Mafia families. The names of Italian mafiosi are the most famous gangsters in the world

Hearing the word “mafia,” today’s law-abiding citizen will imagine a number of associations: he will simultaneously remember that crime in the world has not yet been defeated and is encountered literally at every step, then he will smile and say that “Mafia” is a funny psychological game, so loved by students, but in the end he will imagine stern men of Italian appearance in raincoats and wide-brimmed hats and with the constant Thompson machine guns in their hands, simultaneously playing the legendary melody of the composer Nino Rota in his head... The image of the mafioso is romantic and glorified in popular culture, but at the same time despised by the guardians of order and the victims their crimes (if by a lucky chance they remained alive).

The term “mafia” and the traditional idea of ​​mafiosi as “men in coats and hats” appeared thanks to immigrants from Sicily who moved to New York in the 19th century and took control of it in the 30s of the 20th century. There is a lot of debate about the origin of the word "mafia". The most common opinion about the etymology of the word is its Arabic roots (“marfud” in Arabic for “outcast”).

The mafia moves to the USA

It is known that the first Sicilian mafioso to arrive in the United States was Giuseppe Esposito, who was accompanied by 6 other Sicilians. In 1881 he was arrested in New Orleans. There, 9 years later, the first high-profile murder organized by the mafia in the United States took place - a successful attempt on the life of New Orleans police chief David Hennessy (Hennessy's last words: “The Italians did it!”). In the next 10 years in New York, the Sicilian mafia will organize the “Five Point Gang” - the city’s first influential gangster group, which took control of the “Little Italy” area. At the same time, the Neapolitan Camorra gang is gaining momentum in Brooklyn.

In the 1920s, the Mafia experienced rapid growth. This was facilitated by factors such as prohibition (the name of the “King of Chicago” Al Capone has become a household name today), as well as Benito Mussolini’s struggle with the Sicilian mafia, which led to mass immigration of Sicilians to the United States. In New York in the 20s, two mafia clans, Giuseppe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzana, became the most influential families. As is often the case, the two families did not properly divide the Big Apple, leading to the three-year Castellammarese War (1929-1931). The Maranzana clan won, Salvatore became the “boss of bosses”, but later fell victim to conspirators led by Lucky Luciano (real name - Salvatore Lucania, “Lucky” is, of course, a nickname).

"Lucky" Luciano in the police mugshot.

It was Lucky Luciano who should be considered the founder of the so-called “Commission” (1931), the goal of which is to prevent brutal gang wars. The “Commission” is a native Sicilian invention: the heads of mafia clans get together and solve truly global problems of mafia activity in the United States. From the first days, 7 people took a place on the commission, among whom were both Al Capone and 5 bosses from New York - the leaders of the legendary “Five Families”

Five Families

In New York, from the thirties of the 20th century to the present day, all criminal activities are carried out by the five largest “families”. Today these are the “families” of Genovese, Gambino, Lucchese, Colombo and Bonanno (they got their names from the names of the ruling bosses, whose names became public in 1959, when the police arrested mafia informant Joe Valachi (he managed to live until 1971 and died his death despite the fact that the Genovese family had a bounty on his head).

Genovese family

Don Vito Genovese

The founders are conspirator Lucky Luciano and Joe Masseria. The family was nicknamed the "Ivy League of the Mafia" or the "Rolls Royce of the Mafia". The man who gave the family his last name was Vito Genovese, who became boss in 1957. Vito considered himself the most powerful boss in New York, but was easily “eliminated” by the Gambino family: after being in power for 2 years, he was sentenced to 15 years for drug trafficking and died in prison in 1969. Today's boss of the Genovese clan Daniel Leo rules his family from prison (his sentence expires in January 2011). The Genovese family became the prototype of the Corleone Family from the film “The Godfather”. Family activities: racketeering, complicity in crimes, money laundering, usury, murder, prostitution, drug trafficking.

Gambino Family

Don Carlo Gambino in young age...

The family's first boss was Salvatore De Aquila, who served as boss of bosses until his death in 1928. In 1957, Carlo Gambino came to power, his period of rule lasted until 1976 (he died of natural causes). In 1931, Gambino held the position of caporegime in the Mangano family (a caporegime is one of the most influential mafiosi in each family, reporting directly to the boss of the family or his deputies). Over the next 20 years, he climbed the “career ladder” of the mafia, eliminating enemies and competitors with great ease, and while in power, he spread the influence of his Family over a vast area.

...and a few days before his death

Since 2008, the family has been led by Daniel Marino, Bartolomeo Vernace and John Gambino - a distant relative of Carlo Gambino. The Family's list of criminal activities does not stand out from similar lists of the other four families. Money is made from everything from prostitution to racketeering and drug trafficking.

Lucchese family

Don Gaetano Lucchese

Since the beginning of the 20s, the Family was created through the efforts of Gaetano Reina, after whose death in 1930 his work was continued by another Gaetano, by the name of Galliano, who remained in power until 1953. The third consecutive leader of the Family with the name Gaetano was the man who gave the Family his last name - Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese. "Tommy" Lucchese helped Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese achieve leadership in their Families. Together with Carlo, Gaetano took control of the “Commission” by 1962 (their children had a rather lavish wedding that year). Since 1987, de jure the family has been led by Vittorio Amuso, and de facto by a commission of three Caporegimes: Agnello Migliore, Joseph DiNapoli and Matthew Madonna.

Colombo family

Don Joseph Colombo

The "youngest" Family of New York. In operation since 1930, from the same year until 1962, the boss of the Family was Joe Profaci (in the 1928 photograph that opened the article, Joe Profaci is depicted in a wheelchair). Even though Joseph Colombo only became boss in 1962 (with the blessing of Carlo Gambino), the Family was named after his last name, not Profaci. Joe Colombo actually retired in 1971 when he was shot three times in the head but survived. He lived for the next 7 years without waking up from a coma in a state that his accomplice Joe Gallo described as “vegetable.”

Today, the boss of the Colombo family is Carmine Persico, serving a life sentence (139 years) for extortion, murder and racketeering. Persico's so-called "acting" boss is Andrew Russo.

Bonanno family

Don Joseph Bonanno

Founded in the 1920s, the first boss was Cola Schiro. In 1930, Salvatore Maranzano took his place. After the Lucky Luciano conspiracy and the creation of the Commission, the Family was led by Joe Bonanno until 1964.

In the 60s, the Family survived the Civil War (which the newspapers wittily dubbed the “Bonanza Split”). The commission decided to remove Joe Bonanno from power and install caporegime Gaspar DiGregorio in his place. One part supported Bonanno (loyalists), the second was, of course, against him. The war turned out to be bloody and protracted; even the Commission's removal of DiGregorio from the post of boss did not help. New boss Paul Sciacca was unable to cope with the violence within the divided family. The war ended in 1968, when Joe Bonanno, who was in hiding, suffered a heart attack and firmly decided to retire. He lived to be 97 and died in 2002. From 1981 to 2004, the Family did not serve on the Commission due to a number of “unacceptable crimes.” Today, the position of Family boss remains vacant, but Vincent Asaro is expected to take it.

The “Five Families” currently control the entire New York metropolitan area, including even northern New Jersey. They also conduct business outside the state, for example in Las Vegas, South Florida or Connecticut. You can look at the zones of influence of families on Wikipedia.

In popular culture, the Mafia is remembered in many ways. In cinema, this is, of course, "The Godfather" with its own "Five Families" of New York (Corleone, Tattaglia, Barzini, Cuneo, Stracci), as well as the cult HBO series "The Sopranos", which tells about the connections of the DiMeo Family from New York. -Jersey with one of the New York families (appears under the name “Lupertazi Family”).

In the video game industry, the theme of the Sicilian mafia is successfully embodied in the Czech game "Mafia" (the prototype of the setting is San Francisco in the thirties, in which the Salieri and Morello families are fighting), and its sequel, released no more than a couple of months before the writing of this article , focuses on the criminal activity of the Three Families in a prototype New York City called Empire Bay back in the 50s. The cult game Grand Theft Auto IV also represents the “Five Families,” but in a modern setting and again under fictitious names.

The Godfather is a cult film by Francis Ford-Coppola about the Sicilian mafia in New York

The Five Families of New York are a unique phenomenon in the world of organized crime. This is one of the most influential gangster structures on the planet, created by immigrants (still the basis of every family is mostly Italian-American), which has developed a clear hierarchy and strict traditions dating back to the 19th century. The “Mafia” is thriving despite constant arrests and high-profile trials, which means that its history continues with us.

Sources:

2) Cosa Nostra - The History of the Sicilian mafia

5) Images taken from the portal "en.wikipedia.org"

http://www.bestofsicily.com/mafia.htm

Illustration copyright EPA Image caption The alleged leader of the group, Carmine Spada (center), was detained in Rome in January.

Italian police raided and arrested dozens of people in the Naples area, Rome and Agrigento in Sicily as part of an anti-mafia campaign.

The detainees are accused of smuggling, extortion, contract killings, bribes to politicians, organizing prostitution, and stealing art objects. The list of crimes is extensive.

What is the Italian mafia like today?

"GoatNacute" - Sicilian mafia

Sicilian gangs created a model that was then adopted by mafia groups around the world. They emerged as a formidable force in Sicily in the 1800s, and subsequently grew steadily in power and sophistication.

"Cosa Nostra" is translated from Sicilian as "our business." This was the name of the first mafia, the foundation of which was laid by family clans.

She is known for her code of honor, omerta, which requires absolute loyalty. The informers faced torture and death, and their families faced punishment.

Even today, members of the mafia in Sicily are used to resolve commercial disputes and recover stolen goods, preferring their services to the slow-moving legal machine. However, many people hate the “protection protection” practiced by the mafia, when entrepreneurs are forced to pay for the “protection” of their business.

Cosa Nostra gained fame in the United States by engaging in racketeering and feuding with other gangs in Chicago, New York and other cities. The group was able to significantly strengthen itself thanks to the trade in counterfeit alcohol during the Prohibition period in the 1920s.

The FBI says the American crime syndicate as a whole has no ties to the Italian clans. Cosa Nostra's main source of income is the heroin trade.

If you say the word “mafia” these days, many will immediately remember the film “The Godfather” with Marlon Brando. In Sicilian, the word "mafia" is related to the word "courageous". The term is often used incorrectly and inappropriately in relation to all organized criminal groups.

Some Italian mafia organizations operate in other countries, competing with other equally brutal mafia gangs from Russia, China, Albania and other countries. In some cases, gangs coordinate their actions and then divide the loot.

Cosa Nostra has made its way into local and state politics not only in Italy, but also in the United States.

But even in Italy, high-profile corruption scandals do not always involve the mafia. A high-profile trial in Rome revealed a massive corruption scheme, but the mafia was not involved.

According to the FBI, there are now 25 thousand members in the ranks of Cosa Nostra and three other major mafia groups - Camorra, 'Ndrangheta and Sacra Corona Unite. In total, 250 thousand people are associated with them in the world.

When Cosa Nostra was led by godfather Salvatore Riina, the group was essentially at war with the Italian state.

Illustration copyright AFP Image caption A memorial has been erected at the site where prosecutor Falcone died at the hands of Cosa Nostra.

In May 1992, Riina's people blew up the car of prosecutor Giovanni Falcone near Palermo. As a result, the prosecutor himself, his wife and three bodyguards died.

• "The Beast" of Corleone Toto Riina dies in prison
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Two months later, the new prosecutor, Paolo Borsellino, was also killed. His car was blown up in Palermo.

Riina died in prison in November 2017 at the age of 87. He was serving a life sentence.

Illustration copyright AFP Image caption This mafia-owned villa near Corleone in Palermo was confiscated and turned into a hotel

Cosa Nostra also reached out to some EU economic projects in Sicily through local contractors. In 2010, a BBC investigation revealed that, among other business projects, the mafia structure received funds from wind farms.

Sicilian society does not intend to give up. The anti-mafia group Libera Terra is engaged in business projects, including the hotel business, using funds seized from the mafia.

Federico Varese, an employee of the University of Oxford who specializes in the study of the mafia, said that Cosa Nostra is now engaged in providing protection for overnight stays for migrants, which are funded by the state.

But some migrant gangs are trying to compete with the mafia in areas such as prostitution, Varese told the BBC. He added that Italian police in Sicily were putting "huge pressure" on the mafia.

"Camorra" - Neapolitan mafia

The Camorra clans in Naples and Caserta consist of approximately 4,500 people.

Their main area of ​​activity is drugs. Gang members are extremely violent. They also extort money from construction firms, toxic waste disposal companies and clothing manufacturers. These include workshops staffed primarily by Chinese who counterfeit popular clothing brands.

Illustration copyright AFP Image caption These dilapidated houses in the Scampia district of Naples are a famous Camorra hangout.

In 2006, the book Gomorrah was published, in which Italian journalist Roberto Saviano documented the daily life and principles of the group's work.

Shortly after the book was published, Saviano began receiving threats. Today he lives under the protection of the authorities: bodyguards are always next to Saviano, and his place of residence is not disclosed.

In an interview with American CBS radio, Saviano said that the Camorra and the 'Ndrangheta differ from Cosa Nostra in having a less strict hierarchy and younger leaders, and in their activities there is "much more blood." According to Saviano, today these two groups are stronger than Cosa Nostra and less involved in politics than it.

The Camorra's extensive network of drug traffickers operates even in Spain, but the center of the syndicate has always been in poor areas of Naples, such as Scampia and Secondigliano.

Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption Roberto Saviano with bodyguards at the 2013 film festival

Gang clashes in Ostia, one of the poor suburbs of Rome, are also associated with the Camorra. A few months ago, a scandal erupted in Italy after a member of the Spada mafia clan head-butted a television journalist while the camera was on.

As Professor Varese notes, women traditionally play an important role in the structure of the Camorra clans - they usually work as couriers and “accountants” who issue money to clan members.

Calabrian mafia - "Ndrangheta"

Calabria - the "toe" of the Italian "boot" on the world map - is one of the poorest regions of Italy. The province is located near Sicily, and the 'Ndrangheta began its existence as an offshoot of Cosa Nostra.

The name of this group comes from the Greek "andragathia", which means "valor".

The FBI estimates that the 'Ndrangheta now has about six thousand members.

Illustration copyright AFP Image caption In 2008, one of the leaders of the 'Ndrangheta, Pasquale Condello, was arrested

The 'Ndrangheta's specialty is cocaine smuggling. Professor Varese says the group is directly linked to Mexican and Colombian gangs. By some estimates, the 'Ndrangheta controls up to 80% of the cocaine trade in Europe.

The 'Ndrangheta also has influence in northern Italy - the group controls part of the criminal business in the vicinity of Turin. In Calabria, the 'Ndrangheta is accused of stealing much of the aid for the poor.

In 2007, in Duisburg, Germany, the 'Ndrangheta showed its cruelty. Six Italians associated with the syndicate were killed in the city. The criminals left their bodies in two cars near an Italian restaurant.

Apulian Mafia - "Sacra Corona Unita"

The smallest of the Italian mafia clans, Sacra Corona Unita (United Sacred Crown), is based in Puglia, in southeastern Italy.

According to FBI estimates, the group has about two thousand members, and its specialization is the smuggling of cigarettes, weapons, drugs and people.

Puglia's geographic location makes the region an ideal port for smuggling from the Balkans. It is believed that the Apulian clans are closely connected with Eastern European organized crime groups.

“The police most likely won,” one Sicilian told me and talked about the current situation of the mafia in Italy. There is hardly a region in Italy where there is no mafia. It exists in both the south and north of the Apennine Peninsula, mafia clans simply originate from the south, and they prefer to conduct business in the north of the country, where there is a lot of money and it is easier to launder. Theoretically, the mafia has several regional names, such as “Camorra” in Naples, but the essence is the same everywhere. In recent years, most of the mafia leaders have been imprisoned; they have been imprisoned before, but this was not effective. The prison in Naples where they were previously kept was called the “5 Star Hotel” - for money you could do anything there. Now the situation has changed.

They try to keep mafia bosses in prisons in the north, for example in Milan, where they are not so strong. The conditions of detention have also become much stricter - this is solitary confinement without any connection with the outside world, it is harsh, but effective, Don now cannot control the clan from here. But the mafia itself has undergone a major transformation in recent years, brutal and armed mafiosi are a thing of the past, and the mafia’s destiny is the economy. But here they, rather, even gained strength. For example, in the Sicilian resort of Trapani, the local mafia is very strong and firmly holds the economy of the commune in its hands. In the very north of Italy, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, mafiosi from Calabria are actively buying cafes and restaurants. It's simple, this is how money is laundered - at the tax office, the bar owner claims that he sold 100 cups of coffee, but in fact, 10. The money from 90 unsold cups becomes clean. Another popular business of the mafia is large supermarkets on the outskirts of the city, where a lot of money passes through and it is easy to launder dirty cash. In Sicily, most of the stores of large retail chains belong to mafia clans. That is, the mafia itself is practically invisible; it has transformed into a criminal financial institution.

In Sicily, the mafia is strongest in large cities - Palermo, Catania, etc. But there are areas where there is no mafia - these are Ragusa and Syracuse. At the same time, the main income of mafia clans or families remained trafficking in drugs, weapons and racketeering. True, as I was told, business is not conducted very aggressively. That is, it is quite possible to ask permission and conduct a similar business in a neighboring area. You can pay the mafia in any currency and in the regions, for example, when selling drugs in Germany (an active partner of the Sicilian mafia), you can receive payment on the spot with weapons and vice versa. A kind of exchange transaction.

Expats are also likely to be involved in this business - whether the newcomer is selling trinkets or selling drugs - its activities are connected and partially controlled by the mafia. Local communities of the same Sri Lankans pay the mafia. The racket has not gone away either; if you want to do business without problems, pay. Not everyone experiences this, but they can. Cafe and shop owners form associations and support each other if one of their members faces threats or their property is damaged. For example, the tourist services office in Palermo or the cafe-bar in Terrasini, with this sticker they inform that they do not pay extortionists.

Another type of business, the results of which I was able to personally familiarize myself with, is theft during the construction of highways. In Sicily there are really bad roads, there, of course, the situation is not like ours - somewhere there is an excellent highway, but somewhere there is a rut, no, it’s just that the level of roads throughout the island is approximately the same and it is bad, for Europe, at least. Many sections of roads are being repaired, that is, they are fenced off, there are a lot of signs, but no work is being done. It is believed that the mafia steals about 50% of the cost of the road and it is in its interests to constantly maintain the condition of the roads in poor, pre-repair condition. Related to this are problems with railway communication in Sicily - there are few railways, trains rarely run. The mafia simply does not allow railway transport to develop, since there is nothing special to steal or it is difficult to control transportation.

But murders still happen, although their numbers have dropped sharply. If in the 70s the mafia in Sicily killed about 300 people a year, now it is 6-7 people during the same period. The police, however, also act harshly. I was told about a case when one of the mafiosi was found tied up on the railway tracks, the police took advantage of the situation and accused him of preparing to blow up the railway track.

The Sicilian and Italian mafia is not a fairy tale and the lot of filmmakers, it really exists, and although its clans are not as strong as before, and many have moved to a semi-legal position, it is still dangerous and is constantly being fought against.

on Palermo street

A little history of the mafia
Each business has its own development, and each development is determined by the people involved in this business, especially if it is “Our Business”. And the origins Italian mafia go back to the 9th century, when “Robin Hood” troops protected Sicilian peasants from the oppression and extortion of feudal lords, foreign raiders and pirates. The authorities did not help their poor, so they only called for help mafia and they also trusted in her. In return, a considerable bribe was paid, unspoken laws set forth by members of the “security” groups were carried out, but the poor were provided with guaranteed protection.

Why did crime families come to be called "mafia"
There are two versions origin of the word "mafia". According to the first, under the influence of the Arab flair (either military or trade relations Sicily with representatives of Arab countries), the root of the word means “shelter”, “protection”. According to the second version, the suffering Sicily foreign invaders trampled far and wide and in 1282 an uprising took place, the motto of which became: “Death to France! Breathe, Italy!” (Morte alla Francia Italia Anelia). Anyway, mafia- a native Sicilian phenomenon, and identical criminal groups in other parts of Italy and the world were called differently, for example, “Ndraghetta” in Calabria, “Sacra Corona Unita” in Apulia, “Camorra” in Naples. But, “mafia” these days, like “jacuzzi”, “jeep” and “copier”, has become common nouns, so any criminal organization is called it.

How the mafia got into power
As an organization, the mafia crystallized only in the 19th century, when the peasants, who did not want to submit to the exploitative Bourbon regime that was ruling at that time, “blessed” mafia for political exploits. Thus, in 1861, the mafia officially assumed the status of the ruling force. Having made their way into the Italian parliament, they got a chance to influence the formation of the country's political and economic course, and the mafiosi themselves transformed into the so-called aristocracy.
Beginning in the 20th century, members of criminal organizations began to promote “their senators” to parliament and secretaries to city councils, for which they generously thanked them. The carefree “swimming in money” might have continued further if the fascists had not come to power. Head of Italy Benito Mussolini couldn't stand it mafia in power, and indiscriminately began to imprison thousands. The dictator's harshness naturally bore fruit, Italian mafiosi lay to the bottom.

In the 50-60s, the mafia regained its spirit, and the Italian government had to begin an official fight against crime, creating a special body “Antimafia”.
And the mafiosi dressed in expensive suits of businessmen, building their working on the iceberg principle, where the official sporting goods network could be involved in the underground trade in drugs or weapons, prostitution, and “protection” for other businesses. But nothing has changed these days; this is still happening in some areas of Italy. Over time, some “businessmen” seriously developed their restaurant and hotel business and food production.
In the 80s, a fierce and bloody struggle began between criminal clans, where such a huge number of people were killed that most of the survivors prefer to work only in the field of legal business, maintaining omerta, “mutual responsibility”, and other signs of a valid mafia organization.
But the mafia has not left the scene to this day. In the south of Italy, 80% of companies pay bribes to their “roof”, just as it is impossible to open your own business without enlisting the support of local authorities. Carrying out “cleansing” operations, the Italian government regularly sends city, regional and national officials accused of collaborating with the mafia to prison from key positions.

How Italian mafiosi moved to America
Since 1872, as a result of extreme impoverishment, Sicilians, in search of a better life, emigrated to America in armies. And, lo and behold, the introduced “prohibition” worked to their advantage. They began selling illegal alcoholic beverages, having accumulated capital, they bought up enterprises in other fields of activity. Thus, in a short period of time, the money turnover of Sicilians in America began to exceed the turnover of the largest American corporations. The American mafia, originating from Sicily, is called "Cosa Nostra", which means "Our business". This name is also given to those who returned from America to their homeland. Sicilian crime family.

Structure of the Italian mafia
Boss or Godfather- the head of a family, a criminal clan. Information flows to him about all the affairs of his family and the plans of his enemies, and he is elected by voting.
Henchman or underboss- the first assistant to the boss or godfather. Appointed solely by the boss himself and is responsible for the actions of all caporegime.
Consigliere- the chief adviser of the clan, whom the boss completely trusts.
Caporegime or capo- the head of a “team” that works in a separate area controlled by a family-clan.
Soldier- a junior member of the clan who was recently “introduced” into the mafia. Soldiers are formed into teams of up to 10 people, led by capos.
Partner in crime- a person who has a certain status in mafia circles, but is not yet considered a family member. It can act, for example, as an intermediary in the sale of drugs.

Laws and traditions respected by the mafiosi
In 2007, the famous godfather Salvadore Lo Piccolo was arrested and found in possession of "Ten Commandments of Cosa Nostra", where the traditions and laws of the members of the mafiz clan are described.

Ten Commandments of Cosa Nostra
Each group “works” in a certain territory and other families do not interfere with their participation.
Beginner initiation ritual: they wound the finger and pour its blood on the icon. He takes the icon in his hand and they set it on fire. The beginner must endure the pain until the icon burns. At the same time, he says: “Let my flesh burn, like this saint, if I break the laws of the mafia.”
The family cannot include: police officers and those who have police officers among their relatives.
Family members respect their wives, do not cheat on them, and never look at the wives of their friends.
Omerta- mutual responsibility of all clan members. Joining the organization is for life, no one can leave the business. At the same time, the organization is responsible for each of its members; if someone has offended him, she and only she will administer justice.
For an insult, the offender must be killed.
Death of a family member- an insult that is washed away with blood. Bloody revenge for a loved one is called “vendetta.”
The kiss of death- a special signal given by mafia bosses or capos and meaning that this family member has become a traitor and must be killed.
Code of Silence- prohibition on disclosing the secrets of the organization.
Betrayal is punishable by the murder of the traitor and all his relatives.

Thinking about this topic, I come to the following conclusions:
Despite the countless treasures obtained, only poor people from the Italian southern coast dream of such a career development. After all, with a simple calculation, it turns out that it is not so profitable: members of a criminal group have to calculate the costs of protecting themselves and their families, paying bribes, constant confiscation of goods, and this at constant risk to their lives and all family members. For many decades, the whole secret mafia society system. Is it really worth it?

Svetlana Conobella, from Italy with love.

About konobella

Svetlana Konobella, writer, publicist and sommelier of the Italian Association (Associazione Italiana Sommelier). Cultivist and implementer of various ideas. What inspires: 1. Everything that goes beyond generally accepted ideas, but honoring traditions is not alien to me. 2. A moment of unity with the object of attention, for example, with the roar of a waterfall, a sunrise in the mountains, a glass of unique wine on the shore of a mountain lake, a fire burning in the forest, a starry sky. Who inspires: Those who create their own world, full of bright colors, emotions and impressions. I live in Italy and love its rules, style, traditions, as well as know-how, but the Motherland and compatriots are forever in my heart. Editor of the portal www..

Sicilian mafia. . What is this? Underworld brand? Theme for Hollywood movies? No, it's - Sicilian reality which has been going on for many years. Let's talk about the history of the mafia.

The history of the Sicilian mafia

Historical roots the mafia needs to be looked for in 8th-9th centuries. At that time Sicily was a stronghold Byzantium in the Mediterranean Sea, but the Arabs systematically and brutally tried to establish themselves on the island. Voluntary militia protected the fishermen and peasants of the island, and they paid as a token of gratitude, some with money, some with grain or fish. Arabs in 831 they captured, and by 965 the entire island.

But the Byzantine tradition of thanking defenders remained, taking on more and more bizarre forms over time. They overlapped with the concept of honor characteristic of residents of closed communities: you must always be able to stand up for yourself and instantly respond to any act of injustice or disrespect for yourself. This is the basis of the mafia - the ability to respect others and the unconditional demand for self-respect, the ability to be grateful and the ability to stand up for yourself and your family.

The beginning of the 12th century - the decline of the Normans on the island. This is one of many periods of anarchy. And every such period the mafia will gain momentum. Papal governors, local barons, and Arabs fought among themselves and plundered the country. The time is coming Vendicosi(Avengers). A mysterious sect of murderers and executioners, people from the aristocratic families of Palermo, Beati Paoli(Blessed Pauls), people in black hoods covering their faces. They help everyone who wants to take revenge for insults and injustice. Payment is taken for services or money. One of the first secret societies of the Middle Ages would exist until the 18th century, and its heyday would occur during the difficult times of the Inquisition.

From the beginning of the 16th century, the most difficult period in the history of Sicily began - the Spanish. Until 1713, the island was under Spanish rule and ruled by viceroys. It was then that it formed as a model of life.

The entire state life rests on bribes. Sicily has been the breadbasket of Europe since the times of the Roman Empire; the island's economy is completely dependent on agriculture. Barons, owners of huge plots of land, latifundia, far away - in Naples. Estate managers have more and more power and little control. At the same time, the peasants simply have a hard life. Half-starved on fertile land, they work hard from morning to night in the crazy heat. The economy is carried out using ancient methods, without any modernization. The majority of the population lives in the mountains, with virtually no roads. And if you want to get out, it won’t really work out that way. With wild ideas about the world imposed by the Catholic Church, and these are times of complete obscurantism and dullness. And, as always and everywhere, there are dashing people who are not going to work, but who earn their living by robberies. Then the scheme is simple: the manager hires strong guys in order to spur the peasants to work, punish the dissatisfied, and protect the estate from robbery.

A classic “divorce” scheme arises - to organize trouble in order to help solve it.

Over time, gaining strength and experience, the smartest of the guards understand that managers are an extra link in the scheme. Without the support of security, the figure of the manager becomes meaningless. The island's population is completely on the side of the guards. After all, they are our own, Sicilians, close and understandable, helping to solve any current issues. Dashing people lease the vast territory of their baron's latifundia directly. They pay for rent not so much with money, but with their services. They take the main profit for themselves. Brave, cruel, self-confident people, with excellent organizational skills, rely on the support of the baron. Where should he go, Baron? He has already been given an offer that he cannot refuse. The church also did not stand aside. She was the largest landowner and gladly used their services, in turn, convincing the population of the need for obedience and patience.

The authorities at that time did not consider the mafia as a force worthy of attention. Therefore, many of the mafiosi, with the assistance of the family aristocracy and the church, naturally for large bribes, bought themselves a baronial title. Thus, the money earned through extortion and robbery received official recognition. The money laundering scheme began to work. And so, gradually, the guards of the latifundia more and more clearly turned into the figures that later became traditional capo(capo) of the rural mafia. The capos maintained close ties with each other, creating a web of uncontrolled power with the sole purpose at that time - money.

Over the course of two hundred years, the consciousness of the Sicilians changed more and more, the island became poorer, and ideas about honor were added to omertà and a certain lifestyle and a certain type of people arose - mafioso.

History of the Sicilian Mafia

IN 1865 year, the Prefect of Palermo in his official report uses the term "" to refer to criminal groups. After that, it will only be used in this sense.

In the 80s of the 19th century, the Italian wave began emigration to the USA. Among the emigrants there are also Sicilians who work for the mafia. From numerous gangs and groups a giant will grow crime syndicate, combining Sicilian traditions and American entrepreneurship.

1903 One of the first who began the fight against the mafia was Joe Petrosino, a poor Italian immigrant who became a lieutenant in the New York Police Department and head of the anti-Black Hand department. This was a slightly theatrical name for the nascent Italian mafia in America. The counterfeit dollars that filled New York at that time were printed in Sicily. More and more new mafia militants appeared, and those who came to light after brutal murders disappeared without a trace. Sicilian emigrants were constantly involved in the most notorious crimes in New York.

Joe Petrosino

1909 To identify these criminal connections, Petrosino decides to go to Palermo. Immediately upon arrival, Joe Petrosino receives an anonymous note with a request for a meeting and the address - Marine Square. Why did this smart and experienced policeman, who perfectly understood who he was dealing with, go alone to the meeting assigned to him by the informant? Most likely, he simply did not think that at eight in the evening, on a busy square in the very center of the city, two steps from the courthouse, something could happen to him. But Palermo is not New York, and it’s dangerous for people who stick their noses into other people’s business. He will be killed four shots at point-blank range, one of them in the face. It's like a signature - killed by men of honor. A reward equivalent to 40 thousand euros. But, of course, no one said anything. People at that time could not even imagine that they could talk about mafia affairs.

The names of the criminals will become known only after 105 years. In 2014, during an operation Apocalypse 95 mafia members from various clans were arrested. Before the arrest, everyone was bugged for a long time. One of them, Domenico Palazzotto, boasted in a conversation with a friend that he was from a family with a long criminal tradition. One hundred and five years ago his great-uncle, Paolo Palazzotto killed New York police officer Joe Petrosino on orders from a Mafia capo. The information was confirmed, and now this murder is considered solved.

Domenico Palazzotto