Aug 282012
 

I ordered the military service records from the Italian archives in Palermo for my great-grandfather, Rosario Millonzi. He fought for Italy during World War I and was a prisoner of war (captured by the Germans and Austrians). Here is the letter I used to order them:

Achivo di Stato di Palermo
Corso Vittorio Emanuele 31
90133 Palermo
Italy

Mi dispiace. Scrivo un po' italiano.

Mi potete aiutare a trovare i record militari per il mio bisnonno?

Il mio bisnonno, Rosario Millonzi, è nato 27 settembre 1887 in Montemaggiore Belsito, Provincia di Palermo. La sua moglie era Carmela Parisi. I suoi genitori erano Ignazio Millonzi e Rosaria Salemi.

Ha combattuto nella WWI (prima guerra mondiale). Era un prigioniero di guerra.

Potete inviare i suoi documenti militari?

Ho incluso una copia del mio passaporto. Avete bisogno di altro?

Grazie mille.

Update 4 Sep 2012

Here is the response I received. Basically, it tells me to try this other office.

In merito alla sua richiesta, si comunica che presso questo Archivio non si conservano le liste di leva relative al comune e all'anno da lei indicati. Ad ogni modo può chiedere il foglio matricolare del suo bisnonno al seguente ufficio:
Comando Regionale Militare Sud
Centro Documentale di Palermo
Piazza Indipendenza, 7
90129 Palermo
Fax: 091 6453601 – 1673601
e-mail: cedoc_Palermo@esercito.difesa.it

Aug 282012
 

Today I ordered Civil War and Revolutionary War documents for several ancestor's in my wife's family tree. If they come back, some might confirm the names of their parents, while others may reveal the names of their parents.

Sites
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/pre-ww-1-records.html

Civil War
Henry Angle (1841-1926), parents unknown
Rufus Black (1836-1864), probably died in battle outside of New Orleans, parents probably Hiram and Polly but uncertain, also ordered pension file
Isaac Zeller (1839-1912), uncertain about his parents

Revolutionary War
Joseph Gallup (1725-1778), possible service in Revolutionary War, possibly died during battle

Aug 072012
 

Copied from a post made to the Italian Dual Citizenship message board:

Here's a reasonably complete list of the geographic places where Italian citizens have the right to live and/or pursue their (legal) livelihoods. If you have any corrections or additions, please send me a private message and, if possible, include a citation.

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia (as of July, 2013)
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark (excluding Greenland and the Faroe Islands)
Estonia
Finland (with limitations in Åland)
France (including most of its overseas territories)
Germany
Greece (effectively excluding Mount Athos)
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands (including its overseas territories)
Norway
Panama*
Poland
Portugal (including its overseas territories)
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain (including its overseas territories)
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom (excluding many of its overseas territories)
The Vatican (subject to the Holy See's decisions)

* Panama?

I just stumbled across another interesting dimension to Italian citizenship. In the 1960s, Italy and Panama signed a "Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation." (I'm trying to find a direct link to the treaty, but I haven't found it yet.) That treaty grants Italian citizens permission to live and work in Panama indefinitely and without too much hassle. As far as I can tell Italians are unique among foreigners in being granted this special permission in Panama.

According to this law firm, you need to supply the following:

three photos
copy of your passport, notarized by a Panamanian official
criminal record (original country or country where resident)
medical certificate of good health (dated within 3 months)
payment (about US$250)
sworn declaration of personal background
document showing the purpose of permanent residence (e.g. business interest)
proof of economic solvency

Once approved, an Italian citizen can live and work in Panama as long as desired.

There was about a 14 month period (February, 2008, to April, 2009) when this treaty right was suspended, but according to what I can find this treaty right has been restored and is currently available.

Counting Panama, Italian citizens can live and work indefinitely in 32 countries. And I'm not done searching yet, so perhaps I will find more.

I'm not sure why Panama granted this permission to Italians particularly, but there it is.