How Russians fought for the unification of… Italy

In the mid-19th century, the Apennine Peninsula was experiencing the ‘Risorgimento’ (‘Resurgence’) – disparate Italian states were uniting into one under the auspices of the Kingdom of Sardinia and the House of Savoy.

The key episode at that time was the military campaign of Sardinian commander Giuseppe Garibaldi against the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1860-1861. After his triumph, the unification of Italy became a fait accompli (only the Papal States with Rome resisted independence until 1870).

Russians also fought in the ranks of Garibaldi’s ‘Red Shirts’. For example, geographer and publicist Lev Mechnikov participated in the landing of the Garibaldians in Sicily and in the decisive battle on the Volturno River, during which he was wounded.

Children's writer Alexandra Jacobi became one of the commander's closest associates and, as a nurse, often helped wounded soldiers. 

Fyodor Komissarzhevsky, a future opera singer and professor at the conservatory and father of famous actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya, was also a ‘Red Shirt’. He went to Italy to study music, but joined the struggle, instead.

"Father valued freedom equally with human dignity and, therefore, his sympathy for Garibaldi's cause went far beyond just passion, even if ardent and sincere. That’s why he did not leave his comrades in the detachment until he had fulfilled their common duty to the Italian people," recalled Nadezhda, Komissarzhevsky's other daughter.