Carpi's large central square has been the town’s political, religious and administrative heart for over five hundred years. During the Fascist regime, it was the venue for political ceremonies, rallies and military parades, and during the Second World War, one of the most serious acts of violence against civilians perpetrated by the Fascist regime in Carpi took place in this square. On August 16, 1944, sixteen citizens were shot in retaliation by the Black Brigades and a platoon of the Republican National Guard.
The harsh reprisal was ordered by the Provincial Command of the Republican National Guard (GNR) in response to the partisan attack that had taken place in the Carpi hamlet of Migliarina the previous day, August 15, during which Filiberto Nannini, a militia consul and member of the Special Tribunal for the Defence of the State, had been killed. As early as that afternoon, the men of the Black Brigades had conducted a massive round-up, in the towh districts, the hamlets of Migliarina, Budrione, Fossoli and the Rio Saliceto area (Reggio Emilia).
The Bishop of Carpi, Vigilio dalla Zuanna, immediately began negotiating with the Provincial Commander and, probably thanks to his mediation, of the over 100 arrested citizens, the number designated for execution was reduced to 16.
While the funeral of Consul Nannini was taking place in the town, a group of Italian Social Republic (RSI) soldiers led the prisoners into the square and forced them to lie on the ground. At 8pm, the GNR platoon shot the victims in execution of the reprisal order.
The square was chosen as venue for the public execution, not only to warn the entire population but it was also ordered that the lifeless bodies of the victims remain on display until the next day, when they were taken to the town cemetery for burial. "A day of dismay expressed on everyone's faces," writes Don Ettore Tirelli in his chronicle, and continues, "The bodies are still lying face upwards on the ground, and scenes of profound grief follow one another as soon as a relative sees a loved one.
After the Unification of Italy, the square had been named after King Victor Emmanuel, during the period of the Salò Republic it was renamed Square of the Republic, and immediately after the war it took the name of Martyrs’ Square, in memory of the massacre. In honour of the victims, a plaque was also placed on the spot where the shooting took place. Every year, the town of Carpi commemorates the sixteen victims of the massacre with a heartfelt and participatory public event.
