Norma Pratelli Parenti (1 June 1921 – 23 June 1944) was an Italian partisan, honored with a gold medal for military valor (in memory).
Biography Norma was born in the Podere "Zuccantine di Sopra" area, located today in Monterotondo Marittimo but then the Municipality of Massa Marittima, daughter of Estewan and Roma Camerini. In her adult life, she joined the semi-clandestine organization called Azione Cattolica, joining the Circolo of "Santa Giovanna D'Arco" operating inside the hospice "S.Chiara".
Starting from 1941, she resided for a year in the spiritual retreat of Villa SantaRegina in Siena, and in March 1942 in the Compagnia delle figlie dimesse di S. Angela Merici with the intent to join them, but then she abandoned this. In fact, in the summer of 1942, having already moved to Massa Marittima, she became engaged to Mario Pratelli, from Agordo, whom she married on 31 March 1943 and on 29 December of the same year, Alberto Mario Pratelli was born, the only son of Norma and Mario.
After the Armistice of Cassibile, she actively participated in the Italian Liberation War, in the ranks of the Grosseto's Resistance as a partisan in the "Amiata" Group of the 23rd Garibaldi Brigade, collecting money and aid for the partisans, hosting the fugitives, hosting former Allied prisoners, procuring arms and munitions and personally participating in various war actions.Riccardo Michelucci, Norma come Antigone against the Nazi-fascists , Avvenire , Rome, March 16, 2013.
In a trattoria in Massa Marittima, managed by her mother, Norma led to desertion many foreign war prisoners to join the partisan gangs.According to the Municipal Administration of Massa Marittima, Norma Pradelli Parenti buried the 77 miners of Nicioletta slaughtered by the Nazis and Fascists on 14 June 1944 in Castelnuovo Val di Cecina, facing the command of the Wehrmacht who had denied them burial. It was one of these prisoners, a Mongolian soldier, who betrayed Norma, leading to her arrest together with her mother on the evening of 22 June 1944.
After being fiercely tortured, Norma Pratelli Parenti was shot the same evening by the retreating German troops. Her torn body was found the next day. It was decreed that the Gold Medal of Military Valour would be dedicated to her memory.
Dedications A primary school of Populonia has been entitled with her name, while there are many streets named after her in Massa Marittima, Grosseto, Follonica, Piombino, Rome, and Fizzonasco. The song "Norma, per non dimenticare" has been recorded by the choir "Le Donne di Magliano" and is one of the tracks of the cd "Donne che cantano le Donne" (2017) Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
Honors Decorated with a Gold Medal of Military Valour. «Young bride and mother, between massacres and persecutions, while German and Fascist anger raged on the Maremma coast, she did not give rest to her body nor did she bend her will as a rescuer, animator, fighter and martyr. She gave the victims the forbidden burial, provided hospitality to the fugitives, freedom and salvation to the prisoners, munitions and food to the partisans and in the days of terror, when fear closed all doors and made the streets deserted, with an intrepid pity she gave courage to fearful people and increased confidence to the strongest ones. On the night of June 22nd, brought out of her home, tortured by the ferocious bestiality of her executioners, she died, a sublime offering to the Fatherland, a generous soul.» – Massa Marittima, June 1944.
Notes
Bibliography Riccardo Bicicchi (regia di), Il terzo giorno d'estate, docufilm, 2014.
Magazine Riccardo Michelucci, Norma come Antigone contro i nazifascisti, Avvenire, Roma, 16 marzo 2013.
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