I PAESANI DI NICOSIA

"Il Cuore nella Valigia"
MENU LIST: 1*NICOSIANI NEL MONDO
2*PHOTOS
3*"The Heart in the Suitcase"
Book List
ENGLISH TRANS. P. 107 -- 115
NICOSIANI IN CHICAGO (BOOK)
Translation p. 115 --119
NICOSIA BOOK P. 115-119
4*VIDEOS: NICOSIA, CHICAGO IMMIGRANTS, SICILIAN EMIGRANTS
5*ANTI STEREOTYPES
6*PHOTOS
7*RED GOLD -- WW II ITALIAN POWs
8*UNDER CONSTRUCTION
9*LINKS

"THE HEART IN THE SUITCASE"
BY ALBERTO MICALIZZI
( written in Italian)

History of Nicosian Immigrants

 

 

This photo was taken in 1952: my mother, Dorothy (Stapke), sister Carol Ann Messina, father, Sam Messina, and me, Linda Messina.
Alberto Micalizzi used this photo for the cover of his book on Nicosia immigration:  "The heart in the Suitcase". 

ALBERTO MICALIZZI was born in Riposto CT, Sicily in 1966.  He practiced law in Sicily before moving to Livorno in 1996.  Alberto is an officer in the Italian Army serving with a Paratroopers Regiment.  He participated in the operations in Bosnia, and was sent to assist with the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Dottor Micalizzi also served in Afghanistan. He has written several books and articles on Sicilian Immigration, including those featuring the towns of Riposto and Nicosia.

L'Italiano:
Alberto Micalizzi, nato a Riposto (CT),1966, si occupa di storia dell’emigrazione siciliana da circa quindici anni . In tale veste ha partecipato a diversi convegni e seminari.
E’ autore, tra l’altro, del volume Da paese a Paese. Riposto nell’emigrazione:  percorsi, figure, immagini (Livorno, 1999) e del saggio “Le comunitā italoderivate e le Societā di Mutuo Soccorso” (in Migranti. L’emigrazione
ionico-etnea: un’esperienza di laboratorio storico, Catania, 2005).
E’ coautore di “Aspetti relativi all’istituto della responsabilitā contabile”, saggio inserito ne Le procedure contrattuali pubbliche, a cura della Scuola Superiore della Pubblica Amministrazione di Caserta.

                    The story of A. Micalizzi's 
                    Nicosia Immigration book
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1.  English
After my husband and I returned from our first trip to Sicily and Italy in June  2001, I found an email waiting for me...It was from Alberto Micalizzi of Livorno, Italy.  His post said he was researching  a book on immigrants from Nicosia, Enna, Sicily, the birthplace of my grandparents..

In researching my family history, I have been collecting data on the Nicosians in Chicago.  It might not have pertained to my  family, but  I saved the info anyway. I thought  it might be important someday (papers on the  church, clubs and festivals,  etc.). I also collected over 100 surnames of Nicosians in Chicago.

Over the next few months I sent all the information to Mr. Micalizzi.

When the book was published, Alberto invited us to the presentation of the book to the town. My husband and I attended  the ceremony. We met many of the Nicosians, including the mayor. 
 
I was surprised and honored to see one of my family photo was used for the cover of the book.
 
When all of the speeches were finished, I read these words in Italian:
"One hundred years ago, our grandparents left Nicosia for a new life in Chicago.  Their voyage continues today with this reunion.  Our family is scattered in America, but our heart remains in Sicily."
 
A few days later, the Messina  family was reconnected after 100 years when we met our Nicosian cousins, in Firenze.
 
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2
Il Libro in Italiano: 

     ..."Il Cuore nella Valigia"... 
Questa č l'informazione per il libro scritto da Alberto Micallizzi, "Il Cuore nella Valigia” Nicosia nell'emigrazione verso gli Stati Uniti d’America".

Il mio nome č Linda Messina Holda,
sono nata a Chicago e mi sono trasferita in Florida, due anni fa.
I miei nonni, Santa Proetto e Rosario Messina, sono nati a Nicosia nel 1880.


Ecco il resto della storia:
Dopo mio marito, č il mio ritorno dal nostro primo viaggio in Sicilia, nel giugno 2001, ho trovato una e-mail di attesa per me ...
Č stato un messaggio di Alberto Micalizzi da Livorno, Italia.
Il sigr. Micalizzi ha chiesto informazioni sugli immigrati da Nicosia, Enna, Sicilia e il luogo di nascita dei miei nonni.
Ho dato tutti i dati della storia della mia famiglia.
Ho anche inviato copia dei documenti delle organizzazioni, societā, e la festa della chiesa... e un elenco di 100 cognomi di nicosiani a Chicago.
Quando il libro č stato pubblicato, Alberto ha chiamato per la presentazione del libro per la cittā. Mio marito e io abbiamo partecipato alla riunione in municipio.
Sono rimasta sorpresa e onorata di vedere, che una foto della mia famiglia č stata utilizzata per la copertina del libro.
Abbiamo incontrato molti Nicosiani, compreso il sindaco.
Dopo tutti gli interventi, ho letto queste parole in italiano: "Cento anni fa, i miei nonni partirono da Nicosia per una nuova vita a Chicago.
Il loro viaggio continua oggi, con questa riunione.
La nostra famiglia č sparsa in America, ma i nostri cuori rimangono in Sicilia."

Quando ho detto addio ad Alberto, lui mi ha detto: "Siamo arrivati come stranieri, ma ci lasciamo come Paesani." 
Pochi giorni dopo, la famiglia Messina č stata ricongiunta dopo 100 anni, quando abbiamo incontrato i nostri cugini che ora vivono vicino a Firenze.
 
               ***Grazie a Santo Spinelli (in Nicosia,)
                        for his help with this translation.
 
          Visit his web page, "Nicosia News":
      http://www.nicosianews.blogspot.com/
                   nicosianews@alice.it
 
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NICOSIAN NAMES ON  PASSANGER  SHIP LISTS 
 
 
Name; Residence; Age; Born* Arrived; Passenge Record; Text Manifest;
Scanned Manifest; Annotations

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Name 

Residence 

Age 

Born* 

Arrived 
Passenger 
Record
Text
Manifest 
Scanned
Manifest 
Anno-
tations 
Ship
Image 
1  Messina, Angela  Nicosia, Sicily  28  1881  1909  view  view  view  view  view
2  Messina, Angela  Nicosia, Catania  20  1900  1920  view  view  view  view  view
3  Messina, Anna  Nicosia, Sicily  21  1886  1907  view  view  view  view  view
4  Messina, Antonino  Nicosia  61  1844  1905  view  view  view  view  view
5  Messina, Antonio  Nicosia  61  1844  1905  view  view  view  view  view
6  Messina, B. Filippo  Nicosia, Sicily  46  1870  1916  view  view  view  view  view
7  Messina, Bartolomeo  Nicosia  0  1902  1902  view  view  view  view  view
8  Messina, Carmela  Nicosia, Sicily  17  1893  1910  view  view  view  view  view
9  Messina, Carmela di Antonio  Nicosia  19  1879  1898  view  view  view  view  view
10  Messina, Carmello  Nicosia, Catania  44  1876  1920  view  view  view  view  view
11  Messina, Carmelo  Nicosia  29  1875  1904  view  view  view  view  view
12  Messina, Carmelo  Nicosia, Italy  31  1893  1924  view  view  view  view  view
13  Messina, Carmelo  Nicosia, Italy  48  1875  1923  view  view  view  view  view
14  Messina, Carmelo di Vincenzo  Nicosia  23  1875  1898  view  view  view  view  view
15  Messina, Carmelo fu Giuseppe  Nicosia  38  1860  1898  view  view  view  view  view
16  Messina, Cerico  Nicosia  3  1890  1893  view  view  view  view  view
17  Messina, Concetta  Nicosia, Sicily  15  1905  1920  view  view  view  view  view
18  Messina, Concetta  Nicosia  18  1875  1893  view  view  view  view  view
19  Messina, Concettina  Nicosia  0  1898  1898  view  view  view  view  view
20  Messina, Domenica  Nicosia  45  1848  1893  view  view  view  view  view
21  Messina, Epifania Arno...uso  Nicosia, Sicily  44  1871  1915  view  view  view  view  view
22  Messina, Epifanio  Nicosia, , Sicily  15  1898  1913  view  view  view  view  view
23  Messina, Felice  Nicosia  5  1895  1900  view  view  view  view  view
24  Messina, Felice  Nicosia  2  1899  1901  view  view  view  view  view
25  Messina, Felicia  Nicosia, Italy  18  1903  1921  view  view  view  view  view
26  Messina, Filippo  Nicosia, Italy  22  1902  1924  view  view  view  view  view
27  Messina, Francesco  Nicosia  29  1873  1902  view  view  view  view  view
28  Messina, Gaetana Frigoni  Nicosia  19  1879  1898  view  view  view  view  view
29  Messina, Gennaro  Nicosia  7  1891  1898  view  view  view  view  view
30  Messina, Giovanna  Nicosia  2  1900  1902  view  view  view  view  view
31  Messina, Giuseppa  Nicosia  20  1880  1900  view  view  view  view  view
32  Messina, Giuseppa  Nicosia  24  1882  1906  view  view  view  view  view
33  Messina, Giuseppa  Nicosia, Italy  16  1901  1917  view  view  view  view  view
34  Messina, Giuseppa  Nicosia  0  1898  1898  view  view  view  view  view
35  Messina, Giuseppa  Nicosia  22  1880  1902  view  view  view  view  view
36  Messina, Giuseppa  Nicosia, Sicily  2  1907  1909  view  view  view  view  view
37  Messina, Graziano  Nicosia, Sicily  17  1896  1913  view  view  view  view  view
38  Messina, Guiseppa  Nicosia  5  1898  1903  view  view  view  view  view
39  Messina, Guiseppe  Nicosia  26  1867  1893  view  view  view  view  view
40  Messina, Luigi  Nicosia, Sicily  31  1882  1913  view  view  view  view  view
41  Messina, Luigi  Nicosia  18  1882  1900  view  view  view  view  view
42  Messina, Luigi fu Nicola  Nicosia  26  1872  1898  view  view  view  view  view
43  Messina, Luigia  Nicosia  2  1901  1903  view  view  view  view  view
44  Messina, Maria  Nicosia  2  1896  1898  view  view  view  view  view
45  Messina, Maria  Nicosia  4  1897  1901  view  view  view  view  view
46  Messina, Maria  Nicosia  22  1876  1898  view  view  view  view  view
47  Messina, Maria  Nicosia  1  1897  1898  view  view  view  view  view
48  Messina, Maria Filippa  Nicosia  22  1876  1898  view  view  view  view  view
49  Messina, Michele  Nicosia  14  1891  1905  view  view  view  view  view
50  Messina, Michele  Nicosia  14  1891  1905  view  view  view  view  view


51  Messina, Nicola  Nicosia  19  1886  1905  view  view  view  view  view
52  Messina, Nicola  Nicosia  19  1886  1905  view  view  view  view  view
53  Messina, Nicolo  Nicosia  23  1875  1898  view  view  view  view  view
54  Messina, Paolo  Nicosia, Catania  18  1902  1920  view  view  view  view  view
55  Messina, Pietra  Nicosia, Italy  29  1892  1921  view  view  view  view  view
56  Messina, Providence  Nicosia  50  1850  1900  view  view  view  view  view
57  Messina, Providenja di Francesco  Nicosia  26  1872  1898  view  view  view  view  view
58  Messina, Providenza  Nicosia, , Sicily  19  1894  1913  view  view  view  view  view
59  Messina, Rampulla Guiseppa  Nicosia  35  1863  1898  view  view  view  view  view
60  Messina, Salvatore  Nicosia, , Sicily  48  1865  1913  view  view  view  view  view
61  Messina, Salvatore  Nicosia  43  1858  1901  view  view  view  view  view
62  Messina, Salvatore  Nicosia, Sicily  1  1908  1909  view  view  view  view  view
63  Messina, Salvatore  Nicosia  31  1867  1898  view  view  view  view  view
64  Messina, Salvatore  Nicosia  42  1864  1906  view  view  view  view  view
65  Messina, Santamaria  Nicosia, Sicily  12  1908  1920  view  view  view  view  view
66  Messina, Tommasa  Nicosia  15  1885  1900  view  view  view  view  view
67  Messina Ubriaio, Antonia  Nicosia, Catania  26  1882  1908  view  view  view  view  view




51 ...ura, Silvestro Nicosia 29 1874 1903 view view view view
52 A...ano, Filippo Nicosia 26 1876 1902 view view view view
53 Abate, Bartolomea Nicosia 5 1897 1902 view view view view
54 Abate Di Marco, Giuseppina Nicosia, Sicily 32 1881 1913 view view view view
55 Abbate, Angela Nicosia, Sicily 16 1899 1915 view view view view
56 Abbate, Angela Nicosia 8 1892 1900 view view view view
57 Abbate, Angela Nicosia, Italy 16 1898 1914 view view view view
58 Abbate, Antonino Nicosia 11 1894 1905 view view view view
59 Abbate, Antonnia Nicosia 14 1886 1900 view view view view
60 Abbate, Carmela Nicosia, Sicily 58 1849 1907 view view view view
61 Abbate, Felice Nicosia, Sicily 22 1899 1921 view view view view
62 Abbate, Felicia Nicosia 17 1887 1904 view view view view
63 Abbate, Felicia Nicosia, Sicily 28 1888 1916 view view view view
64 Abbate, Filicia Nicosia, Catania 22 1887 1909 view view view view
65 Abbate, Giuseppa Nicosia 18 1882 1900 view view view view
66 Abbate, Guiseppe Nicosia, Sicily 63 1848 1911 view view view view
67 Abbate, Luciano Nicosia 13 1892 1905 view view view view
68 Abbate, Luigio Nicosia 14 1889 1903 view view view view
69 Abbate, Maria Grazia Nicosia 16 1883 1899 view view view view
70 Abbate, McAntsvig Nicosia 9 1896 1905 view view view view
71 Abbate, Salvatore Nicosia, Catania 69 1852 1921 view view view view
72 Abbate (lined out), Bartolornia Nicosia, Catania 13 1897 1910 view view view view
73 Abbato, Luciano Nicosia, Italy 28 1893 1921 view view view view
74 Abbato, Michale Nicosia, Italy 0 1921 1921 view view view view
75 Abramo, Angela Nicosia, Sicily 67 1849 1916 view view view view
76 Acampora, Angelo Nicosia, Sicily 10 1902 1912 view view view view
77 Acampora, Antonina Nicosia, Sicily 4 1908 1912 view view view view
78 Acampora, Giuseppa Nicosia, Sicily 5 1907 1912 view view view view
79 Acampora, Maria Nicosia, Sicily 8 1904 1912 view view view view
80 Accordino, Nunziato Nicosia, Catania 24 1883 1907 view view view view
81 Adamo, Alfio Nicosia 22 1883 1905 view view view view
82 Adamo, Domenico Nicosia, Sicily 17 1894 1911 view view view view
83 Adorno, Rosario Nicosia 19 1887 1906 view view view view
84 Agerrino, Luigi Nicosia 7 1891 1898 view view view view
85 Agerrino, Luigia Nicosia 20 1878 1898 view view view view
86 Agerrino, M'a Grazia Nicosia 4 1894 1898 view view view view
87 Agliarolo, Sigismondo Nicosia, Sicily 22 1885 1907 view view view view
88 Agliarslo, Nicolo Nicosia 23 1882 1905 view view view view
89 Agliata, Maria Nicosia 32 1869 1901 view view view view
90 Agozzino, Antonia Nicosia, Italy 18 1902 1920 view view view view
91 Agozzino, Antonia Nicosia, Italy 18 1902 1920 view view view view
92 Agozzino, Antonino Nicosia, Sicily 22 1900 1922 view view view view
93 Agozzino, Concetta Nicosia, Italy 32 1889 1921 view view view view
94 Agozzino, Concetta Nicosia, Catania 18 1889 1907 view view view view
95 Agozzino, Emmanuele Nicosia, Italy 29 1892 1921 view view view view
96 Agozzino, Francesco Nicosia, Sicily 17 1896 1913 view view view view
97 Agozzino, Giuseppe Nicosia 24 1878 1902 view view view view
98 Agozzino, Grazia Nicosia, Sicily 20 1892 1912 view view view view
99 Agozzino, Maria Nicosia, Sicily 18 1903 1921 view view view view
100 Agozzino, Maria Nicosia, Italy 18 1899 1917 view view view view

Passenger records 51 to 100 out of 4960.
First 50 entries Next 50 entries

* This year of birth value is computed from the age on arrival and date of arrival. This site does not have specific information about the date of the individual's birth.
 
 
 
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Last July marked 66 years since Nicosia was liberated by the American  Army.
Nicosia was the birthplace of my grandparents.

This is an interesting story about
 Sicily and World War  II.

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Nicosia, 27 July 1943

Terry Allen had his infantry units perfectly positioned. They  controlled the
key terrain, had the exit roads blocked and were prepared for a  frontal
attack.

But, the man who first attracted Army Chief of Staff Marshall's 
attention with his imaginative handling of troop maneuvers was going
to try  something new. Never one to waste his men, Allen ordered the
primary attack on  Nicosia to be made by tanks at night. To his
knowledge, no one had ever done  this before, but this was not going
to stop him. At 8:30 PM on the night of July  27th, elements of the
70th Light Tank Battalion and a company of medium tanks  jumped
off on their quick foray from Gangi. Intelligence reports indicated the 
Germans were going to make an "all-out" defense at Nicosia, but Allen
was sure  he would annihilate them instead.

The tanks were at the edge of the city by 9:00 o'clock. Cloaked in  darkness,
they blasted away at the German defenders. Colonel Smith reported to  Terry
Allen, "They sprayed for miles around for ten to fifteen minutes before 
receiving enemy fire." The sudden shelling completely surprised the
Germans and  to Allen's elation it took their attention away from his
flanking riflemen. The  1st Division Commander had also positioned
artillery units in the hills. The  Germans were harassed all night
long by medium howitzers and "Long Toms." With the 18th and 16th
surrounding them and the 26th poised for a direct attack, the  stunned
and completely frazzled German defenders laid down their arms and
surrendered to the 16th Infantry at noon on the 28th. Allen's maneuvers
were more than imaginative. They saved many lives. Only one 1st
Division soldier was  killed in the main attacks on Nicosia. Five were
wounded, mostly from incendiary  bullets or thermite bombs.

The German forces at the medieval town included the hardened Panzer 
Grenadier Regiment, a Nebelwerfer heavy mortar battalion and a depleted
Italian  division. Over a thousand prisoners were taken and those who
did escape tried to  retreat towards Troina. Many were chased down by
elements of the 18th Infantry. Others got away, but it would only be
a matter of a couple more days before they  would once again go up
against the 1st Division and the Master of the Night  Attack.

An anti-tank company lieutenant in the 18th Infantry remembered  N icosia
for its pageantry. He wrote, "As we drove warily over the cobbles of
the  steep and narrow alleys, we are greeted by what seemed to be the
whole  citizenry. The welcomers, officiously led by the mayor and the
chief of the  ‘carbinere,’ bombarded us with kisses, bottles of vino,
flowers and fruit (not  as missiles). The priest blessed us for saving
the town from Mussolini, never  realizing that the men really
responsible for its deliverance were now wearily  marching
toward their next objective,  Troina."

 
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Ciao !
MESSINA38@AOL.COM