remembering Umberto Tommasini

Uniquely capable of telling
Conversation of Claudio Magris with Claudio Venza

It comes in this week for the types of Odradek The blacksmith anarchist. Autobiography between Trieste and Barcelona, the story told in epic tone (Magris as stated in these pages) to himself. It is the revival of a similar volume published in 1984 by Editions Antistius. The story of a militant anarchist-fascist between effort, Spain '36, the confinement at Ventotene, the anarchist militancy after the war, the revival of '68 and the encounter with the young generation.

Claudio Magris: The first thing that strikes in Tommasini is its extraordinary ability to think of others first than himself, to dedicate their lives to free themselves and others. It's not something very common. It also has a significant political lucidity, clear ideas about the balance of power, perhaps because the experience made her skin communist brutality. It has a deep consciousness, rare, the dreadfulness of contemporary history. At the same time, lives with absolute spontaneity and simplicity, is expressed in his dialect because it is the expression of his person. It is not the vernacular or dialect, because it has a real culture that looks beyond the narrow horizon of every tower. (...)
Tommasini has this classical humanity, through which as naturally as the skin and could pass nights in the pub, with a generosity completely fused with the character. This is an aspect of his classics, classical civilization of humanity complains of the twentieth century - as evidenced by the many great works of literature - he had lost.
Also there is his great freedom, not only political freedom, the struggle against fascism and any authoritarianism and so on, but also the freedom of everyday gestures, the ability to say "go to mona" the intellectual presumptuous. All this gives an extraordinary symbiosis of Tommasini's proximity to the earth, blood, humanity picaresque set of plebeian and great elegance. This is what has allowed him to go and risk their lives, to fight, to see in all colors, and to be always up to the last himself. This generosity is devoid of all doing good, for he is well aware, albeit reluctantly, that in certain historical moments there is the tragic necessity of fighting and hitting.
A distinction that makes him speak as equals with all the great figures of that historical moment, to be Berneri Pacciardi and so on. Size and simplicity. Certainly he had gone to fight and therefore ready to strike and also to kill. But without resentment, without being poisoned by any ideology. Perhaps this is the humanitas anarchist. Without desire for revenge. With anger, but without personal resentment, without egotism, narcissism.

Claudio Venza: Do you know where you see this too? When he is in confinement at Ventotene in August 1943 and someone says: "You now return to Trieste and you will avenge those who have tortured and repressed." And he answers: "I do not mind this, I'm interested in other things".

M: And then his look, his boldness, to the last, in August 1970 when it was attacked by a team of Fascists in the headquarters of the anarchists.

V: Do you think he was a happy man, after all?

M: Solved, especially. It must have been a little 'too unhappy, but it certainly appears completely solved, it was not one who needed the psychoanalyst's couch. And in this sense, for my part, is to him a lot of envy - an envy good, loving, a desire to be like him. (…)

V: I wanted to ask: does Tommasini seem naive to you?

M: Yes, but in the sense of Schiller; ingenuity in a good and strong, in fact a natural way. Not a naive intellectual, one that leads us to believe too easily to the realization of their dreams and to underestimate the complexity of reality. I do not underestimate the power of fascism, or that of capitalism. A simplistic ingenuity is undoubtedly present in his thinking, it is likely, moreover, that the political activism, especially in a commitment so strong and absorbent, as at times even the war, would lead to a simplification. The ingenuity is required, but also of cunning Brecht. The Gospel calls to be harmless as doves and wise as serpents.

V: You'd make a comparison with Vittorio Vidali, a Stalinist communist militant or better? Tommasini can be defined as an anti-Vidali?

M: In a way yes, because, unlike probably Vidali, Tommasini has never been willing to reach an end, to lose the reasons that push you to achieve that end. In short, to commit injustice and violence to achieve justice and peace. The tragedy, and probably to blame for Vidali, are that at some point probably had lost the sense of the relationship between end and means. On Vidali also many legends were born to be unfounded, that attribute all manner of wickedness, I have attended, and I must say, very happily, with mutual sympathy and receiving many suggestions.
Tommasini was perhaps more acute for him to understand that Stalinism was not only infamous, but also for bankruptcy than that proposed. Of course, during the war, Stalinism was also great, but the death of Soviet communism, his osteoporosis was caused primarily by the crowds Stalinist authoritarianism. Beyond a certain limit, authoritarianism is not only morally unacceptable but also inefficient, because it creates automata, shy people and therefore unable to act and make decisions. Paradoxically, even extreme authoritarianism loses authority because of the living dead and no controls on live people. It's a bit 'like going to the cemetery at night to give a speech, even there you're sure no one contradicts.

V: The anti-Stalinism was a central fact in the life of the anarchist Trieste.

M: Vidali avoided Tommasini, didn't he?

V: And vice versa: you have never shaken hands. In 1976, when Vidali invited him to participate in a ceremony of the fighters in Spain, and there goes Tommasini writes that he wants to shake the hand of someone who has killed several comrades.

M: It must be said, however, that the Communists are reproached, always and rightly so, every crime, while the capitalists get away with everything. It is considered, in their case, that violence is inevitable Machiavellian. Perhaps this is the fact that Communism promised, promised, or a just world, and thus presented with noble ideals, unlike capitalism, then denying, sometimes so ugly, those ideals. It is perhaps this that has attracted a particular ruling, and severity. (...)

V: Do you mean something else about the book?

M: It's a beautiful book, epic. A book that, in addition to the documentation, it makes you touch the concrete experience of life in this great historical moment and in that dreadful situation, it makes you feel the historical dialectic without falling into any sterile ideology. What makes you feel the reality of fascism, communism, anarchism, with all the contradictions, do not quibble, but living and meeting people. The anarchist Trieste has a remarkable ability to tell, to make living things, to show you that Barcelona, the people, educated with perhaps a single stroke. For example, in two lines gave a beautiful and unforgettable portrait of Pacciardi, that he was not politically close, but he recognizes, at that time, the courage and candor, with which among other things, protected the anarchists.

V: So has the narrative skills. Fortunately, with Clara Germani, we were able to record his memoirs. "One of the liveliest books of recent years" had called him once, do you confirm it?

M: Yes If not, I would not have made the article for the Courier (August 1984).

V: If it's a taste that remains in its own way is a classic.

M: Of course. And since I'm partial to the classics ...

Claudio Venza
(Trieste, maggio 2011)

An exceptional book, a compelling memory

The intense activity Tommasini led him to meet, and often paid off with outstanding figures of contemporary Italian history: the Rosselli brothers Berneri, Di Vittorio Vidali, from Valiani Pertini from Koestler to Bordiga. Without making us fully aware, in the early seventies years, we had young militants every day on our side not only a wise old fellow, but a historical figure. To ensure that this heritage was lost, two young friends, in the summer of 1972, did an interview, in occasions, 16 hours and went to work for several months in the archives of the fascist police. His thick file of hundreds of sheets has nothing to envy to those of other best-known militants. Too bad that few people have done something similar for other groups of anarchist history.
The bibliographic data of the old edition are: C. Venza (ed.), Umberto Tommasini. The anarchist Trieste, Milan, Antistius Editions, 1984, pp.. 543. The text, mixture of Italian language and dialect of Trieste, is now read on the site: www.germinalonline.org.

Here are some judgments made at the time of the output volume in the spring of 1984.

Claudio Magris: "One of the liveliest books of recent years"

Paolo Gobetti "exciting and overwhelming adventure, a journey into the world of memory that only oral history can afford"

Pier Carlo Masini: "It is not only a contribution to the history of the anarchist movement. Very good and thorough Introduction "

Gino Cerrito: "Like any people with clear ideas, he tells so admirably".

A dangerous book!

Four years after his death gave the figure of Tommasini still bother to political Trieste filled with prejudices and fears. In the spring of 1984 the book was to be presented to the Circle of Culture and the Arts (CCA), a public institution funded by the City, but at the last minute the room, regularly booked, was closed with an excuse. The President of the CCA, Giorgio Tombesi, conservative Catholic, had intervened to stop the cultural event that took place, however, in a hotel room nearby where they hijacked the hundreds of participants. Public controversy arose, were collected 500 signatures in a few days of protest against the closure of the hall, and solidarity with the libertarians, between citizens and intellectuals. The discrimination had the opposite effect and in two weeks, the city sold several hundred copies of the 2000 printed.

Another boomerang of power!

C.V.

remembering Umberto Tommasini

My Umberto

Many years have passed since his death. Yet every so often I think, sometimes in the same way I think of my loved ones with affection and regret. Sometimes you come to my mind of thoughts, memories. I want him any more questions.
Someone said that the teachers should be eaten. In a way we did, because they have absorbed the best of what they had to give. And from this point of view Umberto was an inexhaustible source: life experiences, struggle for knowledge. We, sympathizers and militants lucky lazy, we did not need to use a lot of books (even though he and fellow seniors, Germinal founders of the Group in 1946, we have given a priceless legacy of books and documents). The sat beside him, put questions to him and he was always willing to use his life to convey teachings and suggestions. We had not written a book but a book lived, the books are written there, you speak to a certain point but then you realize you are beautiful and finished. The story of his life but could be peeled back and forth, depth, revised in the light of new information, new experiences, new historical events. Also we had given the keys to understanding the society and life that were real master key because, when you were in your hand, you could open a thousand doors.
I do not know if I would become anarchic without him, or that I would be kind of anarchist. Knowing me, I probably would have been hard, if not dogmatic.
Instead, his story was to reflect your assumptions and became a small thing, I discovered that they needed something more, more.
We formed in '68, not by choice but because of personal and '68 we eat and its myths. Someone was full of communism, anti-Americanism, handling. And while we spoke of how he had faced down fascism and sacrifice of confinement, of Spain, Berneri, of dead comrades in Russia, the role of Vidal, the importance of consistency between ends and means, compared to the essential ' inside of the anarchist movement, membership in a group of non-sectarian, righteousness, love for their work.
Umberto was not only the past. He read constantly and informed. "Humanity Nova" always sticking out of his pocket, had every opportunity to spread good ideas: newspapers, books, leaflets, the "Germinal," First of May. He was ready to encounter, but the clash was not afraid. Even on its own.
He came to meetings, marches, conferences. And the Congress of the FAI.
We supported and stimulated. He had confidence in young people, despite everything. When it came to open the site in 1969 supported the idea with enthusiasm in front of some seniors' hesitant when complaints rained down searches and did a turn, urged us to move forward, to organize ourselves, when we were in a few supported us, sometimes we are also advised to enjoy life.
The best moment was when with him on summer nights for a week at his home in Vivaro, an open and friendly, told us about his life from the beginning. It was the early '70s. During the day preparing a package with a few lines, the recorder was lit in the evening, come back on the crickets and the moon and he began to tell. And the hours flew.
Having edited the transcript of the tapes, for a total of 16 hours, some of his ways of thinking, speaking, to beat his knuckles on the table were caught in my memory, indelible.
Unfortunately, we were very young cocky. Every now and then interrupt the flow of the story and we definitely missed something. On some subjects flew over. On others it was funny, because it began by saying "some comrades" and then, in the heat of the story, it was discovered that among those "friends" he was there.
The second regret is that we were not able to review these memories with him, to refine some parts, others to deepen.
The third is that, unfortunately, we stopped at 1972 but remained active and involved until his death eight years later. We were too busy and the duties of everyday activism, typical of those years.
It came to my house with its inevitable beret, his leather briefcase (the ones that were used in school once), the newspaper clearly visible in his jacket pocket. He chatted with my mother, communist beliefs, then heated both, but never fights. A cup of coffee. "I'm going to Vivaro. I'll be back in two weeks. " But in August 1980 did not return.
Many people went to his funeral. And many, 30 years later, we came back to remind Vivaro. From the story of all is revealed that he was still alive and present in all of us. And because we were lucky to get him to talk and gather in a book its extraordinary tale.

Clara Germani

remembering Umberto Tommasini

A project between documentary, history and new media

An Anarchist Life
The life of Tommasini

The Association Drop Out, after the success of the production in collaboration with Orion Films documentary "Boundless - story of Emilio" Ivan Bormann, retry the way of production. This time, directing his attention to new forms of production, but especially for fund raising, or collection of funds and funding. The contribution you can give your credit card through the site and ensures maximum control on security. Remind you of anything? Well, basically looks like what is called popular subscription a few years ago.

Among the thousands of projects we are developing, we chose the more militant program we had in the drawer, the one on the fabulous life of Umberto Tommasini. This is an incredible man, who has left his great memories so vivid, enthusiastic. Thanks especially to Claudio Venza and Clara Germani, who have collected more than sixteen hours of interviews, this experience is in the book "An anarchist Trieste" (Milan, 1984). Soon will come a new edition with Odradek.

Umberto was a militant anarchist passionate, fired a thousand through the history of the twentieth century, including Friuli, Trieste, Spain, France, two world wars, the Fascist confinement, up to '68 and beyond. A man that season of incredible subtle irony huge stories and characters, and immense power that he faces a true libertarian: face to face, as an equal. In his way he not only sees / meets with Vittorio Vidali, but also with Giuseppe Di Vittorio, Antonio Gramsci and a thousand others. Moving the pages where we presented and Luigi Camillo Berneri Calligaris, an anarchist communist first and second, overwhelmed by Stalinism. A story that speaks to us of what was the civil and political passion, particularly anti-authoritarian, aspects of the twentieth century in his fascinating and vital but not only.

A story that deserves a movie, of course.

To help make this Utopia possible,

www.produzionidalbasso.com/pdb_733.html

www.indiegogo.com/an-anarchist-life

Ciao and thankse

Ivan Bormann
For Drop Out

for info: v_adamski@yahoo.it