EPISODE 114: The Years of Lead: Piazza Fontana

Sep 15, 2025

Dive into the tumultuous 'Years of Lead' in Italy, marked by political violence and chaos. The haunting Piazza Fontana bombing sets the stage for a deep exploration of how terror shaped a nation. Personal anecdotes reveal the emotional toll of street battles and police collaboration with neo-fascist movements. Delve into the tragic death of Giuseppe Pinelli and the controversies surrounding state involvement. This gripping narrative intertwines historical battles with modern implications, shedding light on a dark chapter that still resonates today.

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ANECDOTE

Childhood In Violent Milan

Daniele Bolelli grew up in Milan during the Years of Lead, where political violence was an everyday reality.
He remembers walking past Piazza Fontana often before the 1969 bank bombing that killed 17 people.

INSIGHT

Piazza Fontana As Historical Turning Point

The Piazza Fontana bombing on December 12, 1969, marks a clear before-and-after in modern Italian history.
Historians treat it as the symbolic opening of the Anni di Piombo (Years of Lead).

INSIGHT

Murky Evidence From Secret Services

Investigating the Years of Lead is like snorkeling in a murky swamp because evidence was deliberately muddled.
Secret services intentionally obscured facts, making definitive conclusions rare.

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“With P2, we had Italy in our hands. The Army, the Guardia di Finanzia, the police… they were all ruled by our members.” - Licio Gelli

“Every week the streets of Milan were the theater of demonstrations, and were lit up by the fires of Molotov cocktails.” - Guido Passalacqua

My childhood took place at a time known in Italy as The Years of Lead. It was a time of tear gas, terrorist attacks, false flag operations, anarchists getting thrown out of the windows of police stations, bombs on trains, assassinations, and street battles. One day, in my hometown, a bomb placed in a bank killed 17 people and wounded many more. It was the opening round in a war waged terrorists and some members of the secret services to bring about an authoritarian coup. This episode is about the dark days when political violence was an ever-present reality in the streets of Italy.

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