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“L’EROINA” di Monongah ha finalmente, per tutti, un volto ed una storia più precisa. Questa Donna con un gesto di grande amore, ma anche di forte denuncia, lottò contro la dimenticanza e volle tenere sempre alto il ricordo della tragedia. Negli anni sollevò dalla miniera tanto materiale da innalzare, dinanzi a casa sua, una vera e propria “COLLINA DI CARBONE”. A lei andrà, giovedì 6 dicembre a Campobasso durante il Convegno "Monongah: dal fatto alla tragedia" una Medaglia d'Oro "alla memoria" dedicatale dalla Ugl.
Il 6 dicembre del 1907 a Monongah, West Virginia, si verificò una delle più gravi tragedie minerarie che causò la morte di centinaia e centinaia di minatori, moltissimi dei quali italiani. A questa storia si è legata nel tempo la vicenda di quella che per tutti, fino ad oggi, era solamente Caterina Davia. Questa donna, vedova di un minatore morto a Monongah, per le cronache di allora continuò per 29 anni a recarsi da casa sua alla miniera, oltre tre miglia, dove prelevava un sacco di carbone che riportava poi dinanzi alla sua abitazione. Tanto da realizzare una vera e propria “collina di carbone”. Il suo intento, nella convinzione che il marito fosse rimasto seppellito nella miniera, era quello di rendere più lieve l’opprimente peso che gravava sui resti dei minatori.
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In realtà, per una doverosa e a lei dovuta precisione, questa donna si chiamava
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Geremia Mancini
segretario confederale ugl
Nella foto 1: Catterina De Carlo in Davià;
Nella foto 2: Catterina De Carlo con suo marito Vittorio Davià;
Nella foto 3: Catterina De Carlo con i suo 5 bambini.
"HEROIN" of Monongah finally, for all, a face and a story more accurate. This Woman with a gesture of great love, but also with the complaint, he fought against forgetting and wanted to keep up the memory of the tragedy. Over the years, up from the mine enough material to raise, in front of his house, a real "HILL OF COAL." She will, Thursday, December 6 in Campobasso during the conference "Monongah: the fact of the tragedy a" Gold Medal "in memory" dedicatale by UGL.
On 6 December 1907 in Monongah, West Virginia, there was one of the worst mining tragedies caused the death of hundreds and hundreds of miners, many of them Italians. In this history is related in time the story than that for all, until now, had only Caterina Davia. This woman, the widow of a miner who died in Monongah, to the chronicles of the time continued for 29 years to go from his house to mine, over three miles, where he withdrew a lot of coal that brought then in front of his house. So as to achieve a true "hill of coal." His aim, in the belief that her husband had remained buried in the mine, was to make lighter the oppressive weight that hung on the remains of the miners.
In fact, due to a dutiful and her precision, this woman's name
Catterina and De Carlo was born in Domegge di Cadore (BL) on 21.11.1864 and married Victor Davia (or Da Vià) who was also born in Domegge di Cadore on 10/03/1886. The couple gave birth to 5 children, none of whom perished in the tragedy (erroneously speaks of two dead boys). Soon after the tragedy Catterina, left alone in a world that did not know and sometimes hostile, reacted with the strength of desperation to protect his children, who will ensure decorosissima existence, but never forgot her husband and tragedy. Hence his gesture that brought Father Briggs (a priest who spent his life in order not to forget Monongah) to define "symbol of the heroines of Monongah." It is estimated that the "hill of coal" renamed "hill of love" was composed of at least 300 tons of coal. Catterina until the last day of his life (9 August 1936) never ceased to fight for her children, she helped other women and struggled mainly because of the tragedy of Monongah not fall into oblivion. Many documents (with pictures and testimonies) will be announced in the Conference "Monongah: from fact to symbol" to be held in Campobasso Thursday, December 6 in the "Hall of the Constitution" of the Province and to the Secretary-General will intervene Ugl John Centrella. A Catterina De Carlo Davia Ugl the award "in memory of" a gold medal with the inscription: "To a wonderful and courageous Italian woman." The award will be delivered in the United States, to his nephew, James E. Davia. The latter and Joseph D'Andrea, formerly consul in Pittsburgh, thanks for providing a valuable contribution to research. For Jeremiah Mancini Ugl confederal secretary who led the research and organizer of the conference:
"I am happy that now the face of a" heroine "of our suffering and painful migration can be known to all. As I right that this whole thing becomes "shared heritage" of our country and beyond. Even in Monongah, as Marcinelle to Courrieres or many, too many other tragedies of Labour, was consummated the fault of men against other men. Against this behavior was and is right to fight forever. And Catterina of this battle is a symbol. "
Geremia Mancini
confederal secretary UGL
In photo 1: Catterina De Carlo Davia;
In photo 2: Catterina De Carlo with her husband Vittorio Davia;
In photo 3: Catterina De Carlo with her 5 children.
