In June 1946, Italians voted in a referendum that led to the birth of the republic. Following twenty years of Fascist rule, the devastating effects of the Second World War, and the fall of Benito Mussolini's regime, voters chose whether Italy would remain a monarchy or become a republic. This referendum marked a turning point in Italian history and the end of the House of Savoy's reign. Historical records show the republic was declared the winner with over 12 million votes, whilst over 10 million votes were cast for the monarchy.
But perhaps one of the best-known images associated with that historic moment was of a smiling young woman. Her face was recognised by millions of Italians for decades. Her name, however, was known to almost none of them.
The photograph that became a national symbol
In the aftermath of the referendum, one of Italy's leading photojournalists, Federico Patellani, captured an image that soon became part of Italy’s postwar memory. The photograph shows a young woman holding a newspaper announcing the birth of the Italian Republic. The image seemed to symbolise the optimism of a country rebuilding after war and dictatorship, and it is said that when the image was taken, associated with celebrations around the proclamation of the Italian Republic, and the photograph was documented by the Lombardia Beni Culturali archive. Over the years, it has appeared in books, exhibitions, newspapers, and in images associated with the celebration of Republic Day. The woman in the picture became an icon. But her identity soon faded.
A mystery that lasted generations
As time goes on, famous photographs begin to lose details. Names are forgotten, documentation disappears, and witnesses pass away. This is precisely what happened here. The photograph survived, but the identity of the woman in it was forgotten. For years, historians, journalists, and ordinary Italians recognised the image but not the woman behind it, her picture becoming symbolic of an entire generation that had lived through the transition from monarchy to republic. What made it unique, however, was the fact that the image wasn't tucked away in some forgotten archive; instead, it had become one of Italy's most popular post-war photographs, and still its subject remained anonymous.
The woman was Anna Iberti
According to reporting by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica and archival documentation, the woman was identified as Anna Iberti, a 24-year-old Milanese office worker who was employed in the administration department of the socialist newspaper Avanti! at the time of the referendum. The rediscovery of her identity changed the nature of the photograph. No longer was it an anonymous figure from history, but once again a real person with a name, a family, and a story. According to a copy of an entry about the picture in the Lombardia Beni Culturali archive, it shows Anna Iberti holding a newspaper stating "nata la Repubblica Italiana", or “The Italian Republic is born.”
Why 1946 matters today
The story has resurfaced as Italy marks 80 years since the referendum. The vote was historic because it abolished the monarchy and helped lay the foundations for the Italian Constitution. The referendum was the first national vote in Italy held under universal suffrage. For today's audiences, the story of Anna Iberti serves as a poignant reminder that history is remembered through people. The political leaders may make the laws and draw up the proclamations but it is photography that captures the emotions associated with them, and this smiling young woman at a political junction, was doing nothing more than enjoying what she believed to be a pivotal moment in the country's history, celebrating with the rest of Italy what felt like a new chapter, not an attempt to become a symbol of a generation.
The face behind the icon
It does seem incredible that a symbol so recognisable of Italian democracy went largely unidentified for decades. With billions of photographs being uploaded every year to social media these days, anonymity of that kind feels all the more extraordinary. And yet the identity of one of post-war Europe's most recognisable photographic symbols remained unknown for more than 70 years. Anna Iberti is the woman who came to represent the dawn of modern republican Italy. It is photographs that show countries at their most crucial moments; her story is a reminder that even today, some of history's most famous faces are still waiting for their names to be restored.
