ROME: TOGLIATTI FUNERAL - THOUSANDS PAY LAST TRIBUTE TO ITALIAN COMMUNIST PARTY'S LEADER.

Record ID: 634793

  • Title: ROME: TOGLIATTI FUNERAL - THOUSANDS PAY LAST TRIBUTE TO ITALIAN COMMUNIST PARTY'S LEADER.
  • Date: 25th August 1964
  • Summary: 1. GV CROWD OUTSIDE COMMUNIST PARTY HOUSE (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. LV COFFIN OUT & ONTO HEARSE 0.16 3. GV MEMBERS OF FAMILY 0.21 4. SV HEARSE DRIVES OFF 0.28 5. SV FAMILY 0.32 6. MV HEARSE ALONG STREET 0.39 7. MV CROWD GIVE COMMUNIST SIGN 0.44 8. MV DITTO 0.50 9. GV HEARSE THROUGH STREETS 0.56 10. SV FAMILY 1.01 11. MV PARLIAMENTARY AND OTHER LEADERS (2 SHOTS) 1.11 12. GV CROWDS WITH FLAGS 1.19 13. GV VERY LARGE CROWD 1.29 14. CROWDS WITH FLAGS 1.35 15. TV HEARSE ARRIVES IN BASILICA SQUARE 1.41 16. MV MOURNERS 1.45 17. TV COFFIN UP ONTO PLATFORM 1.58 18. TV CROWDS 2.01 19. GV COFFIN 2.05 20. GV CROWDS 2.15 Initials JM/V/CR/PN JM/V/CR/PN/EEH Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 9th September 1964 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ITALY - ROME
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVABF30QA78R88OZI25NKPDM4WKF
  • Story Text: ITALY'S COMMUNIST PARTY - BIGGEST IN THE WESTERN WORLD - TODAY (TUESDAY), STAGED A MASSIVE DISPLAY OF STRENGTH FOR THE FUNERAL PROCESSION OF ITS LEADER SIGNOR PALMIRO TOGLIATTI, WHO DIED IN YALTA LAST FRIDAY.

    AN ESTIMATED 500,000 MOURNERS ESCORTED HIS COFFIN THROUGH THE STREETS OF ROME FROM COMMUNIST PARTY HEADQUARTERS TO THE VAST SQUARE FACING THE BASILICA OF ST. JOHN LATERAN - THE POPE'S CATHEDRAL CHURCH.

    THE HEARSE WAS FOLLOWED BY MEMBERS OF THE TOGLIATTI FAMILY, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF COMMUNIST PARTIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE SENIOR SOVIET PARTY LEADER, MR. LEONID BRAZHNEV. THE DEPUTY LEADER OF THE ITALIAN COMMUNIST PARTY, MR. LUIGI LONGO, WHO IS EXPECTED TO BECOME THE NEW LEADER WHEN THE PARTY'S CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETS TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) TO NAME THE SUCCESSOR, ALSO TOOK PART IN THE PROCESSION.

    RED FLAGS FLUTTERED ALL ALONG THE ROUTE WHICH WAS THRONGED WITH MEN WEARING RED ARM BANDS, SCARVES, SHIRTS, TIES AND CARNATIONS. HUNDREDS OF MOTOR COACHES HAD BROUGHT COMMUNISTS FROM ALL PARTS OF ITALY TO SAY FAREWELL TO THEIR 71-YEAR-OLD LEADER.

    AFTER TRIBUTES HAD BEEN MADE IN THE BASILICA SQUARE - WHERE TOGLIATTI HIMSELF MADE MANY SPEECHES AND ADDRESSED LARGER CROWDS ON MAY DAY - HIS BODY WAS BURIED PRIVATELY IN THE CENTRAL ROME CEMETERY AT VERANO. IT WILL BE TRANSFERRED LATER TO THE NON-CATHOLIC "ENGLISH CEMETERY" OUTSIDE ROME.

    (CHURCHES ALONG THE ROUTE WERE CLOSED. ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN, INFORMED SOURCES SAID THIS WAS A 'SILENT PROTEST' AGAINST SUCH A LARGE ATHEIST FUNERAL IN THE HEART OF CHRISTIAN ROME. COMMUNIST SOURCES PUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TAKING PART IN THE PROCESSION OR LINING THE ROUTE AT ONE MILLION.)
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