Italian Forces

Prof. Pio Filippani Ronconi

Born in Madrid in 1920, and dead in Rome in 2010. Filippani Ronconi came from an aristocratic family. During the civil war in Spain his family was persecuted by the Republicans and his mother menaced to be shot. Soon back in Italy, he studied eastern religions, traditions and languages. During the war enlisted as volounteer in Granatieri di Sardegna, and was wounded 2 times in north Africa. After the Italian armistice, continued the fight in the SS Italien. At the end of the war he surrendered to Indian troops, surprised to meet a man, Italian, who spoke perfectly their language. After the war he bacame academic professor in the famous Istituto Orientale of Naples, teaching history of religions, eastern languages, and anthropology.