The 800 days of Naples

The Allied Military Government and the post in divided Italy

In Naples it took four days, albeit terrible, to free itself from the Germans, but it took 800 to see the end of the Allied Military Government. Unlike the rest of Italy, which after a more or less short period was returned to the sovereignty of the Italian government, Naples was returned to the Italian administration only on January 1, 1946, together with Upper Italy and some strategic locations. And from December 1943 to July 1944 due to its position and its port, Naples was practically the capital of Italy, along with Salerno. And he saw not a few events at the postal level, nothing short of unique, such as two allied issues that almost immediately became Italian in all respects and an emergency stamp printed in a private establishment.

It is the story told by "The 800 Days of Naples", in which historical events and postal events, postage stamps of all kinds and daily emergencies come together to form an exciting, tragic and human picture. Which shows once more how the post office and philately, if observed with due attention and without prejudice (including collectors), can offer an unparalleled historical documentation, which passes from the political-institutional interests of the authorities to the small everyday life of the population , in times of war limited even in the most elementary rights of family communication.

by Emilio Daffarra e Franco Filanci.