drowned in the water or under the blows of the Germans, while Dino and a few others, not knowing how to swim, survive remaining attached to floating debris of the ship and, exhausted, reach earth. Here, found an old suit by a farmer, he crosses the minefields along Italy to return to Rivalto where, on the doorstep, meets his son, meanwhile of about three years but never known before for the call to arms. Dino asks to the child to go to call his mother and the child, not recognizing the "unknown" man, runs into the house and says "Mum, there is a man looking for you!".
Among these Dino Gotti who is involved in the Yugoslavia campaign, member of the telegraphists department, thus manages to capture the immediate news on the situation after the Italian armistice and is able to board on a ship directed to Dolo, near Venice. The ship is bombed by German planes and the bulk of passengers dies drowned in the water or under the blows of the Germans, while Dino and a few others, not knowing how to swim, survive remaining attached to floating debris of the ship and, exhausted, reach earth. Here, found an old suit by a farmer, he crosses the minefields along Italy to return to Rivalto where, on the doorstep, meets his son, meanwhile of about three years but never known before for the call to arms. Dino asks to the child to go to call his mother and the child, not recognizing the "unknown" man, runs into the house and says "Mum, there is a man looking for you!".
Meanwhile, the news about the events in the surrounding areas come mostly from Radio Londra (the BBC London Radio) that, in the summer of 1944, anticipates the next arrival of the war in the area of Chianni. Between the June 29 and the July 13 1944 the war is definitely nearer, recording air strikes and gun battles between the Allied troops marching to the port of Livorno and the German troops retreating towards the Gothic Line. Americans decide to reach Livorno on multiple lines of attack, thus starting the Arno Operation that implies the passage across farms and small villages in the Montevaso's area to reach Pontedera and to attack Livorno also from inland, by going up along the Arno from the East.
At the news of the approach of the allied troops, some partisans attack the German soldiers in a shootout in Chianni which is followed by heavy reactions of mopping and retaliation.
For Rivalto's inhabitants it comes the time to take refuge in safer areas, in sheds and shelters scattered in the fields, in the areas of Ruscello or Cafaggio, or on the surrounding hills, like Le Croci, Meletro (in caves where fossils are still visible) and I Poggi, that allow to observe the events below. On Meletro Hill there is also a fixed sighting place for air defense, the DICAT (Territorial Defense Against Air Strikes), where local residents take turns to control the movement of air and of countryside roads below.
In the shelters, people sleep crouched on the ground with little water and little food, mostly potatoes. From the shelters the approach to the village is rare and cautiously across the fields and along the vineyards, only to milk the cows and make milk supply, for caring of livestock and to assist sick relatives. Who can not get away from the village, seeks shelter in the house funds or in dug holes close to dwellings.
A shelter for numerous rivaltini and displaced from other locations is the Cellar of Cortesi family, long and dark in the memories of the younger ones, where many people spend sleepless nights crouched between the barrels and under the din of the bombings. It is in the garden of Villa Cortesi that Germans are determined to install a radio station, but according to the high probability of Allied bombing and the risk for the refugees in the cellar, the villagers manage to deter Germans from the intent. Later, in the garden of the Villa, a cannon shot hits the wall on which there are still the signs and hits a tree that, since then, has stopped growing.
Meanwhile the Allies, after the conquer of Cecina on July 1, climb towards Riparbella and from the 5 to the 9 July is held the bloody battle of Monte Vaso, the bloodiest of the Valdera, in which the German army tries a tenacious defense but the allies are able to conquer the Monte Vitalba and then the Monte Vaso, in military slang the target Hill 634 -the highest peak in the area, which dominates Livorno and the surrounding territory of the Valdera, a strategic position that both troops aspired-. In the bloody battle, occurred on a difficult terrain with dense vegetation, steep ridges and scattered with landmines, are recorded hundreds of dead soldiers and, thereafter, have been found finds of war relics (helmets, machine guns, bayonets, mortars, uniforms) and even human bones.
Americans continue the advance down towards Chianni, at the gates take place firefights with the Germans, bombing and shelling.In those days the exit from the shelters around Rivalto is only to resume air, see the dust of the bombing on the hills below and near Chianni, retrieve the meat from the carcasses of cattle hit by bombing, watching the small patrol planes -"Le Cicogne" (The Storks)- flying over the skies and check the integrity of the houses.
The German soldiers, in a village almost deserted and terrified, commit thefts and robberies in homes, at least where people had not time to hide food, precious, sewing machines and objects of value. The Germans are often looking for food and livestock, in particular of "prosciutten and maialen!" (ham and pork, as pronounced by the people in a hybrid language between Italian and German) and, when someone has conveniently hidden it in the barrels in winery, welcomes them bravely at the table with slices of onion and dried bread, they nervously shout "nein nein!" but are forced to adapt.
In these days continue through the woods the activities of the partisans who, in addition to actions of sabotage to the German army, recovery of arms and aid to those subject to ambushes and intimidation, provide to the Americans valuable suggestions on movements and concentrations of Germans, on the minefields, on the territory and on the areas where civilians refugees stay to avoid bombardment by artillery.
In an ambush at I Poggi of Rivalto are killed two Germans by partisans and the German command of Casciana not hesitate to retaliatory actions, before willing to kill refugee people in the Cortesi's Cellar, detonate the cellar and the villa then, convinced to desist, by blowing up the area between Via Vespucci and Via dei Poggi, destroying the house of Beato Giordano and seriously damaging the surrounding buildings and the former home of the Fascism. In that explosion die a deaf woman who, therefore, does not realize in time of the situation and a donkey that the Germans decide not to save despite the prayers of Quirino Matteoli, owner of the detonated stall.
Next, it is bombed even Piazza del Beato Giordano, with serious damages to the parish Church and to the surrounding buildings between Via Margherita and Via dell'Arco.
Next, it is bombed even Piazza del Beato Giordano, with serious damages to the parish Church and to the surrounding buildings between Via Margherita and Via dell'Arco.
On July 9 Rivalto is witness of a heavy raid by Germans against men refugee in the Cellar of Cortesi, Renzo Pizzi with the two brothers, Antonio and Gualtiero, Dino Gotti, Carlino Cortesi and other displaced persons of Chianni and Livorno considered able of work are brought to the farm Bellavista, then towards Terricciola, to be trasported by a truck to forced labor. Fortunately, they regain their freedom by corrupting the German soldiers with watches and personal objects. The return walk across kilometers of minefields along Terroti is certainly not risk-free but they manage to come back all to Rivalto.
On July 12, after uninterrupted nightly bombings, the ally battalion comes around Chianni for bombing it but the Germans are already retreating toward Terricciola and Bagni di Casciana. Abandoning the territories of Chianni and Rivalto, the Germans undermine the country, roads and bridges, sometimes even forcing the youth of the village in putting in place the explosive mines.
In Rivalto are undermined the streets and on the Via del Giardino is blown up the bridge of Botro Beccaio, fact over and over again told by Dina Gotti who, miraculously, is able to repair herself on the threshold of a door of a fund on Via Garibaldi remaining unharmed except for a piece of stone that hits her.
On July 13, 1944, the 91st American Infantry Division enters in Chianni by putting an end to the period of nazi-fascist occupation and by liberating the entire municipality.
The arrival of the Americans, accompanied by the launch from their jeeps and trucks of canned meat, powdered milk, chocolate, cigarettes and candy, is welcomed as a liberation.
Other bombing during the following days towards Germans on the run on the hills of Terricciola, Soiana and Bagni di Casciana.
The arrival of the Americans, accompanied by the launch from their jeeps and trucks of canned meat, powdered milk, chocolate, cigarettes and candy, is welcomed as a liberation.
Other bombing during the following days towards Germans on the run on the hills of Terricciola, Soiana and Bagni di Casciana.
Villagers assist incredulous to the pile of rubble that covers the houses and to the dramatic conditions of the village, someone, by paying attention to mines and unexploded bombs, search in the trenches food stocks left behind by fleeing soldiers.
Unfortunately, even surpassed the war in these areas, there are dramatic episodes mostly due to the outbreak of unexploded mines. In La Pieve three children die in August 1944 while playing with an unexploded hand grenade and on March 11, 1945 is killed a woman (Assunta Fattorini) while looking out the window on Via Vespucci, hit by a bullet from the rifle of a drunk American soldier on board on a jeep through the streets of the village. The episode is classified as an error, the building still maintains the tile hit by gunshot.
After the passage of the war, now moved to the north, people tried by suffering and fear, is heading towards a period of slow recovery by arranging the basic needs of food supply, removal of debris, organization of housing for those who lost homes and for the many displaced, gradual resumption of activities in the fields. In Rivalto on 157 homes, 12 are damaged and 15 are destroyed, roads and bridges are impassable until Casciana, the aqueduct damaged.
After the war the 25 April 1945, people see the return of the men from the front, unfortunately someone goes missing or dead in the campaign in Russia.