In November 1944, the 16th-century Palazzo Barbieri became the headquarters of the Republican National Guard (GNR), which until then had been based in the more isolated and peripheral Villa Ascani. The authorities of the Italian Social Republic (RSI), probably in search of a venue likely to be more easily defendable from the partisan attacks, chose Palazzo Barbieri, located in the heart of the historic town, as their new headquarters.
Palazzo Barbieri became a place of suffering for many: the captured partisans were imprisoned and tortured inside it. After the town liberation on April 22, 1945, it was turned into the Command’s headquarters of the National Liberation Committee (CLN, which from that moment became in charge of the town government, leading the municipality until the entry into force in March 1946 of the new institutional settings of free and democratic Italy resulting from the first free elections. Here in the immediate post-war period, were detained several fascists, severely involved with the previous regime who were awaiting trial.
During the Nazi-Fascist occupation period, the CLN section in Carpi had already stood out for its activity, acting as a real governing body for the territory. When it took office in Palazzo Barbieri, the presidency was entrusted to Emilio Cabassi, a Christian Democrats’ member. The board was composed of representatives coming from four parties: the Christian Democrats, the Socialists, the Communists and the Action Party: the executive was completed by a leader of the Farmers' Committee and a representative of the Economic Committee, the last two being considered as additional members. Various sub-committees depended on the central command of the CLN in Palazzo Barbieri, created ì in various hamlets of the municipality.
