Professor Malvolti, why a Foundation named after Montanelli ever since 1987?
It was he who wanted it strongly and the continuous travels he made this way, the last one only last April, show how much he cared for it. He also did it for the love of his land and to respect his father professor Sestilio’s last wishes, who had asked him “not to forget” his Fucecchio. The other person the Association is named after is Emilio Bassi, who was mayor of Fucecchio, but was also a sort of “adoptive father” for Montanelli, who spent his childhood in the Vedete countryside, in the house of Bassi himself.

What direction was given to the Foundation?
The amounts left by Montanelli for the Foundation were meant to be first of all to make his homeland culturally more beautiful and more alive: we have promoted study grants, publications, prizes, restorations… Of course, now a new chapter opens: until now he had never wanted the Foundation to occupy itself with him, but now we certainly have the task of doing so. He often complained of living in a country where “the dead are forgotten”. We will have to prove to him he was wrong.

Are you already thinking of something in particular?
Naturally it is still too soon, however, as a Foundation, we preserve many works, articles even some unpublished letters we have already catalogued but are yet to study. We will have to see what arrangements exist about their circulation, but since we have an internet site it would be nice to be able to publish them online, a little at a time. It would probably be the best way to pass on his memory.

Tell us something about the last time you met.
He returned to Fucecchio last April and we went out to have a meal together. I knew him only relatively, since I begun taking care of the Foundation, in reality he was a very great friend of my father’s, with whom he had a very close relationship. We spoke of the Foundation’s projects, but when he came to see us he preferred to avoid everyday subjects: he forgot current affairs, Italy’s politics and history , to immerse in the past, among Padule di Fucecchio’s reed thickets where he went home and in the Cerbaia hills.