Memoirs of a Prisoner of War in Shewa

(March, 1896 – January, 1897)

By: Giovanni Gamerra

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The 19th century was a time of conquest and empire. Nearly all of Africa had been devoured by the European powers. The notable exception in East Africa was Ethiopia: a proud, fiercely independent land surrounded by the Italian colonies of Eritrea to the north, and Italian Somaliland to the east. Italy invaded Ethiopia from Eritrea in 1895 and initially penetrated deep into northern Ethiopia. Soon, however, the vastly outnumbered Italian and colonial troops suffered several setbacks, leading up to the definitive battle of the war, Adwa. These memoirs, translated into English for the first time, were written by an Italian major, captured at Adwa, brought to Shewa province, and held until the end of the war. Major Gamerra describes in detail the events leading up to and following his capture, the sufferings of the prisoners, especially the wounded, and the personalities and customs of the various people he encountered. It is a window into the colonialism and militarism of the time, as well as a portrait of East Africa at the turn of the 20th century.