“La Leggenda del Piave” is still one of the most famous and significant Italian patriotic songs in the history of Italy. It was written during the last days of World War I and became famous in particular in the years following the conflict. In this article, Italian Traditions will tell you about the origin of the Legend of the Piave, which in the first verses narrates the events that occurred during the First World War, from May 24th to Italy’s victory. We will also talk about its author Giovanni Ermete Gaeta, a Neapolitan dialect composer and poet and of the story told within the stanzas of this patriotic composition.

Its story
The events narrated in the song “La Leggenda del Piave,” one of the most important Italian patriotic songs, refer to the First World War and in particular to the period of November 1917. After the breakthrough by the Austrian army in Caporetto, the Italian troops stopped on the front line along the banks of the Piave river. The Austrian offensive began on June 15th, 1918, but was stopped by the Italian army at the battle of the Solstice on June 22nd. In these historic days the author of the song was at work in a post office and he wrote the first three stanzas on the service forms. The fourth and last stanza was written a few days after the end of the war.