Presentation of the book “The Consul of Florence” by David Tutaev on Wednesday, June 11 at Villa Vittoria Cultura
Florence, June 10th, 2025. The successful series of VILLA VITTORIA CULTURA 2025 events continues with the presentation of the book “The Consul of Florence” by David Tutaev tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6:15 p.m., organized by Firenze Fiera.
The event will be introduced by Giovanni Fittante, founder of Villa Vittoria Cultura, followed by remarks from Lorenzo Becattini, President of Firenze Fiera. Federico Di Salvo, Honorary Consul of Germany, will also speak at the event.
The book – published in Italy in 1971 by the publisher Aeda – recounts the extraordinary life of Gerhard Wolf (1896–1971), the German consul who, during the Nazi occupation of Florence, helped to save numerous human lives and the city’s artistic heritage. Notably, he saved Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge left standing during the night of August 3–4, 1944, when the retreating German army blew up the five other bridges over the Arno River, including Ponte Santa Trinita, to hinder the Allied advance.
It was the Consul Wolf, a native of Dresden and a devoted admirer of Florence, who, alongside Cardinal Elio Dalla Costa, opposed the regime’s directives and fought to ensure that the German command honored the declaration designating Florence as an “open city”, thus protecting artistic heritage from bombing, such as iconic landmarks like Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Corridor, sites that had captivated Adolf Hitler himself during his visit to Florence in 1938.
“Presenting this important book,” stated Lorenzo Becattini, President of Firenze Fiera, “means not only revisiting some of the most significant moments in our city’s history but also paying tribute to a man of great moral integrity. At great personal risk, he courageously worked to protect Florence’s artistic heritage and to save many lives, political dissidents and Jews, from deportation. Among them was the renowned American art historian and collector Bernard Berenson, a friend of the Contini Bonacossi family and a regular guest at Villa Vittoria”.
villavittoriacultura@gmail.com – www.villavittoriafirenze.com
Firenze Fiera Press Office
Fiamma Domestici M 334 1446710 domestici@firenzefiera.it