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After the entry of Italy into the Second World War on 10 June 1940, Borg Pisani renounced his
British citizenship, returning his British passport through the American embassy (which represented British interests in Rome). Yet he never formally requested nor obtained Italian citizenship, despite later
357:
in Ras id-Dawwara and transferred all his rations to a cave that he knew well from his youth. Unusually inclement weather and a rough sea, however, washed all his possessions away within 48 hours, and he proved unable to climb the cliffs. He was forced to wave down a local boat. Upon rescue by a
450:
According to Mark
Harwood, Borg Pisani might have been betrayed by the Italian Fascists themselves, who by sending him alone on an espionage mission to Malta (where he was very likely to be captured and executed) could have been looking for a propaganda coup against the British with the Maltese
582:
Some sources claim that Borg Pisani was born on 10 August 1914 and there are primary sources which state that he was 28 years old in 1942, indicating that he was born in 1914. However, other sources give his date of birth as 10 August 1915, and this is confirmed by primary sources such as his
228:, with whom he shared the conviction that the British colonial government was destroying the "Italian soul" of Malta. He also believed that the best opportunity to restore Malta to its original state was to expel the British and unite the island to the
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and beseeched the
Governor to use the prerogative of mercy, and to reverse the sentence to long-term, or life imprisonment instead of execution. The petition for clemency was denied with a
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Carmelo Borg Pisani’s passport application photo before leaving to Rome for his artistic studies (1932). Since
Carmelo was only 17, the application was submitted by his father Gaetano.
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was the priest that gave him his last rites and accompanied him to his execution. His remains, initially buried inside
Corradino Prison, are now in the ossuary of the cemetery of
1144:
1119:
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There, Borg Pisani was recognized by one of his childhood friends, Cpt. Tom
Warrington, who denounced him. British Intelligence kept him under arrest in a house in
510:, and streets in Rome, Turin, Bari and Legnano are still named after him. A neo-fascist group commemorated his death in front of Malta's embassy in Rome in 2010.
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population at the height of the war — but the plan did not work. Frank
Leighton considered him "a gullible victim of fascist Italy's propaganda".
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236:
232:. In Rome, Borg Pisani chaired the "Circolo degli Amici della Storia di Malta" and joined the "Comitato d'Azione Maltese", headed by exiled
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Borg Pisani's brother, Paul Borg who was a priest, tried in vain to save
Carmelo's life by submitting a petition to the Governor of Malta,
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201:) and OGIE (Organizzazioni Giovanili Italiane all'Estero), through which he attended youth camps in Italy, such as Campo Dux in
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Carmelo Borg Pisani (far left) with friends in Rome. Giuseppe Galea (far right) was also a
Maltese artist studying in Rome.
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463:). These "last words" have been taken up by many of his supporters. In Italy, Borg Pisani was posthumously awarded the
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1065:"Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare alla memoria" awarded to him after his death (with photo of Carmelo Borg Pisani).
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After his death, inside his own jail was found written by him: "I vili ed i servi non sono graditi al
Signore" (
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by returning his passport and acquisition of Italian citizenship (which would have granted him the status of
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mission to Malta, to check British defences and help prepare for the planned Axis invasion of the island (
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193:. In his teens he attended the network of pro-Italian and pro-fascist organisations in Malta: Valletta's
224:. He lived in the Italian government-funded "Casa della Redenzione Maltese", where he met other Maltese
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276:
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In silenzio gioite e soffrite: storia dei servizi segreti italiani dal Risorgimento alla guerra fredda
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Italian historian Giulio Vignoli wrote that Borg Pisani is to be considered one of the last Italian "
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319:, the military intelligence. With the Blackshirts he participated in the Italian occupation of
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268:. In 1935, he unsuccessfully tried to embark as a volunteer for the fascist war in Ethiopia.
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381:. On 12 November 1942, he stood trial under closed doors in front of three judges, headed by
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Giulio Vignoli. "Gli Italiani dimenticati. Minoranze italiane in Europa". Section: Malta
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spy, condemned to death for treason in 1942. Pisani was a nationalist who believed that
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He also wrote a letter to Mussolini to volunteer for service, but was refused by the
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stating that the Governor "sees no reason to interfere with the course of the law".
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162:'s best chance for independence was to expel the British and unite the island with
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311:. Thanks to recommendations, including Biscottini's, Pisani was admitted into the
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Together with other Maltese irredentists he then attended the military school of
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Maltese-born artist and Italian Fascist, who was executed for treason (1915–1942)
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The art academy where he had studied in Rome was for a brief time rechristened
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540:, is known to be a staunch admirer of Borg Pisani. He is known for the quotes
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397:) was not upheld by the military court. On 19 November 1942, Borg Pisani was
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called him a "Maltese Martyr" and in November 1943 created in his honour in
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A hero and a martyr or a spy and a traitor – who was Carmelo Borg Pisani?
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The Santa Marija Convoy: Faith and Endurance in Wartime Malta, 1940–1942
243:. As Director, Borg Pisani took part in the publication in exile of the
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on 10 August 1915, Borg Pisani enrolled as a student at the pro-Italian
743:"Carmelo Borg Pisani, eroe di guerra: ma l'Italia non gli dĂ sepoltura"
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Italian Blackshirt 1935–45 By Pier Paolo Battistelli, Piero Crociani
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Frayed Lifelines: A Siege Survivor's Story, By Frank Leighton
684:
77:
858:, Italian Group commemorates Carmelo Borg Pisani’s hanging
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Direzione generale per la antichitĂ e belle arti (1942).
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The cowards and the servants are not esteemed by the Lord
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forming part of a conspiracy to overthrow the government
1150:
People executed by the Crown Colony of Malta by hanging
1145:
People executed for treason against the United Kingdom
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Gli Italiani dimenticati. Minoranze italiane in Europa
616:: Pubblikazzjonijiet Indipendenza. pp. 296–297.
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A person similar to Pisani appears in the 1953 film,
220:along with other prominent Maltese artists such as
1007:Carmelo Borg Pisani (1915-1942): eroe o traditore?
1120:Italian military personnel killed in World War II
788:Carmelo Borg Pisani, 1915-1942, eroe o traditore?
726:Carmelo Borg Pisani, 1915-1942, eroe o traditore?
713:Carmelo Borg Pisani, 1915-1942, eroe o traditore?
315:, the fascist militia, and later also joined the
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936:"Norman Lowell's tribute to Carmelo Borg Pisani"
405:, for taking up arms against the Government and
341:Warrant for the execution of Carmelo Borg Pisani
439:took place at 7:30am on Saturday, 28 November.
345:On 18 May 1942, Borg Pisani volunteered for an
1155:People executed for World War II collaboration
1140:Recipients of the Gold Medal of Military Valor
866:
864:
685:Uwe Jens Rudolf; Warren G. Berg, eds. (2010).
644:. National Archives of Malta. 19 November 2017
536:, the leader of the far-right political party
467:, the highest Italian military award, by King
904:Italian Republic official list and motivation
503:in which other Maltese irredentists fought.
736:
734:
610:Dictionary of Maltese Biographies Vol. 1 A–F
508:La Regia Accademia di Belle Arti Borg Pisani
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548:during a tribute to him in an interview on
1031:Rudolf, Uwe Jens; Berg, Warren G. (2010).
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680:
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205:in 1930 and another camp in Rome in 1932.
150:(10 August 1915 – 28 November 1942) was a
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482:, then Minister of National Education of
478:Eulogy to Carmelo Borg Pisani written by
841:CARMELO BORG PISANI E I FASCISTI MALTESI
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373:till August. He was then transferred to
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790:, Lo Scarabeo, Bologna, 2007, p. 59.
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728:, Lo Scarabeo, Bologna, 2007, p. 20.
715:, Lo Scarabeo, Bologna, 2007, p. 19.
271:Between 1939 and 1940, he joined the
998:Il-Kaz Borg Pisani. Sittin sena Wara
815:, figlio del consigliere nazionale,
1037:. Scarecrow Press. pp. 44–45.
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741:De Lorenzo, Giuseppe (1 May 2016).
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13:
1024:
14:
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799:Among whom: Carmelo Borg Pisani,
638:"The case of Carmelo Borg Pisani"
1170:Collaborators with Fascist Italy
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542:"Carmelo Borg Pisani, presente!"
216:He moved to Italy to attend the
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946:from the original on 2021-12-21
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897:
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691:. Scarecrow Press. p. 44.
414:John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
264:Borg Pisani was a supporter of
218:Accademia di belle arti di Roma
1034:Historical Dictionary of Malta
766:. Il saggiatore. p. 363.
755:
718:
705:
688:Historical Dictionary of Malta
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630:
608:Schiavone, Michael J. (2009).
601:
546:"Onore a Carmelo Borg Pisani!"
317:Servizio Informazioni Militari
1:
1000:. Valletta: PEG publications.
669:. F. Le Monnier. p. 236.
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431:about Borg Pisani's execution
300:serving in the Italian army.
169:
1125:World War II spies for Italy
471:a few days after his death.
465:Gold Medal of Military Valor
273:Gruppi Universitari Fascisti
7:
1009:. Bologna: Lo Scarabeo ed.
970:Per il sogno della sua vita
10:
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277:Partito Nazionale Fascista
1130:Executed Italian fascists
585:1932 passport application
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353:). He disembarked at the
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1165:Executed revolutionaries
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501:Battaglione Borg Pisani
762:Vento, Andrea (2010).
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427:Excerpt of the Sunday
383:Chief Justice of Malta
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291:Carmelo Borg Pisani's
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1082:at Wikimedia Commons
981:. Milan: Giuffré ed.
480:Carlo Alberto Biggini
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295:Party membership card
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197:(headed by professor
82:Crown Colony of Malta
56:Crown Colony of Malta
1180:Maltese nationalists
1061:, TVM, December 2018
977:Vignoli, G. (2000).
93:Execution by hanging
1135:People from Senglea
1110:Italian irredentism
1080:Carmelo Borg Pisani
519:Italian irredentism
469:Victor Emmanuel III
391:British citizenship
283:During World War II
241:University of Malta
148:Carmelo Borg Pisani
124:Service branch
89:Cause of death
23:Carmelo Borg Pisani
1005:Fabei, S. (2007).
996:Mizzi, L. (2003).
968:Mizzi, L. (1981).
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399:sentenced to death
351:Operation Herkules
343:
307:due to his strong
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199:Umberto Biscottini
134:Service years
100:Espionage activity
1078:Media related to
972:. Rome: Volpe ed.
666:Le Arti, Volume 5
517:" martyrs of the
435:His execution by
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948:. Retrieved
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825:Joe d’Ancona
817:Manoel Mizzi
805:Paolo Frendo
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68:(1942-11-28)
1100:1942 deaths
1095:1915 births
748:il Giornale
558:Malta Story
498:blackshirts
387:George Borg
360:patrol boat
313:Blackshirts
245:irredentist
179:Nationalist
154:artist and
1089:Categories
988:881408145X
950:2013-07-09
595:References
532:In Malta,
364:RNH Mtarfa
321:Kefallinia
247:newspaper
181:family in
170:Early life
106:Allegiance
44:1915-08-10
403:espionage
347:espionage
239:from the
203:Viareggio
187:Umberto I
137:1941–1942
944:Archived
358:British
234:activist
191:Valletta
940:YouTube
843:, ISSES
521:, like
494:Liguria
437:hanging
379:treason
332:Messina
266:Fascism
183:Senglea
176:Maltese
152:Maltese
52:Senglea
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985:
827:&
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648:29 May
642:Flickr
620:
455:Legacy
371:Sliema
325:Greece
309:myopia
115:
614:PietĂ
565:Notes
445:Paola
250:Malta
164:Italy
160:Malta
78:Paola
1039:ISBN
1011:ISBN
983:ISBN
768:ISBN
693:ISBN
650:2020
618:ISBN
544:and
525:and
496:the
418:note
401:for
385:Sir
63:Died
38:Born
550:One
323:in
293:PNF
128:SIM
1091::
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863:^
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42:(
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