Storm Over Ossola

The SWW 50 year anniversary of "Repubblica dell'Ossola" should give the opportunity to re-evaluate minor episodes, in books and chronicles often forgotten.

Last August in Domodossola, a 50 years old man with a strange accent, went to the APT office in Domodossola, asking about a tombstone in a photograph he was carrying, His father was a German soldier who died in Crodo on 28th August 1944.


This 50 years old man was Heinz-Dieter Quent who was born in Germany in 1943 and grew up in England, where he now lives near London with his wife and two sons.


An aeronautical engineer and now a British citizen, Heinz- Dieter was in Domodossola with his wife looking for the tombstone with his father name on it: Heinrich Quent. A German soldier, killed in Crodo on August 23rd 1944

fighting against Italian partisans and who was buried in Domodossola.

In the book "Guerriglia nell'Ossola" it is written that


"The bus arrived at the designated point at 5 pm on the 23rd August. The German soldiers were asked to surrender. They refused and were shot by Ivan's machinegun. 4 were killed, 3 were injured. One was taken as prisoner and the ninth fled away injured, and would die while running away. Prisoners were sent back to tell what happened to the others."


In the book "L'Ossola nella tempesta" written by Luigi Pellanda there are only 3 names: Heinrich Quent, Adolph Wohlfabt and Ewald Paens, an hypothesis is that these 3 were the injured that died later in the hospital in Domodossola where they were taken.


Paolo Bologna explains that "After ten years, these graves were transferred by the German authority to the war cemetery at Costermano- Verona".


"It is a pity that the tombstone disappeared. I would propose to make a new identical one to the previous one, to remember that period and those events."

This proposal is to help to remember a tragic and sad period, but very important for our history because 50 years ago people had to fight for their freedom, and today, with friendship and spirit, we welcome the son of one soldier that left his life in Ossola.


Paolo Bologna says "When I knew who he was and the reason for his visit, I found it right to explain to him that I was the president of an association of ex-partisans, but this was not a problem at all for Heinz-Dieter Quent. We presented to him as a present, a copy of the book `L'Ossola nella tempesta', where he can see the name of his father."