Varese, Garibaldi e Urban a Tradate

I Cacciatori delle Alpi: Türr István

Un'amica ungherese del Luogo Eventuale, dr. Kovacs Eszter, porta alla nostra attenzione la figura di Türr István, soprannominato l'Intrepido Ungherese, che combatté a fianco di Garibaldi, nel corpo dei Cacciatori delle Alpi, durante la seconda guerra di indipendenza italiana.

Ecco come ci viene raccontata la sua storia:

“the war broke out between Austria and Piedmont in April 1859 and Napoleon III declared war on Austria too.

Cavour's initial plans called for the creation of an Hungarian legion on Italian soil and the opening of a second front in Hungary. Hungarian agents were dispatched to secure the participation of the Romanian and Serbian principalities in the impending war, and to win their assistance for persuading Serbs and Transylvanian Romanians to join a Hungarian war of independence.

Colonel Türr fights in Garibaldi's division, Hunters of the Alps, a voluntary army poorly equipped, in which the courage of men very often replaces the regular military training.

In the Italian army there is an urgent need for Türr's military tactics knowledge and Garibaldi immediately notices his colonel's remarkable skills, because the beginning of the war was not encouraging: the Austrian military force has deeply invaded onto Piedmont area. Viktor Emanuel called Garibaldi in and entrusted him with the capital's protection if the Austrian advance continues.

Garibaldi has to hold back the Austrian military forces; that is why he was assigned the task to march with his volunteers into Alps and to creep in from north onto Lombardy area.

Türr István was so valiant in battles that his comrades named him "the fearless Hungarian" (l'Intrepido Ungherese).

When he got seriously wounded in the hard fights around Brescia, general Garibaldi wrote: "...colonel Türr leaded his people-nation in an attack against the enemy which answered with thick shootings and he broke down on a bushy slope forcing back the enemy until the bridge. In those moments Türr was galloping onto the edge, with his raised head, shouting orders with a sword in his hand: «The first and the fourth battalions! Leave onto an attack»".

In fact there was just one battalion behind Türr, but to trick the enemy he shouted the name of two.

Türr István, seriously injured, was taken into the Feneroli Palace, where it was almost necessary to chop up his arm.

Garibaldi heard about Türr’s serious wounds and sent this letter to his colonel: "My most kind friend! Hungarian blood flowed for Italy, and the fraternity, that has fasten two folks in one, would always keep us together. Your blood leaked for the fraternity, - a heroic blood of yours. I will be deprived of my brave brother-in-arms and my friend for a while, but I hope I may see you again on my side in order for us to lead our youthful soldiers to a victory as soon as possible".

In September 1861, Türr married in Mantova the niece of Napoleon, Wyse-Bonaparte Adel, he also got the Grand Cross Valiant of Italian Royal Order and died on the 3rd of May 1908, in Budapest, at the age of 64.

Busto di Garibaldi a Budapest, raffigurante la stretta di mano tra Garibaldi e Türr István.