Giuseppina Tuissi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Giuseppina Tuissi
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| Born | 23 June 1923 Abbiategrasso, Italy
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| Died | 23 June 1945 (aged 22) Cernobbio, Italy
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| Cause of death | killed (uncertain) |
| Occupation | Laborer, Italian resistance member |
Giuseppina Tuissi, often called Gianna, was a brave Italian woman who fought as a partisan during World War II. Partisans were groups of people who secretly resisted the enemy forces occupying their country. Gianna was also a communist, meaning she believed in a political idea where everyone is equal and shares resources. She was part of the 52nd Garibaldi Brigade. From September 1944, she worked closely with another partisan named Luigi Canali, known as Captain Neri. Together, they played an important part in the capture and execution of Benito Mussolini, Italy's wartime leader, and his partner Clara Petacci.
Gianna's Early Life
Giuseppina Tuissi was born on June 23, 1923, in a town called Abbiategrasso in Italy. She lived and worked as a labourer in Baggio, a suburb of Milan.
Becoming a Partisan Fighter
In 1943, Giuseppina began working as a partisan courier, carrying messages and supplies. She used the secret name "Gianna." On January 6, 1945, she was captured with Luigi Canali in Lezzeno by members of the Black Brigades, who were a group supporting the enemy. She was held and questioned for 23 days.
After this difficult time, she was moved to the SS headquarters in Monza by a Gestapo officer. The officer felt sorry for her and was impressed by her courage. On March 12, she was released. Even though she had a chance to escape to Switzerland, she chose to stay and continue fighting with the partisans in northern Lombardy.
Gianna and Neri were both present when Mussolini and Petacci were captured on April 27 near Dongo. They were also there the next day when Mussolini and Petacci were executed in Giulino.
After the War and Disappearance
After the war ended, some people wondered if Gianna had shared information about other partisans while she was held captive. She was arrested in Baggio on April 29 and held until May 9. She was questioned by Pietro Vergani, a leader of the Garibaldi Brigades and a member of the Italian Communist Party.
In late May 1945, Gianna went to Milan with Luigi Canali's sister, Alice, to find out more about Luigi's death. Despite being threatened, Gianna kept asking questions, saying she would reveal what she had learned. In June, she met Ferruccio Lanfranchi, a newspaper editor who was investigating Mussolini's death.
Gianna felt alone and abandoned by her comrades. She disappeared on June 23, 1945, which was her 22nd birthday. It is believed that she was killed and her body was thrown into Lake Como near Cernobbio.
The deaths of Gianna, Neri, and other partisans in the spring of 1945 remain a mystery in the history of the Italian resistance.
