Anti-Fascist Hymn went on Trend

The song “Bella Ciao” was a hit in the years 2017 and 2018 when the Spanish TV series ‘La Casa de Papel’ or ‘Money Heist’ was so popular. Even after 2 years went by, a lot of Tiktok users are still using the song for the sound in their videos. But what exactly though, was the history behind the song?

Bella Ciao, which means “Goodbye Beautiful” is an Italian protest folk song that originated in the late 19th century.

Bella Ciao” was originally sung as “Alla mattina appena alzata” by seasonal workers of paddy fields of rice, especially in Italy’s Po Valley from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century with different lyrics.

These workers worked at monda (weeding) the rice fields in northern Italy, to help the healthy growth of young rice plants.

Monda was an extremely tiring task, carried out mostly by women known as mondinas, from the poorest social classes.

The atrocious working conditions, long hours and very low pay led to constant dissatisfaction and, at times, to rebellious movements and riots in the early years of the 20th century.

The song was modified and adopted as an anthem of the anti-fascist resistance by the Italian partisans between 1943 and 1945 during the Italian Resistance against the Nazi German forces.

Until this day, various versions of “Bella ciao” continue to be sung worldwide as an anti-fascist hymn of freedom and resistance.

Sources:

• Silverman, Jerry (2011). Songs That Made History Around the World. Mel Bay Publications. p. 43. ISBN 978–1–61065–016–8.
• “The life of “Bella Ciao” — Italian American Heritage Society”.
• Lucarino-Diekmann, Diana. “Bella Ciao: Goodbye Beautiful — La Gazzetta Italiana”. www.lagazzettaitaliana.com.
• Bermani, Cesare (2003). Guerra guerra ai palazzi e alle chiese. Odradek Edizioni.
• D. Massa, R. Palazzi and S. Vittone: Riseri d’al me coeur.
• Marchenkov, Vladimir L. (26 June 2014). Arts and Terror. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 9781443862370 — via Google Books.
• Recording made by musicologists Gianni Bosio and Roberto Leydi in 1962. Giovanna Daffini: “Alla mattina appena alzata”, from the CD: Giovanna Daffini: L’amata genitrice (1991).
• “Bella Ciao (delle Mondine)”. www.antiwarsongs.org.
• Ina.fr, Institut National de l’Audiovisuel-. “Yves Montand “Bella ciao””. Ina.fr.