On the front lines

This cloak was designed with a specific intent:

it’s an homage to my grandfather Alberto, an Italian soldier captured by the German army during World War II and forced to join them, on pain of death.

A crucial episode happened during the enlistment process: during was a cease-fire period caused by a heavy snowfall my grandfather, along with two other soldiers, applied himself on thoroughly cleaning the German cannons.

This endeavor gained them a week’s leave to spend home, in Italy.  For my grandfather this as a unique opportunity: once he arrived home, with the help of friends and relatives, he as able to hide himself until the end of the war and save himself.

“All’epoca mia il telefono non c’era

Mi arruolarono

Era quasi primavera

E le radio ci trasmettevano canti di paura

Da cantare quando è sera

Quindi disertai

Era il ’43”

L’uomo del secolo – Baustelle

This song by the Italian band Baustelle summarizes in a few verses the situation in Italy after the armistice on 8th September 1943: young men were forced to hide themselves in order not to get killed or sent to fight.