Women Of The Resistance

The last Italo-Canadian survivors recount their collaboration with Canadian troops as the embattled country fought away its fascist ties. In the summer of 1943, Italy was a nation in crisis. By September, the first partisan bands were formed. Everywhere in Italy, biased women fought daily and transported resources as they were considered less dangerous. There were organized groups of women who carried out anti-fascist propaganda, raised funds and organized assistance to political prisoners and were also engaged in maintaining communications and military operations. According to the German high command, in the summer of 1944 alone, partisans killed more than 5,000 German soldiers. They wounded thousands more, proving to be a pivotal factor in the allied war effort.