The Garibaldian Volunteers in France during the First World War

Abstract

The Garibaldian Volunteers in France during the First World War

This article traces the history of some 2300 Italian volunteers who formed part of the Garibaldi Legion, which was incorporated into the French Foreign Legion, from November 1914 to March 1915. Led by Peppino Garibaldi, Giuseppe Garibaldi's grandson, the Legion consisted of Italian immigrants who lived in France as well as artists, political activists and others who came from Italy. The article examines the diverse motivations that prompted these volunteers to enlist. It also assesses the wartime conduct of the Legion, which was decimated by German troops in Argonne in December 1914 and January 1915. Finally, the article illustrates how, once their military role ended, the memory of these Garibaldian volunteers was used to serve various propagandistic and political purposes. In spring 1915, the fallen volunteers and the veterans were used by interventionists to urge neutral Italy to join the war on the Allies’ side. During the interwar period, their memory was exploited by both fascists and the anti-fascists.