Main NI Index | Main Newspaper Index
Encyclopedia of Trotskyism | Marxists’ Internet Archive
From The Militant, Vol. X No. 8, 23 February 1946, p. 3.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.
Official confirmation of the death of Nicola di Bartolomeo has been received by The Militant from the Partito Operaio Comunista (Communist Workers Party). Comrade Bartolomeo was the General Secretary of the Italian Trotskyist party.
He was well known under the pen names of Fosco and Roland in militant working class circles of France, Belgium, Holland and England. He fought in Spain during the civil war against Franco’s fascist armies.
“We have lost our comrade,” says the letter from the POC, “at the very time our party is moving forward.” Comrade Bartolomeo, continues the letter, built the Italian party through two years of continuous effort. “His loss hurts not only the Italian movement but the entire Fourth International.”
The following letter has also just been received from Rose Gaudino, the widow of Comrade Bartolomeo:
Naples, January 19, 1946
Dear Friend,
With great sorrow and with great despair I communicate to you and to all the comrades and friends the death of my Nicola.
Nicola Di Bartolomeo is no more. He died after a few days of intense suffering. I have lost in him my husband, and my little Natalia has lost a father, who was no ordinary man. The party in turn lost its best militant – the backbone of the Italian movement.
Dear friend – you who have for some time been in correspondence with me, I beg you to tell all the comrades and friends that Nicola died poor. His funeral was held like that of any other modest worker. After 25 years of struggle in all countries, without ever yielding, Nicola left me, his wife, and his little Natalia in the most dire need. The comrades who stayed here at the house for two days and nights know the truth of this. Nicola has gone. I am left with the family fortune of 16 lire. This does not frighten me, but it pains me for my little one.
I, Rosa di Bartolomeo, will continue my work in the ranks of the Fourth International because Nicola wished me to be the perfect comrade and in the first ranks. The comrades of the POC (Communist Workers Party) have encouraged me to continue the work initiated with faith and courage of my poor Nicola.
My only pain is for my little child. I will seek work, but it is extremely difficult to find at this time. To you, and to all friends and comrades who have aided us by their solidarity, I entrust the care of little Natalia. Now that she hasn’t any father any more, the comrades of Nicola, and my comrades, will all be her papas. She is only one year old, remaining alone with her mother who is traversing temporarily a path of discouragement and of sadness.
With cordial greetings to all the friends and comrades.
|
|
Rose Gaudino |
Main Militant Index | Main Newspaper Index
Encyclopedia of Trotskyism | Marxists’ Internet Archive
Last updated on 17 October 2018