La memoria nel ghiaccio | Memory in the ice

Book presentation

La memoria nel ghiaccio. Archeologia della Grande Guerra a Punta Linke | Memory in the ice. Archaeology of the Great War at Punta Linke

curated by Franco Nicolis
Department for Cultural Heritage of the Autonomous Province of Trento, 2022

The book, curated by Franco Nicolis, archaeologist and director of the Office for Archaeological Heritage, documents with photographs and texts the recovery from the ice of the Ortles-Cevedale area of buildings from the First World War, carried by the provincial Archaeological Heritage Office together with a multidisciplinary team at the Punta Linke site at an altitude of 3,629 metres. The book is accompanied by the DVD 'Punta Linke. La memoria', the documentary film by Paolo Chiodarelli that retraces the stages of the research.

The book presents the history and the recovery project of the site through short chapters and a rich iconographic apparatus that is intended to be emblematic of the work carried out at high altitudes to safeguard the testimonies of the First World War, an event that in its tragic nature marked the Trentino region.

Today Punta Linke has become a memorial of the First World War, probably the highest site in Europe. At Punta Linke the ice has conserved much of the supply system and this has made it possible to create a visitor itinerary of great emotional impact.

The site was saved from decay thanks to the delicate recovery work carried by the provincial Archaeological heritage office in collaboration with the the Museum "Pejo 1914-1918. War on the Gateway," which involved geologists, mountain guides, restorers and volunteers.

The retreat of glaciers, as a result of climate change in recent years, has brought to light the station of a cable car built by the Austro-Hungarians to connect Cogolo di Pejo with Punta Linke, Cima Vioz and a military area on the Forni glacier to provide with supplies one of the highest points on the front.

The Punta Linke site was inaugurated in July 2014 and is open to the public in summer. The visit allows physical contact with environments witnessing the course of the dramatic events so long ago, which nature has returned to us perfectly intact after almost a century.

The event is organised in collaboration with the municipality of Rovereto.