A Polish article about the overthrow of socialism in San Marino from 1959

Państwo na dni spaceru (TL/N: I honestly don't know how to translate this)

I was a guest of the Political Bureau. The First Secretary was pouring me some Chianti. The Propaganda Secretary was treating me to Muscatel. Comrades from the Central Comitte put aside their bulky briefcases and skillfully twirled spaghetti with their forks. A procession of local stallholders was making its way down the street, raising spasmatic cries: „Peace ― yes! Communism ― no!” This was happening in San Marino on 8th of September, 1959. 5 days before the elections to the Grand Council. The elections were going to decide, if the world's smallest republic will remain loyal to it's proud motto: „Ancient land of liberty”.

On the serrated peak of Monte Titano which suddenly rises from among the shy hills, settled the once pious Marinus, a stonemason from Dalmatia, to escape the persecution of Christians which broke out again under Emperor Diocletian.

He chose a convenient hiding place. The free commune, baptized with the name of Saint Marinus, resisted its aggressive neighbors in the Middle Ages and later, the Malatestas, Borgias and Albertoni, emerging from subsequent wars with a defensive hand. Napoleon, being in a good mood, had offered the republic... a hundredfold increase in its territory. But the Sammarinese statesman Antonio Onofri showed astonishing political sobriety and politely thanked for the gift: „Only our smallness ― he said ― is the guarantee of our freedom”. During the wars for the unification of Italy, Garibaldi took refuge here with his family and a handful of his closest friends twice. During the last war San Marino kept strict neutrality, giving refuge to hundreds of thousands of political fugitives on it's small territory! Only in civilian clothing did Germans have access rights to the republic. The entire border was painted with a wide white stripe for the pilots' orientation; this didn't save the country from an accidental air raid from the English however. 243 heavy caliber bombs, over 60 fatal victims.

In the last phase of the war a lot of Sammarinese volunteers fought among the Italian partisans. Vittorio Ghiotti and Claudio Canti, who fell in battle, are honored as national heroes. And when in 1945 elections were called, the majority was won by the communists with the socialists. San Marino became the smallest of the people's republics.

Twelve years did people's rule in San Marino last. When the left was taking power, the country was at rock bottom. English bombardment brought losses estimated at 3 billion lire. There was hunger. Hygienic conditions were in a deplorable state. Typhoid fever was taking a deadly toll. Tuberculosis was spreading.

Twelve years did people's rule in San Marino last. During this time all war damages were erased. An exemplary social welfare system has been established. 20 kilometers of sewage system were installed, finally eliminating typhoid fever. The country boasts the densest road network in the world. The number of tourists has increased from 200,000 in 1949 to one and a half million today. There are days, when Monte Titano is being visited by 30000 foreign tourists! The industry was expanded, primarily ceramic: in 1945 there were 68 workshops, in 1958 ― 537. The production of grain and wine has greatly expanded. The budget annually closed with a surplus of 400 million lire. Tens of residential homes were built for the workers, and light and water were brought to all homes. San Marino became the country of abundance and peace.

Twelve years did people's rule in San Marino last. Rome watched with growing reluctance this calling card of communism, tucked under the solace of the Italian boot. Several times, especially in 1951 and 1952, border conflicts erupted. They were meant to scare away foreign tourists. The effect was quite the opposite. The rush of emotions when crossing the border of the country ruled by the reds attracted the Swiss and American city dwellers the most.

30th of September 1957 5 socialist deputees joined the opposition. The Grand Council found itself in an impasse. 19 communists i 11 socialists against 23 christian democrats i 7 social democrats. 30 against 30. Tomorrow a new turn. Deputee Attilio Giannini, an independent, chosen from a communist list, declared accession to christian democracy. The legal government lost the parliamentary majority.

According to the constitution of San Marino, the two captains-regents, who ― following the example of Roman consuls ― jointly exercise the highest authority in the republic, cannot be deprived of their mandates before the end of their six-month term. But the christian democrats had no intention of waiting to take power. In the border town of Rovereta, in the gloomy building of an unfinished factory hall, they established a revoltionary government. That same day to Rovereta comes from Florence the US consul, bringing the pretenders official recognition of their government. A dispatch with analogous content comes from... the Republic of South Maluku, that exists only in the imagination of some American politicians. The San Marino ― Rimini road is rolled onto by Italian tanks and armored cars. From all sides, army and gendarmerie battalions are rushing towards the defenseless borders. About 12 000 soldiers in total ― an entire division. San Marino has 18 000 residents.

The legal communist-socialist government doesn't falter. A fourteen-person gendarmerie corps, accustomed only to parades on ceremonial days, is in full combat readiness and mans strategic posts. A voluntary peoples' militia is being formed, armed with double-barrelled shotguns. Their patrols on scooters are observing the movement of tanks, that unceremoniously bare their gun barrels towards the border posts.

The pretenders don't feel safe even behind Italian backs and turn their temporary base into a stronghold. Machine gun nests stand guard in the corners of the building, kindly delivered ― with crews ― by the christian and democratic government of Italy. At night, searchlights glide across the fields to prevent a sudden communist invasion.

Day after day passes in full alert. The legal government is appealing to the UN, accusing Italy of meddling in the internal matters of San Marino. The entire world press publishes on its front pages ― in a tone of farce and drama ― information about the conflict and threat of war between states, one of which is three thousand times larger than the other. Hundreds of young communists from Rimini, Bologna, Ferrara have to the aid of their Sammarinese comrades, with torches in hand, „Bandiera Rossa” on their lips, and food in backpacks. Because for several days now, hunger had made itself present in the besieged state. The bloccade was so impenetrable, that even mothers with sick children, making their way to doctor-specialists in Rimini, were turned back from the road.

The world opinion is in uproar. Gulliver forcing his will on Liliput is tasteless even to people ideologically away from communism.

But suddenly the world's attention turns completely in a completely different direction. On the sky appears the first sputnik! News from San Marino disappear from newspaper columns. The encircled, lonely, forgotten government of the republic ― yields. In the statelet that has for centuries been a safe haven for everyone, monstrous police terror is unleashed. All leftists are laid off from administration. 29 communists and socialists lose their parliamentary mandates. Some go to prison. 27 key progressive activists ― including former captain-regents ― go to trial on charges of high treason. They are facing long-term work...

Seeing the baselessness of this accusation, oustanding Italian lawyer ― supreme judge of San Marino ― professor Carlo Artoro Yemolo resigns. Even though he's a christian democrat, he does not yield to pressure from his party authorities. Two other, successively appointed judges follow suit. Finally the fourth, Michele Grifa, an unknown to anybody lawyer from Bologna, takes it upon himself to lead the trial. A San Marino tradition according to which only foreigners with professorial titles can be judges is broken.

The trial drags on month after month. No verdict is reached.

The verdict has already been passed, but it lies in the drawer.

The election date to the Grand Council is approaching.

Let the verdict lie in the drawer.

Nothing shames as much as paper...

The elections are just five days away! In Borgo, a working-class suburb of the capital, crowds of people gather on street corners, gesticulating with living excitement. A slim boy nervously sticks up a large poster reading "Vota comunista". Another man angrily kicks scattered communist leaflets.

In „Citta:”, the capital placed at the very top of Monte Titano, the atmosphere isn't this tense. Banners with slogans of all four parties hang peacefully next to each other. Dignified elderly gentlemen stop before the lists of candidates and carefully find the names of their closest friends. My God, everyone in this country knows each other at least by sight!

„Casa” ― the party house built with membership dues ― is bustling with work day and night. Duplicating machines are clicking. Paper scraps fly through the unplastered corridors. Agitators run in and out. The phone buzzes.

Gildo Gasperoni, First Secretary of the San Marino Communist Party, reports to me the arguments with which the communists want to convince the voting masses.

Violation of civil rights by the Christian Democrats, for example ban on meetings and manifestations. Destruction of the independence of the courts. A deficit of 2 billion after 23 months of power, which, considering the 950 million annual state budget, is probably a record sum on a global scale. Under leftist rule every budget year ended with a surplus.

― Do you expect to win at the polls? ― I ask sternly.

― We expect the majority of San Marino's residents to vote for the communists and socialists. But that doesn't mean we'll win. The new electoral law is rigged to guarantee success for the ruling Christian Democrats...

San Marino grants the right to vote to all persons born in its territory. Therefore, 52 percent of votes come from abroad, from the large emigré population scattered around the world. Under the former electoral law, anyone could cast their vote by mail. Currently, only Sammarinesi residing in America retain this privilege. Others must vote in person.

― Emigrants living overseas ― tłumaczy Gasperoni ― are mostly wealthy people, natural allies of the right. However, in France, Germany, Belgium and, above all, in Italy, many of our compatriots work. Of course, only a few will be able to cover the cost of their trip to San Marino to vote..

Lunch time is approaching. The five of us go to the pub of a camouflaged communist who cuts the bills of his party comrades in half. The man in the red sweatshirt ― that's Giuseppe Berardi; he was the leader of the voluntary militia in the hot days of the coup, he faces a harsh sentence for armed resistance against the authorities. Virginio Reffi, a broad-shouldered lawyer, a proven supporter of the party, whose representatives he's defending in the trial of twenty-seven, jokes about his friend:

― If you get fifteen years of hard labor, you'll have enough time to build another mountain like Monte Titano!

Everyone's laughing. How grotesque these accusations of high treason sound in this carefree, sunny, prosperous land of good wine, beautiful landscapes and wonderful art. Even the serious Gasperoni, even though his mind is preoccupied with the details of the election campaign, brightens up with a glass of sparkling Muscatel.

Then comes in Umberto Barulli, considered a sure candidate for the position of First Secretary if Gasperoni had to resign from his duties..

― I'll tell you a story ― he says. ― A certain Christian Democrat, terminally ill, summoned his confessor to his bedside.

― My son ― said the confessor, after giving him the sacraments ― you still have a few hours left to live. Do you have any wishes you want me to grant you?

― Yes, Father. I want you to sign me up for the Communist Party.

― In the name of the Father and the Son... And what comes to your mind, you, God's most faithful sheep?

― Father, grant my request. When I die, there will be one less communist in the world.

Bottle after bottle. Some comrades go out to serve at rallies and conferences in the districts. Others come, excited by the fever in the city. These people are facing hard labor any day now. No one thinks about it. Smiles and jokes. Beautiful is San Marino.

― If we win the election ― says Virginio Reffi ― we're inviting you for a visit. You will be a guest of the government.

E p i l o g u e

I won't be a guest of the government. Electoral law has triumphed over the will of the electorate.

A dozen or so days later I read a short PAP statement.

The two former regents of San Marino ― a communist and a socialist ― and their leading collaborators, five of them, were sentenced to prison, which according to the nomenclature in force there means public works.

Fifteen years in prison were given to: former regent-communist Giordano Giacomini, twelve years of prison ― former communist internal affairs minister Domenico Morgante, former socialist foreign affairs minister Gino Giacomini and Secretary of local communist party Ermenegildo Gasperoni. In addition, another former left-wing foreign minister and a former commander of the volunteer militia were sentenced to 5 years in prison.

1959