u/PitifulPop8792

Hi guys, I've been thinking about a story my grandmother used to tell me as a child for a while now. It's about a certain Guglielmo (I don't remember his last name) who lived near Bologna around 1942/43. I remember her telling me how every year in her area they used to organize a small rural festival where the main event was jumping a fairly wide ditch. In previous years, Guglielmo had already won this competition three times and was nicknamed "Saltafossi" (Ditch Jumper). That year, however, there were severe floods in the area, and so the ditch had widened by about 7/8 cm on each side. As per tradition, he jumped that year too, except that he ended up falling into the ditch and losing his life given the condition of the ditch, which was overflowing with mud and debris from the flood. The following year, they decided to erect a straw statue in his honor, and this continued for all the years the festival was held.

This statue of him later saved the village, because the Germans had great respect for him, since apparently Guglielmo's family had important connections with some general in the German army, and so they left the village alone.

Do you know anything about this?

Hi guys, I've been thinking about a story my grandmother used to tell me as a child for a while now. It's about a certain Guglielmo (I don't remember his last name) who lived near Bologna around 1942/43. I remember her telling me how every year in her area they used to organize a small rural festival where the main event was jumping a fairly wide ditch. In previous years, Guglielmo had already won this competition three times and was nicknamed "Saltafossi" (Ditch Jumper). That year, however, there were severe floods in the area, and so the ditch had widened by about 7/8 cm on each side. As per tradition, he jumped that year too, except that he ended up falling into the ditch and losing his life given the condition of the ditch, which was overflowing with mud and debris from the flood. The following year, they decided to erect a straw statue in his honor, and this continued for all the years the festival was held.

This statue of him later saved the village, because the Germans had great respect for him, since apparently Guglielmo's family had important connections with some general in the German army, and so they left the village alone.

Do you know anything about this?

Ciao ragazzi, è da un po' di tempo a questa parte che ripenso ad una storia che mia nonna mi raccontava da bambino, parla di un certo Guglielmo (non ricordo il cognome) che viveva nei dintorni di Bologna circa nel 1942/43. Ricordo che mi raccontava di come ogni anno dalle sue parti fossero soliti organizzare una festicciola rurale di paese dove come evento principale c'era quello di saltare un fosso abbastanza largo. Negli anni passati Guglielmo aveva vinto già 3 volte questa competizione e per questo era stato soprannominato "Saltafossi". Quell'anno però ci furono grandi alluvioni nella zona e quindi il fosso si era allargato di circa 7 / 8 cm per lato. Come da tradizione saltò anche quell'anno, solo che finì per cadere nel fosso e perse la vita viste le condizioni del fosso che era stracolmo di fango e detriti per via dell'alluvione.
L'anno successivo allora decisero di erigere una statua di paglia in suo onore e così per tutti gli anni a venire in cui si sarebbe organizzato il festival.
Questa statua che lo raffigurava poi salvò il paesino perché i tedeschi avevano grande rispetto per lui dato che a quanto pare la famiglia di Guglielmo aveva importanti connessioni con qualche generale dell'esercito tedesco e infatti lasciarono in pace quel paesino.
Voi ne sapete qualcosa?