I 36 Giorni del "Re di Maggio". Umberto II di Savoia Attraverso la Posta, Corrispondenze, Documenti, Immagini. The 36 Days of the "King of May". Umberto II of Savoy, 9 May - 13 June 1946 Through Mail, Correspondence, Documents, Images

From the foreword by Maria Gabriella of Savoy: "History seen through postage stamps, cancels and postal documents; it is quite original even from the standpoint of politics.
I became immediately enthusiastic about the idea of following my father's kingdom in 1946 in that peculiar way."

To show that specific and very interesting moment in Italian history, when the Kingdom of Italy came to its end, postal documents are really important as they allow us to follow "day by day" the historical development.
And it is a "postal calendar" which guides us through the 36 days relevant to the Kingdom of Umberto II, the "King of May", last King of Italy. Letters, postcards, documents which follow the events from 9 May 1946, the day on which H.M. Victor Emmanuel III abdicated the throne in favour of his son Umberto, Prince of Piedmont, to 13 June 1946, when H.M. Umberto II decided to leave Italy following the results of the 2 June 1946 referendum, through which the Italians chose between Republic and Monarchy.
Mail, images, documents, showing also previous and following moments, contribute in creating a complete picture of the period. They have been selected in order to enrich and deepen postal-historical knowledge.
CONTENTS Foreword by Maria Gabriella of Savoy - Introduction by Paolo Vaccari - The "King of May" by Emilio Simonazzi - Biographical notes - Historical events - Precursory events: The Allied landing in Sicily, 10 July 1943; The armistice with the Allies and the move to Brindisi, 8 September 1943; The Fascist Government in the North, 15-23 September 1943; The Italian Social Republic, 23 September 1943 - 25 April 1945; The Allies in Rome, 4 June 1944; The Regency, 5 June 1944; Territorial Authorities; Military Post; Cyclist Post, COR.AL.IT. service; The Liberation and the fall of Fascism, 25 April 1945; The Post between two Kings - Kingdom of Umberto II, 9 May - 13 June 1946: Issues; Postal calendar - Mail, documents, images: Mail; Propaganda; Austerity; Food gift parcels; Contentious territorial jurisdiction; The wedding; Exile in Cascais; Prize for philately to Maria Gabriella of Savoy - Bibliography - The authors.