FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS - P3
Carla Della Beffa is a name that should be remembered. She wasn't a heroine, rather she was a child who listened, reasoned and took initiative. In the early months of 1924 she was sitting at her desk at her school in Milan when the announcement arrived that Rovereto was looking for funds to construct the Bell of the Fallen. When she returned home, she discussed it with her parents and asked that the money in her piggy bank be paid towards the initiative. On July 17th that little girl died. She was seriously ill and perhaps she didn't know it, because that's how it was at the time. Don Rossaro elected her «Guardian Angel of the Bell of the Fallen» and dedicated the large room to her located under the Malipiero bastion of Rovereto Castle.
There may not have been much money, but little Carla's donation is among the most significant, perhaps more than that of Queen Margherita who, together with a substantial contribution, offered Don Rossaro a short and intimate prayer for the fallen, or the funds collected by the «Legione delle Madrine» (Legion of Godmothers), made up of women of aristocratic origin or widows and mothers of those killed in war.
Everyone contributed generously, particularly the European governments who, in addition to donations, sent the nine cannons with which the Bell would then be cast. But that little girl understood before anyone else that, a symbol of peace is relevant to you even if you live far away from where it is created.
Don Rossaro's spirituality was not however immediately accepted by everyone. By May 20, 1921, the priest had made known to the management of the War Museum what he wanted to do. But from the minutes, however sparse, if you read between the lines, it is possible to deduce that not everyone was in favour.
The main issue to be resolved was that of the placement of the Bell. Don Rossaro had thought of the Malipiero bastion in the historic centre of Rovereto, since from there everyone could see it and hear its daily chimes. But this proposal encountered many difficulties. For some it would have disfigured the architectural line of the Venetian castle, for others it was too heavy, and its stability would be at risk, some members of the War Museum apparently feared a reduction in visitors due to competition. Others still suggested placing the Bell near the Ossuary of Dante Castle, which was built outside the city, where a war cemetery was located. But the central point was what little Carla had understood, that is Don Rossaro did not intend to limit the reference of the Bell only to the fallen Rovereto soldiers, but to make it a symbol of universal peace. For this reason, it had to be large, heavy, and positioned in a place where everyone could see it.
On 20 October 1923 the priest met in Trento with Superintendent of Fine Arts, Giuseppe Gerola. The brief account of the conversation written in his diary speaks volumes: «Gerola insistently recommends making the Bell smaller. I answer: You want it at Dante Castle at all costs - You want it smaller. It will go in the castle, in Rovereto - it will weigh 10 tonnes - like it or not. »
(to be continued)
