Until San Marino do you part, the famous ‘divorces’ on the Titan, from Magnani to Togliatti
Before in Italy the missing became legal with the law of 1 December 1970, San Marino it has been the scene of many separations, including those of famous politicians, entertainment, but also of famous industrialists and intellectuals. Stands out Anna Magnani, which in the 1950 formalized the separation from the director Goffredo Alessandrini. In 1946, Magnani shot the film “The unknown of San Marino” on the Titano and a few years later, until 1952, she took up residence in the Republic to put an end to the relationship. We always talk about separation, because fate became law in San Marino only in 1986.
in the’State Archives of the Republic of San Marino is kept on dossier of the acts of the civil case for the nullity of the marriage of the two famous artists. Holding it in your hand, you can perceive distant eras, thanks to the smell of old paper and texts written with a typewriter or by hand. Leafing through the yellowed pages that show the signs of the time of that historical file, the statement by Alessandrini’s lawyer in the petition against Magnani: “From the first evening the defendant rebelled against her husband’s attempt to possess her, proving a inexplicable and invincible aversion to intercourse. Even in the following days the Alexandrini failed, despite the good will with which his wife was preparing to fulfill her duties as a bride, to consummate the marriage, for a form of coeundi impotence of nervous origin of Signora Magnani who was taken by embassy and tremor whenever her husband approached her with the intention of making her his ”.
In the documentation, we read that the situation has persisted and therefore the spouses turned to a specialist who should have given Magnani, after an examination, the “psychic vaginismus”, A disorder characterized by fear and distress of penetration. Despite the attempts at treatment, the situation did not improve by continuing to live together. The fact that the Magnani remained, made matters even worse. In a psychic examination done to Magnani and attached to the file, it is written: “abnormal psychic excitability with frequent crying fits and states of distress for no plausible reason. Easy psycho-physical exhaustion and marked sexual frigidity. Reduction of critical and inhibitory powers “.
Historically, the biggest and most famous divas are also the most tormented ones, from Marilyn Monroe, a Elizabeth Taylor and Magnani was no exception. The couple separated in a consensual way under these conditions: Magnani and Alessandrini could live apart, but with the obligation of mutual respect, everyone should provide for its maintenance with their own means e the son Luca would remain entrusted to his mother with the obligation on its part to maintain it.
Magnani is certainly not an isolated case among the famous separations in the Titan. Among the files of the State Archives, the name of Eduardo de Filippo, Elio Vittorini, Eleonora Rossi Drago, the businessman Adriano Olivetti, Giulio Einaudi, Giorgio de Chirico, Erminio Macario and the daughter of Benedetto Croce, Lidia Croce. Among the politicians: the exponent of democratic socialism Aldo Garosci and the leaders of the Italian Communist Party Edoardo D’Onofrio, Pietro Amendola, Ruggero Grieco And Valentino Gerratana. The most famous cases in the political sphere are those of Luigi Longo and of Palmiro Togliatti. The latter, however, did not complete the separation practice and further investigation is required.
The Togliatti case is clearly explained in the book “Irregulars. Communist loves at the time of the cold war ” by Anna Tonelli, published by Laterza Publishers. There were two main impediments to separation: the first concerned “the obligation of residence in San Marino“. The provisions stipulated that in the event of a transfer, the consequence would be cancellation from the Italian registry and electoral lists, and consequently, the forfeiture of parliamentary offices. “An unacceptable renunciation for a party leader who must guarantee a constant presence in the halls of Parliament”. The second impediment was “the choice of reasons to be given to support the request for dissolution of the marriage bond “. The lawyer Becca he had advised Togliatti against putting an end to his marriage too to prevent, criticism and controversy intended to tarnish the portrait of the secretary and to foment anti-communist campaigns.