Arts
Monte Grappa WW1 shelter reimagined by Cities and Memory. Walking around inside a shelter carved from the very rock of the mountain was a humbling experience, thinking of the incredible hardship enduring during the Great War in the mountains, and the effort that had to go into creating a supply line. As a sonic tribute, the recording is blended with La Canzone del Grappa ('Mount Grappa'), a song composed in August 1918 by Captain Antonio Meneghetti as we make our way around the shelter, fading at the end as we reemerge into the misty daylight. Here are the lyrics, in both Italian and English. La Canzone del Grappa Monte Grappa tu sei la mia patria, sovra a te il nostro sole risplende, a te mira chi spera ed attende i fratelli che a guardia vi stan. Contra a te già s'infranse il nemico, che all'Italia tendeva lo sguardo: non si passa un cotal baluardo affidato ad italici cuor. Monte Grappa tu sei la mia patria, sei la stella che addita il cammino, sei la gloria, il volere, il destino, che all'Italia ci fa ritornar. Le tue cime fur sempre vietate per il piè dell'odiato straniero dei tuoi fianchi egli ignora il sentiero che pugnando più volte tentò. Qual la candida neve che al verno ti ricopre di splendido ammanto, tu sei puro ed invitto col vanto che il nemico non lasci passar. Monte Grappa tu sei la mia patria... O montagna per noi tu sei sacra giù di lì scenderanno le schiere che irrompenti a spiegate bandiere l'invasore dovranno scacciar. Ed i giorni del nostro servaggio che scontammo mordendo nel freno, in un forte avvenire sereno noi ben presto vedremo mutar. Monte Grappa tu sei la mia patria... English Translation - Mount Grappa Mount Grappa you are my motherland our sun shines over you Those who hope and wait they look at you they look at the brothers at guard on you The enemy's already broken against you, he who already aimed to Italy no one can pass such a bulwark put in charge to Italian hearts. Mount Grappa you are my motherland, you are the star showing the way you are the glory, the will, the destiny, that makes us remembering Italy Your peaks were always banned to the foot of the hated foreigner he doesn't know the way on your flanks that he tried to fight out. Like the snow that in winter covers you with a white mantel so you are pure and undefeated with the pride of having never let the enemy pass. Mount Grappa you are my motherland... O mountain, you are sacred to us the stormy ranks, with flags raised will descend from you to drive out the enemy We will soon see the days of our servitude, that we endured with great efforts, change in a serene future. Mount Grappa you are my motherland...