Silvestro Curotti 

My name was Silvestro Curotti, born on November 4, 1920, in Vagna, a small village in Domodossola. From a young age, I loved sports, but my true passion was walking. At the start of World War II, I joined the "Aosta" group of the 1st Alpine Artillery Regiment and fought on the western front in Savoy, where I became part of the 20th Skiers Group. After the 1943 armistice, I returned to Italy and joined the Resistance, taking the nickname "Dom." I led a team of saboteurs, carrying out several actions against the Germans. On June 4, 1944, I was on a mission to recover weapons and explosives dropped by Allied planes near Lake Orta. During the return, we were ambushed by the German SS. While my men retreated, I stayed behind to protect the supplies. I hid in the shadows and managed to bring the materials to safety, but I was soon surrounded. I fought alone for hours, resisting about eighty German soldiers. When my ammunition ran out and the house was destroyed by mortars, I took my life with the last shot to avoid capture, saying: "Patriots die, but they do not give up." I was only 24 years old. The Germans honored me for my resistance, but I never wanted recognition. I was awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor posthumously, but for me, the real honor was fighting for the freedom of my land. Today, the stadium in Domodossola has my name, but it also carries the memory of all my comrades. I hope young people will run free and united, just like we did.