Florence Remembers Its Liberation: Honoring the Resistance and Allied Forces

On Sunday Augut 11, 2025, the city of Florence will commemorate the 81st anniversary of its liberation from Nazi occupation, a day etched in history as a turning point in the fight for freedom. Celebrations will begin at 7 a.m. with the tolling of the Martinella, the ancient bell of Palazzo Vecchio, whose sound once marked the beginning of the city’s insurrection on August 11, 1944.

A series of official ceremonies will follow, including a wreath-laying at the Monument to the Fallen in Piazza dell’Unità Italiana (9:45 a.m.), and commemorative speeches on the steps of Palazzo Vecchio (10:30 a.m.), where the mayor Sara Funaro and representatives of the resistance associations will speak. In all districts of the city, laurel wreaths will be placed at key sites of the Florentine resistance, and the Deportation Memorial will offer free guided visits throughout the weekend.

A City at War: The Days Leading to August 11, 1944

The liberation of Florence came at the end of a dramatic summer in 1944. After the Allies entered Rome in June, their forces continued northward. On the night between August 4 and 5, German troops began withdrawing from the southern part of Florence, destroying all the bridges across the Arno with one exception: the Ponte Vecchio. Yet even this historic landmark was made impassable, as the Nazis demolished the buildings on its approaches.

As the Germans retreated to the northern bank of the river, partisans and Allied officers began working together in the Oltrarno district. The local Tuscan Committee for National Liberation (CTLN) and the Garibaldi Brigades, including the Sinigaglia Brigade, led operations to drive out fascist snipers and secure the neighborhoods of San Frediano, Santo Spirito, and San Niccolò.

One of the most significant points of resistance was at Poggio dell’Incontro, where German forces had fortified a hilltop convent. There, they held off the Allies until August 9, when British tanks broke through the perimeter and seized the position after fierce fighting.

The Insurrection of August 11

At 6 a.m. on August 11, the CTLN gave the order for a general uprising. The Martinella bell rang out from the Palazzo Vecchio tower, echoed by the bell of the Bargello, as partisan fighters launched their final offensive. While the Allies were still south of the Arno, the Florentines rose up on their own, determined to free their city.

Partisans crossed the Arno under heavy fire. CTLN leaders emerged from the underground headquarters in Via della Condotta and marched to Palazzo Medici Riccardi, where they assumed control of the city. For the first time in the Italian campaign, the local government was formed by the resistance, with Gaetano Pieraccini (Socialist Party) appointed mayor, supported by deputies from the Communist and Christian Democratic parties—a decision later ratified by the Allied Command.

The fighting did not end that day. German forces, pushed back beyond the Mugnone stream, resisted fiercely in the outer neighborhoods. House-to-house combat continued in Campo di Marte, Porta al Prato, and along Viale Belfiore. Civilian volunteers and members of the SAP (Patriotic Action Squads), who had operated clandestinely for months, emerged to support the partisans with limited arms and supplies.

Allied troops crossed the Arno on August 13, aided by partisan cover. The final German positions were cleared by the end of August. Florence was declared fully liberated on September 1, 1944.

A Shared Victory

The liberation of Florence was not only a military milestone but also a powerful symbol of civic resistance. The close coordination between Allied troops and local partisans, often neglected in broader narratives, was key to the city’s liberation. Aligi Barducci, known by his nom de guerre Potente, paid with his life for that collaboration, killed by a German mortar while coordinating actions with Allied officers. His unit would later bear his name as the Garibaldi Division Potente.

In recognition of this collective effort, Florence was awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor in 1945. This year’s commemorations, as every year, are not just about remembering the past, but about reaffirming the city’s enduring commitment to freedom and democracy.

The Human Cost of Liberation

The battle for Florence came at a high human cost. Between early August and the final retreat of German forces on September 1, 1944, over 200 partisans were killed and around 400 wounded. Allied troops also paid a heavy price, with an estimated 150 casualties during operations in and around the city. On the opposing side, more than 600 German and Fascist soldiers were killed or injured as they tried to hold their positions and delay the liberation. The toll reflects the intensity of the street-by-street fighting and the courage of those who risked everything to free the city.

Many of the Allied soldiers who fell during the liberation of Florence—and throughout the Italian campaign—now rest in the city’s war cemeteries. In Florence, the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Piazza Donatello is the final resting place for dozens of British and Commonwealth troops. South of the city, the Florence American Cemetery in Falciani holds the graves of over 4,000 U.S. soldiers who died during the advance through Italy, including those who fought in Tuscany. These sites serve as solemn reminders of the international sacrifice made for the liberation of Florence and the defeat of Nazi-Fascism.

Key Dates of Florence’s Liberation

August 3, 1944
German troops begin their retreat north and fortify positions on Poggio dell’Incontro.

Night of August 4–5, 1944
All bridges over the Arno are destroyed by retreating Germans—except for Ponte Vecchio, which is made inaccessible by demolishing nearby buildings.

August 5, 1944
The CTLN and Garibaldi Brigades begin organizing civilian aid and resistance in the Oltrarno.

August 8, 1944
Partisan commander Aligi Barducci (“Potente”) is fatally wounded by a German mortar in Piazza Santo Spirito.

August 9, 1944
British tanks break through German defenses at Poggio dell’Incontro, clearing the way to Florence.

August 11, 1944
At 6 a.m., the Martinella bell signals the start of the insurrection. Partisans liberate the southern part of the city and take control of the municipal government.

August 13, 1944
Allied forces cross the Arno with the support of partisan units.

September 1, 1944
The last German forces are expelled from the Florence area. The city is fully liberated.

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