The South Tyrolean Liberation Committee (german: Befreiungsausschuss Südtirol, abbreviated ''BAS'') was an underground secessionist and terrorist organisation founded by

Sepp Kerschbaumer Sepp Kerschbaumer (9 November 1913 – 7 December 1964) was a leading member of the South Tyrolean Liberation Committee ''(Befreiungsausschuss Südtirol (BAS))'', which campaigned for the break-away of South Tyrol from Italy. In 1961, the BAS ...

and several combatants including

Georg Klotz Georg may refer to: * ''Georg'' (film), 1997 *Georg (musical), Estonian musical * Georg (given name) * Georg (surname) * , a Kriegsmarine coastal tanker See also * George (disambiguation) George may refer to: People * George (given name) * ...

in the mid-1950s which aimed to achieve the right for self-determination for

South Tyrol it, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige lld, Provinzia Autonoma de Balsan/Bulsan – Südtirol , settlement_type = Autonomous area, Autonomous Provinces of Italy, province , image_skyline = ...

and the related

secession Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...

from

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

via bomb attacks.

History

The organisation's history can be divided into two stages.Rolf Steininger (2003). ''South Tyrol: A Minority Conflict of the Twentieth Century.'' New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. In the first phase, from 1956 until 1961, the activists focussed on symbolic targets such as relics of the

fascist regime Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...

, trying to avoid physical injuries of human beings. On 12 June 1961, the BAS organized the bombing of 37 electricity pylons supplying power to the industrial zone of

Bolzano Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third la ...

, later known as the

Night of Fire The Night of fire (german: Feuernacht; it, Notte dei fuochi) happened on the night of 12 June 1961 when 37 electricity pylons were blown up in South Tyrol by the South Tyrolean Liberation Committee. It formed a turning point in the history of th ...

(''Feuernacht''). After the subsequent imprisonment of almost all leading members, a second, more violent phase began. This second phase was characterised by an increasing infiltration of Austrian and German

neo-Nazis Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and racial supremacy (often white supremacy), attack ...

and intensified

secret service A secret service is a government agency, intelligence agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For ...

activities which culminated in several assassinations and ambushes on Italian security forces, with the 1967 attack on a security patrol at Cima Vallona being the most notorious. With the progression of negotiations concerning South Tyrolean autonomy in the late 1960s, the BAS became less active.

References

External links

The exhibition of the “South Tyrolean Liberation Committee”
in

Bozen Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third la ...

{{Authority control Terrorism in Italy South Tyrol Independence movements Secessionist organizations in Europe Paramilitary organisations based in Italy South Tyrolean nationalism