When I was a kid, there was an Italian crime series called Octopus about the Sicilian Mafia. The main character was a police inspector named Corrado Cattani, who of course was trying to catch the mobsters. The comparison of the mafia to an octopus is really amazing and realistic. Each of its tentacles has its own nervous equipment, a kind of “brain” that controls it. This allows the tentacles to move independently. And if you cut off a tentacle, it doesn’t hurt the octopus and over time it grows a new one. And so it is with the mafia. In a way, I was fascinated by this morbid world, and when I arrived in Sicily, I immediately thought of it.

I think the mafia is one of Sicily’s losers. If you start looking for it, the locals will tell you with great conviction that the mafia does not exist in Sicily. If you look at the headlines, you will see that the mafia in Sicily was, is and, unfortunately, will be. But the truth is that it has undergone a huge transformation in recent years. It has gone from being a largely rural organisation, playing a kind of mediating role between the state and disaffected citizens, to an active criminal organisation involved in drug trafficking, gambling and prostitution. It has grown into the state administration and is getting rich from state contracts in trade, construction, real estate and the like. It is said that as many as 80% of businessmen and traders pay so-called “kickbacks” or “pizzo“.

As a tourist in Sicily, you have no chance of coming into contact with the Mafia, so there is nothing to worry about. And if you’re a reader or movie buff of mafia novels like me, there’s nothing easier than to follow in their footsteps.

CORLEONE

My first stop was the town of CORLEONE. I’m a big fan of The Godfather film trilogy. And as my brother says, “Sis, going to Corleone is a must! There may be nothing there, but to be in the place where the world’s greatest mafia criminals were born, the feeling is indescribable. It’s all about soaking up the atmosphere!” All right, brother, I’m on you! 🙂 Writer and screenwriter Mario Puzzo set his mafia saga in the Sicilian part of this very city. It is located in the Sicilian hills about 60 km from Palermo. However, director Copollo didn’t like the town very much for filming, so they filmed elsewhere.

And why Corleone? It was here in Corleone that the Sicilian Mafia was born. It’s as if the little village hidden in the mountains was an invitation. It operated on the principle of family or clan. Its members were led by one boss who controlled his territory. In the 19th century, it took advantage of the revolutionary political climate when Sicily was liberated from Giuseppe Garibaldi and from then on began to dominate the whole area. The “real masters” of this group are more commonly referred to as the Cosa Nostra. This phrase in English means Our thing. Back then, Sicily was the Sicily of old.

The town probably presents itself as a quiet and peaceful place, until you don’t want to believe that the biggest criminals have been caught here. It’s aware of its notorious reputation and is doing its best to improve its image. However, the famous Godfather still wins out over all the efforts to give the city a new face, always supported by a new arrest.

MUSEUM C.I.D.M.A.

Even if the famous movie was not filmed here, it would be a shame to miss the town. Because this is where you learn the most about the Mafia. There’s a C.I.D.M.A. museum here that doesn’t try to glorify the Mafia, but rather to show the despair surrounding it. It’s an international documentation centre on the mafia and it’s run by the No Mafia movement. You’ll meet the most notorious mafia bosses and their relentless pursuers. It was quite a powerful experience for me. I was fascinated by the whole museum and learned so much new information that I have to tell you all of it right now. 🙂 Because that’s the only way to understand and realize what the subtle word “MAFIA” actually means.

MY TIP:

They don’t just let you into the museum. Although you might get lucky, but I wouldn’t bet on it. The museum is guided by a guide, either in English but mostly in Italian. In either case, you have to make an appointment – here. I emailed the museum in advance and made an appointment for a specific day and time. However, when we arrived on site, they forgot to write down my visit. And they told me : “Tomorrow!” 🙂 So they were looking for a guide at the last minute, because I showed them my email that I wasn’t making it up. So book in advance and keep your email with you as proof for sure!

ROOM WITH FILES

First, the guide takes you to a room with lots of folders with documents. The feeling of being here is indescribable, because you are suddenly in the middle of the biggest Italian proces, the Maxi proces, against the mafia’s Costra Nostra.

For the first time, you will meet the names of the judges “Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellini“, who led one of the biggest trials of the Mafia. It began in 1986 and the eyes of Italy were on it. For two months they interrogated mafia bosses, their henchmen and collaborators with the Cosa Nostra mafia in a specially built bunker made of reinforced concrete. They were accused of 120 murders, drug trafficking, extortion and collaboration with the Mafia. If you look closely at the names on the files, you’ll find names like Tommaso Buscetta and Michele Greco.

TOMASSO BUSCETTA

In the MAXI PROCESS, the most convincing evidence came from the least expected place. And that’s from the Mafia! The investigators managed to get “Pentito“, former mafia boss Tommaso Buscetta, on their side. When the new head of the Cosa Nostra, Salvatore “Toto” Riina, had his two sons murdered, he attempted suicide and then decided to cooperate with the police. Before him, investigators had only a superficial idea of the Mafia phenomenon. He confirmed a lot of information about the structure, recruitment techniques and functions of the Mafia.

SALVATORE „TOTO“ RIINA

First of all, I would like to mention the name of the big boss of the Sicilian Mafia, Salvatore Riina. He was born in Corleone and was the head of a mafia clan called the Corleonesi. “Toto” is another way of saying Salvatore. He was also called “La belva”, translated as the beast, because of his extreme cruelty. Yes, it was he who had Buscetta’s two sons killed and unsuccessfully tried to kill himself. He went on to intimidate and murder members of rival clans as well as public figures. The culmination of his work was the assassination of two investigating judges, Falcone and Borsellini, who were focused on fighting the Mafia. These acts provoked a stormy response in the Italian and international public and prompted the local authorities to take decisive action. They arrested Riino on a tip-off from his former driver, who was a police informant. He was tried several times, acquitted and eventually died in a prison hospital of cancer.

MICHELE GRECO

A lot of the files bear the name of the mafia boss “Greco“, who comes from a long line of mafiosi. In the latter part of his criminal career, however, he could best be described as little more than Riina’s “puppet boss”. In 1982, a report was prepared by the police listing 162 mobsters who deserved arrest, and this report was unofficially known as the “Michele Greco + 161″ report, implying Greco’s importance over the other suspects. This report was only the beginning of an investigation that would grow into the Maxi proces.

Greco was accused of ordering 78 murders, including that of anti-mafia judge Rocco Chinnici. Greco has never confessed to his crimes or his position in the Cosa Nostra. He died of pneumonia in prison.

PROCES MAXI

Returning to the Maxi proces, a total of 475 mafiosi were indicted for a multitude of crimes, of which 338 defendants received 19 life sentences and were sentenced to a total of 2,665 years behind bars. Italy has thus discovered that the mafia is not indispensable. However, many of the defendants were tried on the run because they could not be caught.

And here you have the opportunity to see the documents donated to the town by the criminal chamber of the Palermo court. They bear witness to the work of judges like Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, who paid with their lives for their commitment to the fight against the Mafia. Among the files are statements made to Judge Falcone by the notorious defector Tommaso Buscetta.

ROSARIA SCHIFANI

As you enter the room, you will be struck by a black and white photograph of a woman by Sicilian photographer LETIZIA BATTAGLIA. The iconic 1982 image shows twenty-two-year-old Rosaria Schifani, who was the widow of bodyguard Vito Schifani, who was killed along with Judge Giovanni Falcone. Letizia recalled calling her on the day of the funeral to take her picture. “I told her to close her eyes. She was so beautiful. I wanted to express her silent pain.” She said. In recent years, the photo has taken on the symbolic weight of national mourning.

THE NEWS ROOM

On the walls of this room hang the photographs of the important Sicilian photographer LETIZIA BATTAGLIA, whose photograph you have already met in the first room.

Letizia had the courage to go to the crime scene to perpetuate the tragic mafia murders. Sometimes she even found herself at the scene of four or five different murders in a single day. This petite Sicilian with bright orange hair really blew me away with her photographs. Surprisingly, she first picked up a camera in her 40s. I was totally blown away by her photographs.

As we walked through this room, I think we were all fascinated by the mafia and its brutal violence. I can’t imagine photographing dead, murdered and weeping widows. That must mark a person, right? Doesn’t it? She photographed the dead so often that she once said, “Suddenly I had my archive full of bloodshed.” Her photographs were even used for criminal prosecution because they were the only tangible evidence.

GIOVANNI FALCONE

I have mentioned this name several times and now is a good time to learn more about this brave man. Based on the photographs on the walls in the room, you have the opportunity to see the crime scene. The guide tells us the story of Palermo native GIOVANNI FALCONE, an Italian prosecutor who specialized in investigating and exposing the crimes of the Cosy Nostra. You’ve already heard about him on the way in. He died at the age of 53 after being assassinated. He travelled frequently, especially between Rome and Palermo. Because he feared for his life, he was a stickler for security. No one around him knew in advance what his immediate plans were, changing them at the last minute. If he flew anywhere, it was always only on a secret service plane. Only a small number of people in the Justice Department knew about his travels in advance. But his trip from Palermo airport was fatal. There was an explosive planted in a sewer pipe under the roadway. The bomb was detonated remotely. His wife and bodyguards died with him. It was his death that triggered the biggest wave of resistance against the Mafia in Italy.

PAULO BORSELLINI

Another important person was his colleague PAULO BORSELLINI, also an Italian prosecutor. He died less than two months after him. A bomb planted by Mafia hitmen destroyed his Fiat 127 car and killed him and five policemen serving as his security detail.

CESARE TERRANOVA

“Don’t worry,” he said to his wife, “they won’t dare the judge, they won’t dare me.” Unfortunately, even a judge is not untouchable. Judge Cesare Terranova, a member of a parliamentary commission, was shot dead in his car along with his driver, Lenin Mancuso, a police officer who acted as his bodyguard. Photographer Battaglia must have photographed many famous judges and anti-mafia prosecutors while their bodies were still lying at the scene. “He was one of the most important men in Sicilian politics. When he was killed, I thought to myself that nothing worse could happen. Nothing. It wasn’t true.” She said.

ROOM OF PAIN 

SHOBHA BATTAGLIA

Another room houses a permanent exhibition by Shobha, the daughter of Letizia Battaglia, who followed in her mother’s footsteps and captured in her images the horror, the sense of helplessness and despair of those who have lost someone to the mafia. Also on display in the room are Letizia’s photographs documenting mafia murders, captured in a totally candid manner. Shobha really inherited her mother’s talent, and because the photographs were not captioned, at times I had trouble recognizing just who the photographs belonged to.

The guidebook warns us that the photographs were deliberately placed in such a way that on one side there are poor Sicilians and on the other side there are rich Sicilians. Any mafia always needs brains and pawns. That’s why it has always targeted people who feel lost, frustrated and rejected in society. They live in poverty, have no prospects in life and are less educated. That is why the mafia flourishes in the south of Italy and not in the north, which is richer and better educated.

Yes, a feeling of helplessness comes over you in this room and tears creep into your eyes. The photographs are complete works of art and if you would like to see Shobha’s work, you can find more of her photographs on her website – https://www.shobha.it .

HALA DALLA CHIESA

In a room dedicated to General Dalla Chiesa, photographs of some of the main mafia bosses are displayed alongside photographs of great men of justice who fought bravely against organised crime.

GIORGI BORIS GIULIANO

Giuliano was the police chief in Palermo. He was killed by the Sicilian Mafia while investigating heroin trafficking and money laundering. Shortly before his death, he was one of the first Italian police officers to attend the FBI academy in Quantico, Virginia.

LEOLUCA BAGARELLA

This well-known mob boss also hails from Corleone. Bagarella was captured in 1995, after being on the run for four years, and sentenced to life in prison for mob ties and several murders.

BERNARDO PROVENZANO

Nicknamed “the bulldozer” for the way he dispatched his enemies, Provenzano became known as Italy’s most wanted man. Italian police have been searching for him for 43 years. He escaped justice partly because the police had no idea what this “godfather” looked like. He was principled and never succumbed to the temptation to show his face in public. He didn’t use a phone or a computer, instead he used a typewriter. He communicated with his subordinates by means of paper mottos, which contained numbers instead of names. These traveled quietly through five people, and it took several days before a reply reached him. He was born right here in Corleone and joined the Mafia as a teenager.

He started the “modernization” of the mafia and completely changed its tactics. Under his rule, the killings stopped, favouring a truce with state power and continuing to infiltrate economic and political circles. In addition to the traditional trade in drugs, arms or women, the Cosa Nostra under his leadership focused on immigration, for example. He died in prison serving a life sentence for several murders, including his involvement in the murder of the famous judges Paolo Borsellino and Giovanni Falcone. Towards the end of his life, he suffered from Parkinson’s disease, among other things.

OMERTA! THE LAW OF CONFIDENTIALITY

We ask the guide if the mafia still exists. He tells us that of course there is, but nowadays they don’t care much about money, but they like to secretly guard their territory. In short, it’s around but not visible. But no one will tell you what it was like in the bloody days when several people were found murdered on the streets every day. OMERTA! The law of silence is still strong here.

Let’s get away from the violence and murder for a moment. But really, just for a moment. 🙂 We’ll be transported to a movie world where, thankfully, nothing really happens, although who knows.

THE MOUNTAIN TOWN OF SAVOCA

Anyone who has seen the film trilogy The Godfather, starring Marlon Brando , Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on the book by writer Mario Puzo, which is considered one of the best films of all time, and wants to experience the film atmosphere for themselves, must visit the town of Savoca. Well, more like a village. It’s a must! Basically, everything there has remained as in the film. It’s as if time has stood still and for some people this place can be a sleepy hole. You can see the film on every corner, in the form of various magnets, mugs, towels and other souvenirs. However, walking in the places where famous scenes were filmed, of which there is no shortage in the movie, is an irreplaceable thing and one can say that it is a unique experience. And the experience is to get to Savoy. Prepare to climb up a lot and ride the switchbacks. 🙂

BAR VITELLI

Opened in 1963, Bar Vitelli can be found in Piazza Fossìa, where there is also a work of art depicting the director with a camera, Francis Ford Coppola. The bar is located on the ground floor of the former palace of the Trimarchi family. Incidentally, the bar didn’t even have a name before filming began. :-))))

You may recall the scene where Michael Corleone kills Sollozza and corrupt cop McCluskey. Michael is in hiding in Sicily, and it is at the Vitelli bar that his armed guides tell the owner that their friend liked a girl he saw on the way, more Greek than Italian. And the bar owner realizes that the girl is his daughter Apollonia.

And so my heart leapt when I found out that the bar really existed and was not just a backdrop. But as it happens, it was full of tourists. That’s for sure. But you’ll also find a small museum, or rather a room with lots of photos from the shoot. There’s even the chair that Al Pacino sat in in the famous scene.

CHURCH SAN NICOLÓ

The church was built in the 13th century, but its current appearance dates from the 18th century. It’s the church that starred in The Godfather. As you know from the movie, Apollenia and Michael’s relationship ended in marriage. It took place in this very church.

Michael and Apollenia walk in the wedding procession from the church.

However, Savoca is not just about The Godfather. There are countless beautiful sights such as beautiful churches, palaces, a large castle, etc. Seventeen churches alone remain in the historic core and most of them still exist.

CHURCH SAN MICHELE

The church dates back to 1250 and was enlarged in the 15th century. You will find beautiful Baroque frescoes here.

Savoca was even ranked 3rd in the list of the ten most beautiful villages in the world in 2016. I found myself not taking many photos here and just enjoying the place. There were a lot of people here so the photos wouldn’t have been very nice anyway.

FORZA D’AGRÓ

Forza d’Agrò is another very nice village not to be missed.

CHURCH SANTISSIMA ANNUNZIATA

In The Godfather III, there is a scene with the church of Santissima Annunziata. Kay and Michael witness a wedding. Kay tells Michael that his daughter is in love. However, he says he will not allow it. There is also a scene where the young Vito manages to escape after murdering his father by hiding on a departing donkey.

BAR EDEN

Bar Eden is the oldest bar in Forza d’Agro. This bar was the meeting place in the village at a time when television was not yet installed in homes. It is located in Cammareri Square, which is also the oldest square in the village. It is a very simple place with very friendly owners, who are used to receiving tourists from all over the world, as a scene from the famous film “The Godfather” with Al Pacino was filmed in this bar. Inside you will find lots of photographs that show the different personalities that have passed through the bar.

TAORMINA

Director Coppola didn’t like Corleone very much, and when he was staying at the San Domenico Palace in Taormina, the hotel staff advised him to visit the nearby villages of Savoca and Forza d’Agrò. A little gem. If you’ve seen the second series of The White Lotus, this is where all the scenes took place. I recommend you watch this series before you go, because this is also where they follow in the footsteps of The Godfather.

RAILWAY STATION TAORMINA – GIARDINI

The Taormina railway station starred in The Godfather III. Kay finally joins Michael in Palermo and arrives at Bagheria station. It is actually the Taormina-Giardini station, which is nowhere near Bagheria. It is, however, a pretty nice station that hasn’t changed much since the film was released.

PALERMO

The Arabs didn’t just give Palermo colourful markets, they also gave Palermo one very famous word, “mafia”. The word originated either from the word “mahjas”, which translates as “to steam”, or from the term “marfoud”, or to refuse. According to an old legend, Sicilians encountered the word “mafia” as early as the 13th century. This is because there was a bloody incident called the Sicilian Vespers.

There was a bloody uprising in Palermo at the time, when on Easter Monday the faithful gathered for Vespers. The insurgents were trying to overthrow King Charles I of France and drive the French out of the country. They even had a slogan: “Kill all the French, Italy first!“. It is said that the abbreviation of this battle slogan is the word “mafia”.

As I walked around Palermo, I couldn’t help but imagine what it must have been like in the 1970s and 1980s, when the Mafia war raged here. Shootouts were the order of the day. Palermo was one of the most dangerous cities in the world. You might still see the old bullet-scarred wall in places.

VILLA MALFITANO WHITAKER

In Palermo, the godfather was in several places. Recall the scene where Michael and his family arrive at the back entrance of this opulent villa in Palermo, which means that Coppola filmed these scenes for once where they take place in the book. So if I’m being a stickler for detail, the villa is in Palermo, not the nearby town of Bagheria as implied in the film. Both the interior and exterior were used and appear in all parts of the film that take place in Sicily. It is here that the family lives while Antony performs in Palermo.

TEATRO MASSIMO

Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy, where Anthony made his debut in opera. It’s quite a magnificent building, both inside and out. However, only the exterior was used in The Godfather III. In real life, the opera house was undergoing an extensive, decades-long closure for renovations at the time of filming.

SOME GOSSIP FROM THE GODFATHER 🙂

And now some gossip from the set. Right from the start, it should be said that the uniqueness of this work is based on the great performances of the actors. And, of course, the skill of director Francis Ford Coppola.

The whole history and background of the film was very interesting. You could say that, as well as the whole film. The project was handled by a not-so-experienced producer and Paramount Pictures didn’t want to spend too much on the film. Someone was constantly bothered by who director Copolla wanted to cast in the lead roles.

Real mafiosi even started to interfere in the film because they were afraid that the film would damage their reputation. Words like “mafia” or “Cosa Nostra” could not be heard in the film. The Italian-American Civil Rights League, led by the real-life godfather Joe Colombo. The mobsters even got an extra role, and the bosses supervised the filming. One of them is Lenny Montana, who worked as a debt collector for the Colombo family and was also a bodyguard for the mobster Colombo. And it was this former note-taker, measuring 2 metres tall and weighing 140 kilograms, who was perfect for the role of Luca Brasi.

The first Godfather film ended up winning 3 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor in a Leading Role. At the Oscars, the film was accompanied by a scandal when Brando refused to accept the statue and instead sent Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather to the Oscars to speak on stage about the oppression of indigenous people. The 1974 sequel The Godfather II collected a total of six Oscars. And Coppola was also in the running for directing.

The film became a big hit, but there were states where it was banned from being shown. And you can’t guess who was one of those states? Yes, it was Czechoslovakia. Thank God we have freedom today!

If you’re interested in this behind-the-scenes film, be sure to check out The Offer. The series revolves around producer Albert S. Ruddy, played brilliantly by Miles Teller. If you’re into movie trivia like me, you’ll literally be in seventh heaven.

AIRPORT IN PALERMO

In memory of Judges Falcone and Borsellino, the airport in Palermo was named Falcone-Borsellino Airport. On the motorway where the assassination took place, there is a memorial in each lane with the names of the victims of the assassination. When you leave Sicily, you may remember my article because of this.

I would like to dedicate this article to all the victims of the mafia!

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