Versione italiana English version Version française Versión en español
Umberto Griffini's library (about 400 books and brochures) was donated by its owner to the historical library "Giuseppe Grosso" in 1972.
The collection, of almost exclusive historical-military character, well represents the interests of Griffini, army captain, lawyer and professor in private life, passionate scholar of the subject. Probably related to a well-known family of soldiers from Lodi distinguished in numerous episodes of the Risorgimento, in the volume "Gold medals for military valor", 1833-1925 (Turin, 1925), compiled with Nicola Brancaccio, Constans Giraud and Alexander Salamanus recalled two members, Xavier (1802-1884), decorated on the field of Goito on 8th April 1848, and Paul (1811-1878), distinguished in the charge of Macerone on 20th October 1860.
Griffini, in collaboration with the above mentioned curators, also published in Turin, in 1936, The gold medals to the Military Valor of East Africa.
Among the most interesting volumes of the collection are a Regulation for the exercise of infantry of 1838 and a code of the Italian National Guard of 1861. The latter, built after the Unification of Italy and used to repress the brigandage and the resistance of the last nostalgics of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, was finally dissolved in 1876.
His historical precedent was the National Guard established by Charles Albert with the Royal Edict of 4th March 1848, on the model of the armed corps, formed by simple citizens, which during the French Revolution was responsible for maintaining public order and the defense of freedom.
In the Albertine Statute she was assigned the task of "defend the Monarchy and the rights that the Statute has consecrated, in order to maintain the obedience to the laws; preserve or re-establish order and public tranquility, according to the army in the defense of our borders and maritime coasts".
- Catalogue (pdf 193 KB)