PISANI LOGO  The story and colourful history of the Family Pisani.
  Compiled | Edited

Laurence Pisani, UK

 
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Last Update: 01 April, 2008


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Not all notable Maltese Pisani are universally celebrated, some are simply notable by their imprint on history as opposed to the acceptability of the actions that gave rise to their notoriety. One such Pisani is Carmelo Borġ Pisani, the last man to be hanged in Malta.

 

Extract from Wikipedia


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Carmelo Borġ PisaniCarmelo Borġ Pisani (August 10, 1915–November 28, 1942) was a Maltese nationalist and Fascist. He was born in Cottonera, Malta and executed at Corradino prison in Malta at 7:34 A.M. for treason and spying for the Axis Powers. He was the last person to receive the death penalty on the Island of Malta.

Early life
Born into a very well respected Catholic and Nationalist Maltese family, Pisani enrolled as a student at the Umberto Primo art lyceum, where he won a scholarship to study in Rome. When war was declared on June 10, 1940, Pisani was still attending the University of Arts in Rome.

During World War II
Pisani believed that Malta's Latin soul was being destroyed by British rule. He also believed that the best opportunity to restore Malta to its original state was to expel the British. To this end, Pisani, along with many other Maltese students, joined the Fascist party of Italy and the Black Shirt (Camicie Nere) movement. This led him to participate in the Italian occupation of Kefallinia in Greece with the Compagnia Speciale del Gruppo CC.NN. da sbarco della 50a Legione.

On May 18, 1942, Pisani was sent on a secret mission to be the first Axis spy on the island of Malta. He disembarked at the Dingli cliffs in Ras id-Dawwara, and transferred all his rations to the cave, which he knew well from his youth. The unusually inclement weather and the rough sea, however, washed all his possessions away within 48 hours and he was forced to wave down a British patrol boat. Upon rescue, he was brought to the Military Hospital at Mtarfa.

There, Pisani was recognized by one of his childhood friends, Cpt. Tom Warrington. He was transferred to Corradino prison, interrogated, and accused of treason. On November 12, 1942, he stood trial. The public was excluded to avoid a possible hostile reaction from the Maltese Fascists; however, by this time, the fascists in Malta were either interned in Uganda or deported to Italy. Since the Maltese Legal Code was suspended during the war, a jury was not convened. In addition, the judges did not consider his renouncement of British citizenship and passport, acquisition of Italian citizenship, and his participation in combat with the Italian Army. In fact, the latter only weakened his position, since he fought against Greece, an ally of the United Kingdom. On November 19, 1942, he was sentenced to death for conspiring against His Majesty's government and for treason. His execution followed in nine days.
 


 

 

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The information contained within this site is based on my own personal research on the name Pisani and Pisani families around the world and where appropriate I have strived to cite all relevant sources. If you believe you are the owner of any of the information held within this site, or that any of the information here is misrepresented then please get in touch.

Copyright © 2008 Laurence Pisani