Taken from the History Channel documentary 'Italians in America' (1998). Narrated by Joseph Campanella. Sorry about the poor quality.
Names mentioned:
Christopher Columbus (Ligurian)
John Cabot (Ligurian)
Amerigo Vespucci (Tuscan)
Philip Mazzei (Tuscan)
Leonardo da Vinci (Tuscan)
Antonio Vivaldi (Venetian)
Galileo Galilei (Tuscan)
Constantino Brumidi (Roman/Greek)
A. P. Giannini (Ligurian)
Names mentioned:
Christopher Columbus (Ligurian)
John Cabot (Ligurian)
Amerigo Vespucci (Tuscan)
Philip Mazzei (Tuscan)
Leonardo da Vinci (Tuscan)
Antonio Vivaldi (Venetian)
Galileo Galilei (Tuscan)
Constantino Brumidi (Roman/Greek)
A. P. Giannini (Ligurian)
7 comments:
Joseph, you're Bresan, right?
Bresans have an interesting identity and I cannot calssify them as either Lombards or Venets. They are unique.
Where did they settle, primarily after coming to the US?
Yes. Many in the Great Lakes area.
Real Bresans are very distinctive in the way they look, I think.
The Alpine phenotype, so common in Western Lombardy and in the Padan area in general, is not so common there. Bresans are usually medium or tall as far as height goes and definitely pretty robust. They made excellent soldiers and Brescia is called the lionness of Italy for a reason.
Hairwise, all shades are found, but they tend to be medium brown, on average and wavy to curly and thick. Baldness is not that common.
Some examples:
Daniele Bonera
Giacomo Agostini
Paolo Castellini
Andrea Pirlo
Evarista Beccalosi
While you're at it, check out this Bresan state-of-the-art gun(for the time!) wielded by some Albanians:
http://arms2armor.com/store/product489.html
I may have left these links, but just in case I didn't...
“Patihi, Patahé!” The Camuni of Brescia in Monongahela City: Part I
http://camonica-club.blogspot.com/2011/10/patihi-patahe-camuni-of-brescia-in.html
Part II
http://camonica-club.blogspot.com/2011/10/patihi-patahe-camuni-of-brescia-in_25.html
Part III
http://camonica-club.blogspot.com/2011/10/patihi-patahe-camuni-of-brescia-in_6614.html
You may already be aware of the book 'Sacrifice on the Steppe'
http://www.amazon.com/SACRIFICE-THE-STEPPE-Stalingrad-1942-1943/dp/1612000029
After the others on the flank quickly caved in (Italians, Romanians, Hungarians), the 5th Regiment of the Alpini Elite Mountain Corps (recruited out of Edolo, Val Camonica, Monte Adamello, and Monte Ortler) fought to the end in the Battle of Stalingrad; somewhat like the Spartans in Thermopylae.
Have not heard of the book, but I am very aware of that event taking place.
The division also included a lot of troops from the mounts and valleys of Sondrio, though.
Speaking of Sondrio--- Ever heard of Alex Bellini? brave individual is an understatement here. http://www.alexbellini.it/alex_bellini_english_version.php
I will take a look at those articles on your other site again. One thing I didn't realize(which you mentioned in part 2) is that Joe Montana was half Bresan. Wow.
In some ways, I guess Bresans, Cuneesi, Vicentini, etc. are analogous to the Montenegrins who have a tradition of excelling in the martial arts and sports.
I don't think I have heard of Alex Bellini, but that is very interesting. I'll have to do some reading on that. Have you heard of Alpine skier Nadia Fanchini?
http://camonica-club.blogspot.com/2011/08/nadia-fanchini-top-alpine-skier-from.html
I never knew either that Joe Montana was half Brescian (Camunian).
I have heard of her before, yes, but was not so aware of her Camunian ancestry.
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