The Republic of Alto Monferrato was a short lived partisan state existing from September to December 2, 1944. The state came to exist following the political union of two Italian

resistance movements A resistance movement is an organized effort by some portion of the civil population of a country to withstand the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability. It may seek to achieve its objectives ...

based in

Nizza Monferrato Nizza Monferrato (''Nissa dla Paja'' in Piedmontese) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about southeast of Asti. Nizza Monferrato borders the following ...

and

Costigliole d'Asti Costigliole d'Asti ( pms, Costiòle d'Ast) is a small Italian town in the Province of Asti, southern Piedmont. It lies about south of the city of Asti in the Alto Monferrato, on the edge of the Langhe, in the alluvial plain of the river Tanaro s ...

of the southern

Montferrat Montferrat (, ; it, Monferrato ; pms, Monfrà , locally ; la, Mons Ferratus) is part of the region of Piedmont in northern Italy. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Mo ...

region. Its main territory comprised the towns of

Moasca Moasca is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about southeast of Asti. Moasca borders the following municipalities: Agliano Terme, Calosso, Canelli, Castelnu ...

San Marzano Oliveto San Marzano Oliveto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about southeast of Asti. San Marzano Oliveto is located in a panoramic position above sea level. I ...

, Calamandrana,

Mombercelli Mombercelli is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about southeast of Asti. Mombercelli borders the following municipalities: Belveglio, Castelnuovo Calcea, Mo ...

Bruno Bruno may refer to: People and fictional characters *Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname * Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880) * Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne, ...

, Bergamasco, and Castelnuovo Belbo. There were four subdivisions of Alto Monferrato's troops; the VIII and IX division led by the Gribaldi Brigades, and the II and V division led autonomously.

Operation Koblenz-Süd

The republic was left to a swift and violent end in Operation Koblenz-Süd, a roundup led by

Nazi German Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

troops and supported by Fascist Italy. When the enemy troops arrived, the resistance troops (often new recruits with limited military experience) fled into the mountains. The Nazis quickly occupied Nizza Monferrato in December 2, de facto beheading the republic and rounding civilians suspected of supporting partisan forces. The operation ended only three weeks after, in December 21, with around 400 partisans captured and shot. Surviving prisoners, one including a member of the Alto Monferrato council, were sent to

Nazi concentration camps From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany operated more than a thousand concentration camps, (officially) or (more commonly). The Nazi concentration camps are distinguished from other types of Nazi camps such as forced-labor camps, as well as concen ...

. Captured civilians, nearing one thousands, were also sent to

forced labor Forced labour, or unfree labour, is any work relation, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will with the threat of destitution, detention, violence including death, or other forms of ex ...

in Germany.

References

{{reflist 1944 in Italy Monferrato Modern history of Italy Former republics States and territories established in 1944 States and territories disestablished in 1944 History of Piedmont Nizza Monferrato Italian resistance movement