Italy Celebrates Columbus: The Indian Rediscovered

Smoke signals rise from the top of the highest Genovese skyscraper. . . and on 7 November 1991, people protesting against poor Columbus call him boia, the executioner. On "Columbus Day, 12 October, the newspapers report that the Great Admiral is "executed" in absentia by a minor radical leftist group and that "anti-Columbians paralyze the town." On 11 October 1992, a large rally takes place in Genoa. What is happening in Italy? This paper presents a brief overview of what has been happening in Italy with regard to the Columbus quincentenary of 1992. It also makes an effort to analyze some of the reasons behind what is becoming a highly complex and difficult public issue in the country. GENOA: THE CENTER OF ACTIVITIES Because Genoa is the supposed birthplace of Columbus, it has been the most involved municipality in the 1992 quincentenary activities. To support these activities, the Italian government passed a special bill ("Celebrations of the Quincentennial Discovery of America,'' law no. 418, 8 August 1985) and granted a substantial amount of money, in yearly installments, to finance the celebrations-$830 million for Genoa alone. The availability of these funds has resulted in mixed reactions from the Genovese