Abstract

On 16th June 1945 in Padua the "Corte d'assise straordinaria" held the first trial against some members of Battaglione Muti, which spread violence in the province of Padua during the Rsi. The local community requested justice. Tension grew during the hearing until it exploded: a part of the audience attacked the defendants, dragging them out of the Court. One of the defendants was murdered, while the others were rescued by English troops. Historiography mentions the episode frequently to describe the revengeful mood, which characterized the Italian courtrooms in the aftermath of the war. Nonetheless the event hides other important matters related to the Italian showdown. Behind the concept «to do justice» - which is simple only in appearance - several dynamics operate. Therefore, the essay aims to retrace the strategies adopted by the State and its delegate, the judge Ovidio Carlini, so that Battaglione Muti's trial could satisfy the rules of a good transition; furthermore the article aims to understand the reasons behind the community's uprising.