Page 26 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo I

26 XXXIX Congresso della CommIssIone InternazIonale dI storIa mIlItare • CIHm

Intervento d’apertura del XXXIX Congresso CIHM

Dott. Piet KAMPHUIS
Presidente della Commissione Internazionale di Storia Militare

our Excellency, Admiral, Generals, Italian host, distinguished guests and friends.
Y È per me un onore e un piacere darvi il benvenuto a questo 39º Congresso Internazi-
onale della CIHM. Questa settimana Torino, una città con una ricca tradizione militare, è
il cuore pulsante della nostra comunità storico militare internazionale. Uno storico italiano
ha scritto una volta su questa regione: «Il Piemonte sabaudo era la sola realtà istituzionale
con una indiscussa tradizione militare».
We have convened here in this hospital city which featured prominently in the annals
of our organization: in 1992 the Italian Commission of Military History was the host of the
18th International Congress of Military History themed “The discovery of the New World
and its influence on military history”. The great driving force that lied behind the scientific
programme was Prof. Raimondo Luraghi, a passionate military historian who made great
contributions to our organization and who sadly passed away earlier this year. We will
commemorate his life and work this week, and we will continue our work in his spirit.
Ladies and Gentlemen the ICMH was set up in 1938, so this year we are celebrating
its 75th anniversary. Naturally we will turn our attention to what is this historic milestone
during this Congress.
During the General Assembly our Secretary General Dr Erwin Schmidl will present a
special anniversary edition of the “Revue international d’histoire militaire”.
This publication provides an overview of the history of our own organisation as well
as inside into the key developments in our field of expertise.
While reading it, I was struck by two things: firstly, how the ICMH has developed from
a Eurocentric, gathering into an organisation with a footprint all over the world. And sec-
ondly how our organization has been able to give up with the times and stay relevant to our
younger colleagues a good example in this respect is the great success of our workshops
for Ph.D. students, to my mind one of the most important innovations of recent years and
we will continue our efforts in that direction.
ème
Mesdames et Messieurs, je me réjouis de pouvoir célébrer notre 75 anniversaire
en Italie, car la Commission italienne est depuis de nombreuses années un des piliers de
notre CIHM. Un Pays où les historiens de renom ont toujours été prêts à exercer des re-
sponsabilités dans notre organisation et à jouer le rôle d’ambassadeurs d’Italie. Je tiens à
nommer Raimondo Luraghi, Pietro dal Negro ainsi que notre Vice-président, l’infatigable
Massimo de Leonardis, qui accomplit un formidable et excellent travail.
Mi rendo conto pienamente che senza il sostegno e la collaborazione del Ministero
della Difesa questo Congresso non avrebbe potuto avere luogo qui.
Per questo desidero ringraziare vivamente lei, Sen. Prof. Mario Mauro e lei, Ammiraglio
Luigi Binelli Mantelli. Vorrei aggiungere che siamo onorati della vostra presenza qui oggi.
Una parola di ringraziamento per l’ospitalità va rivolta anche all’amministrazione del