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We have some limited historical information about summer camps in Italy. The Scouts before World War I began organizing summer camps, but camp became an activity organized by the Balial after the Scouts were banned in the 1920s. Italian Fascism was not as absolute as the NAZIs. Thus although Scouting was banned, groups such as companies were allowed to organize summer camps for the children of their workers. An Italian reader writes, "Summer camps in mountain or countrysides were and are organized by Boy Scout groups. These camps usually are with tents, but for younger children, the "lupetti" (little wolves), they use organized camps. During the Fascist era were the party organizations that organized summer camps: the "Balilla" (younger) and the "Avanguardisti" (older) for the boys and the "Figlie della Lupa" (younger) and the "Giovani Italiane" (older) for the girls. The Italian term for summer camp is "campo estivo". Since the 1970s there are many summer camps organized from parishes and religious movements called "campo scuola" (school camp), because they have also an educational goal. There is an other traditional summer camp in seaside resorts, called "colonia estiva". This sort of summer camp is the more common in Italy. Italy is of course virtually surrounded by the sea. There are numerous organizations that organize "colonie estive": for example the big companies organize these summer camps for their laborers' children. I attended my father's company sea summer camp between the late 60s and early 70s. We had a simple uniform: blue shorts, white t-shirt and cap, open-toe sandals without socks; for the seaside: blue trunks." One interesting note is that even though Italy after World War II had a very large and active Communist Party, the Young Pioneers were never organized in Italy. There were thus no Young Pioneer camps, the Party did, however, sponsor some summer camps.
We have some limited historical information about summer camps in Italy. The Scouts before World War I began organizing summer camps, but camp became an activity organized by the Balial after the Scouts were banned in the 1920s. Italian Fascism was not as absolute as the NAZIs. Thus although Scouting was banned, groups such as companies were allowed to organize summer camps for the children of their workers. These colonia estiva were normally located at sea-side resports and very popular. They continued after World War II. Scouting was revived and Scout camping revived. There were also camps opened by church groups. The Communist Party was very important after the War. They never organized the Young Pioneers, but did operate summer camps.
Several organizations in Italy sponsored summer camps for children.
An Italian reader writes, "Summer camps in mountain or countrysides were and are organized by Boy Scout groups. These camps usually are with tents, but for younger children, the "lupetti" (little wolves), they use organized camps. "
Our Italian reader writes, "During the Fascist era were the party organizations that organized summer camps: the "Balilla" (younger) and the "Avanguardisti" (older) for the boys and the "Figlie della Lupa" (younger) and the "Giovani Italiane" (older) for the girls. The Italian term for summer camp is "campo estivo".
Our Italian reader tells us, "Since the 1970s there are many summer camps organized from parishes and religious movements called "campo scuola" (school camp), because they have also an educational goal. I think these camps would be a kind of day camp in America. Day camps in America were often organized by boyh churches and municipalities. In Italy they seem more a parish (Catholic Church) function. I think they began after World War II because before the War the Fascists tended to monopolize youth activities.
Companies have traditionall sponsored summer camps for the children of their workers. lthough the Fascists banned the Boy Scouts and Boy Scout camping, these camps organized by companies were allowed to continue. Our Itlalian reader tells us, "There is an other traditional summer camp in seaside resorts, called "colonia estiva". This sort of summer camp is the more common in Italy. Italy is of course virtually surrounded by the sea. There are numerous organizations that organize "colonie estive": fo example the big companies organize these summer camps for their laborers' children. In Fascist era were the same. I attended my father's company sea summer camp between the late 60s and early 70s. We had a simple uniform: blue shorts, white t-shirt and cap, open-toe sandals without socks; for the seaside: blue trunks."
One interesting note is that even though Italy after World War II had a very large and active Communist Party, the Young Pioneers were never organized in Italy. There were thus no Young Pioneer camps, the Party did, however, sponsor some summer camps. I am not sure what level of political organization took place at these camps. An Italian reader writes, "The communist party had a young organization. They had also summer camps, but there was not an organization as the Young Pioneers."
We have found information on several specific Italian summer camps.
Here is a group of boys attending a summer camp (colonia estiva) along the coast in 1956 (figure 1). The camp was organized by a company for the children of its workers. It was in Lido di Camaiore near Tosacana (Florence). The boys have been provided a uniform by the camp.
We have another camp image image taken in Avellino, a town near Naples, in 1959. These boys were leaving for e seaside summer camp )colonia estiva). They wore short pants, white t-shirts and white sailor caps. They wore also open-toe sandals with white ankle-socks. Today that looks strange, but at the time it looked more formal than without socks. A reader tells us, "I was in Colonia Estiva only a summer, in 1970. We left Milan wearing open-toe sandals with socks, but then we spent the whole month without socks."
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