Mille papaveri rossi, tesina

1. IL PAPAVERO, SIMBOLOGIA E STORIA

Il papavero rosso è considerato simbolo di pace e di commemorazione ai caduti in guerra.

Questo avviene in particolar modo nei Paesi appartenenti al Commonwealth, ma non solo. Si pensi

che Gengis Khan, imperatore e condottiero mongolo era solito portare sempre con sé dei semi di

papavero, che faceva spargere sui campi di battaglia dopo le sue vittorie, per onorare i caduti, sia

amici che avversari. Tornando a fiorire ogni anno, e macchiando di nuovo di rosso i campi, i

papaveri avrebbero ricordato per sempre che là si era svolta una battaglia.

1.1 PAPAVERI E POETI

La tradizione inoltre, impone al papavero un ruolo protagonista in molti componimenti che

denunciano gli orrori della guerra. Questo tema è ricorrente nel ritornello della celebre ballata

intitolata “La guerra di Piero” di Fabrizio De André che nel 1964 scrisse:

Dormi sepolto in un campo di grano

non è la rosa non è il tulipano

che ti fan veglia dall'ombra dei fossi

ma son mille papaveri rossi.

De André venne anticipato da Gabriele D’Annunzio, che nel 1902 scrisse il "Ditirambo I", lirica

contenuta nell'"Alcyone", il Terzo libro delle "Laudi del cielo del mare della terra e degli eroi".

Nello stralcio riportato di seguito (vv. 69-80) si trovano nuovamente i papaveri rossi, che ricordano

al poeta il sangue versato sui campi di battaglia (la lirica è ambientata nell'Agro Romano).

Vidi campo di rossi

papaveri vasto al mio sguardo

come letto di strage,

come flutto ancor caldo

sgorgato da una ecatombe.

Non mai più fervente rossore

veduto avean gli occhi miei grandi,

e tutta la mia vita tremava

dalle radici Il rosso dei papaveri, richiama il

come s'io mi svenassi colore del sangue dei caduti in

guerra

sul sacro tuo suolo

con vene giganti. 5

Tuttavia, il poema che rese questo fiore particolarmente celebre fra gli Stati appartenenti al

Commonwealth fu “In Flanders Fields”:

In Flanders Fields Sui campi delle Fiandre

Sui campi delle Fiandre sbocciano i papaveri

In Flanders fields the poppies blow in mezzo a tante croci, che, in lunghe file uguali,

Between the crosses, row on row, segnano il nostro posto, una per ciascuno.

Nel cielo ancora volano le allodole cantando,

That mark our place; and in the sky ma il rombo dei cannoni confonde quella voce.

The larks, still bravely singing, fly Noi siamo i morti uccisi dalla guerra.

Scarce heard amid the guns below. Non molti giorni fa eravamo vivi:

ci sorrideva l’alba

We are the Dead. Short days ago ed il tramonto ci affascinava con i suoi colori,

noi amavamo ed eravamo amati.

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Ed, ecco, riposiamo sui campi delle Fiandre.

Loved and were loved, and now we lie Proseguite voi la nostra lotta contro il nemico per

In Flanders fields. la libertà.

Le nostre mani cadono, ma a voi la torcia passano

Take up our quarrel with the foe: degli ideali eterni d’ogni uomo.

Siano le vostre mani ormai a tenerla in alto.

To you from failing hands we throw Se non ricorderete perché noi siamo morti,

The torch; be yours to hold it high. più non avremo pace ne’ riposo,

pur se nei campi aperti delle Fiandre

If ye break faith with us who die seguiteranno a crescere i papaveri.

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

This poem was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, on

May 3, 1915. He was inspired to write it after presiding over the

funeral of friend and fellow soldier Alexis Helmer, who died in

the Second Battle of Ypres, in western Belgium, while English

Empire and French Empire’s troops were fighting against

German Army.

This poem became soon wildly popular and it was an inspiration

to the creations of poppy pins. Then, these pins were sold to raise

money for widows, orphans, and needy veterans and their

families. In Flanders Fields , original

copy

6

The poppy soon became widely accepted throughout the allied nations as the flower of

remembrance to be worn on Armistice Day.

1.2 ARMISTICE DAY

Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth

of Nations member states since the end of hostilities of First World War. It was specially designated

by King George V to remember the members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty.

The day, is also recognised as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth

countries. Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the end of hostilities on that

date in 1918. Hostilities formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month", in

accordance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente. The First

World War though, officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.

On these day it is a custom to wear a red poppy to remember those who spilled their blood on the

war fields.

Red poppy and myths

According to the tradition and folklore, at first all flowers

on war fields were white but then, they soaked with

soldier’s blood and therefore, their petals became vivid

red.

Another - more realistic - legend states that once the

conflict was over the poppy was one of the only plants

which was able to grow on the barren battlefields. These

fields had been scattered with lime, in order to disinfect the Poppies blow, between

mass graves. Nevertheless, poppies blossomed everywhere, the crosses, row on row

creating a moving scenery.

1.3 ANZAC DAY

Red poppy is also worn on ANZAC day, which stands for Australian and New Zealand Army

Corps. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance especially celebrated in Australia and New

Zealand in order to commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all

wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who

have served." Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally to honour the members of

the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought with their motherland

-England- at Gallipoli against the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

7

The Friday preceding Anzac Day each year is usually the day that red poppies are sold by

volunteers. Therefore, this day is called Poppy Day. On this day it is a custom to eat Anzac biscuits

which were one of the food items that women could send to soldiers during the First World War. In

fact, they were hard, long-keeping biscuit that could survive the journey by sea, and still remain

edible. At first, they were known as Soldiers' Biscuits, but after the Gallipoli landings in 1915, they

started to be called Anzac Biscuits.

In conclusion, Anzac Day is Australian and New Zealand’s exclusive commemorative day, which in

th

other Commonwealth countries would be called Armistice Day and would be celebrated on the 11

th

of November instead of on the 25 of April.

1.4 NEW ZEALAND IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR

When the first World War started, New Zealand was part of the British Empire. Therefore, when

Britain declared war on Germany, in August 1914, it meant New Zealand was at war too.

The two sides were called the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) and the Allies, which

included the British Empire, Russia and France.

New Zealand enters the war

New Zealand decided to send soldiers to fight in the war for a number of reasons, including New

Zealand’s strong ties to Britain and its concern with keeping trade routes open so it could continue

to export to Britain.

Within a month New Zealand troops had occupied Western Samoa, which was a German territory.

In October 1914 the first group of 8,454 soldiers left New Zealand heading for the other side of the

world. Later a Māori contingent was sent. At first the soldiers were volunteers, but later men were

conscripted to fight.

Gallipoli A group of Maori

soldiers while

playing the Haka

in order to greet

the Prime Minister

William Massey,

Western front

30 June1918

8

Turkey had entered the war on the Central Powers side. New Zealand and Australian (ANZAC)

troops supported British and French soldiers in an attempt to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula, in

th

Turkey, where they landed on April, 25 1918. Despite months of fighting, they were unsuccessful

and many men died – about a quarter of the New Zealand soldiers. Allied troops pulled out in

January 1916.

The Western Front

Most of the New Zealand soldiers then went to northern France to fight on the Western Front, which

stretched through France and Belgium. Many of them took part in the Ypres battles.

New Zealand troops were involved in many battles in France and Belgium. On 12 October 1917, in

a battle at Passchendaele, New Zealand suffered its highest one-day death toll when 845 men were

killed in just a few hours.

From August 1918 the Allies were able to push the German army back. The other Central Powers

stopped fighting and on 11 November 1918 Germany surrendered. The war was finally over.

The home front

At first most public opinion was in favour of the war, but as it went on and more soldiers died,

people became war-weary. Some men were conscientious objectors and some were punished for it.

Because so many men left to fight there was a shortage of workers, and so women stepped in to take

jobs – though this was considered temporary.

Impact of the war

The loss for New Zealand was enormous – 5% of its military-age men were killed and many were

wounded.

New Zealanders were proud of their country’s part in the war and a sense of national identity had

th

increased. Therefore, every 25 of April, people wear a red poppy and they proudly commemorate

those who died in the war. 9

1.5 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

During my time in New Zealand I had the chance to meet some relatives of mine who left Italy

(Austria at that time) in the second half of the XIX century and they emigrated to the other side of

the world. The first to get there was Giacomo Partel, with his wife, Dorotea and their son, Jack.

Then his children and grandchildren spread all over New Zealand and in Australia too, even if most

of them live in the South Island. They are still called Partel.

When I met them the young generation told me about a great uncle, John Michael Partel. This

twenty-years-old man decided to leave as a volunteer in order to fight in Gallipoli war.

Unfortunately he lost his life in the battle and he never had the opportunity to see his sisters and

th

relatives again. Therefore, every 25 of April it’s a tradition for my New Zealanders relatives to

wear a red poppy so that the memory of John and many other young brave men who fought in the

war for the mother country, will be kept alive for ever.

Remembrance poppies

10

2. IL PAPAVERO IN SCIENZE

Papaver L. è un genere di piante erbacee della famiglia delle Papaveraceae