Stefanelli

La Spagna nel nostro cuore, Associazione Italiana Combattenti Volontari Antifascisti di Spagna (AICVAS), p. 446

Stefanelli Giovanni di Romolo e Fede Incoronata, 1/12/1897, Campobasso. Ragioniere, socialista. Antifascista impegnato, nel 1927 espatria clandestinamente in Francia. In Spagna fa parte della 27a Divisione spagnola raggiungendo, sul fronte di Aragona, il grado di comandante di artiglieria di Corpo d'Armata. Su quel fronte comanda un batteria di pezzi da 75 mm. Esce dalla Spagna nel febbraio 1939 e viene internato ad Argelès, Gurs e Vernet. Tradotto in Italia nel 1942, viene assegnato alla Casa di Lavoro di Finale Ligure.

[English translation]

Stefanelli Giovanni di Romolo e Fede Incoronata, 12/1/1897, Campobasso. An accountant, a socialist. A committed anti-fascist, in 1927 [he] expatriates illegally to France. In Spain [he] serves at the 27th Spanish Division, on the Aragon front, and reaches the rank of commander of the artillery of the Army Corps. On that front [he] commands a battery of 75 mm pieces. [He] exits from Spain in February 1939 and is interned at Argelès[-sur-Mer], Gurs, and Vernet. [He] was translated into Italy in 1942, [and] was assigned to the House of Labor in Finale Ligure.

Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (RGASPI), f. 545, op. 6, d. 529, l. 108.

COMANDANCIA

DE LAS BRIGADAS INTERNACIONALES

Note de Service No 10124 - HR.

Albacete, le 31 Octobre 1937

Au Comité d'Aide au Peuple d'Espagne.

Chers camarades,

Lors de sa dernière visite à Albacete Ie camarade Heusler nous a demandé des nouvelles du :

Capitaine STEFANELLI Giovanni

de la 123o Brigade Mixte, 10o Batterie, qui se trouverait sur le front de Huesca.

Nous regrettons devoir vous dire que est officier n'appartient pas aux Brigades Internationales, nous avons néanmoins fait le nécessaire auprès du Ministère de la Défense pour avoir des renseignements à son sujet.

Avec notre meilleur salut antifasciste.

LE COMMANDANT DE LA BASE

[English translation]

HEADQUARTERS

OF INTERNATIONAL BRIGADES

Note of Service No. 10124 - HR.

Albacete, October 31, 1937

To the Committee of Aid to the People of Spain.

Dear comrades,

During his last visit to Albacete, Comrade Heusler asked for news of:

Captain STEFANELLI Giovanni

of the 123rd Mixed Brigade, 10th Battery, which would be at the front of Huesca.

We regret to say that this officer does not belong to the International Brigades, but we have nevertheless done what is necessary with the Ministry of Defense to have information about him.

With our best antifascist salute.

THE COMMANDER OF THE BASE

Alexei Kochetkov wrote warmly about his commander Giovanni Stefanelli in his autobiographical novel I am coming back to you. Please contact us if you have any knowledge about what happened to Giovanni Stefanelli after 1942. We would greatly appreciate it.