Ventotene

The island of Ventotene is an icon for the EU, but few are aware of it. The island was the prison for Altiero Spinelli, an Italian communist who was exiled by the fascists in the first half of the 20th century. Here Spinelli wrote a manifesto, which with some good will you can call the first constitution of Europe. Spinelli thought about how to get peace in Europe, and came to the conclusion that this could only be done in a united Europe without major powers. Interesting to know is that he wrote that manifesto on cigarette leaves. And that manifesto was smuggled to the mainland by the wife of a fellow inmate.

Pascal Brackman