Local Response to Italian Occupation in Yilmana Dénsa District (West Gojjam) and the Battles of Yizora and Yidibi (1937)

  • Geremew Eskezia Ph. D Candidate, Bahr Dar University, Department of History; Email
Keywords: fascist atrocities, patriotic resistance, banda (collaborator), askaris (colonial soldiers), Resident

Abstract

During the Italian Occupation Period (1936-41), Yilmana Dénsa district was one of the most renowned centers of patriotic resistance in Gojjam. Italian authorities successively made Yilmana Dénsa a center of Vice Resident (1936-37), Resident (1937-38) and Commissionership (1939-41) mainly with the purpose of controlling the patriotic movement there. Nevertheless, they were confined only at Adét town and Däbrä Mäwi due to the intensification of patriotic resistance in the district and its surroundings. Among others, in 1937the patriots of Yilmana Dénsa district defeated fascist Italian forces at the battles of Yizora and Yidibi. Afterwards, the patriots’ resistance in the district continued right up to the independence of the country in 1941.

References

Däbrä Marqos University Archive and Research Center (D.M.U.A.R.C.), A Letter from Bahr

Dar Awrajja Gezat Office to Gojjam ?äqlay Gezat Office, Date Tahsas 21, 1963 E.C., Folder No., 0083, File No., ?. ?. 6.

National Archive and Library Agency (N.A.L.A), Blatta Marse`e Hazan Wäldä Qirqos`s

Collection. “Bä Amest Amätu Yä Italian Wärära Wäqet Yä Tägadälu Arbäññoc: Yä Däjjazmac Mängäša Tarik†(Manuscript, 1032), Folder Number ?. ?. ?. ?. 63.1, File Number 47.14.

__________. “Selä Italia Ena Selä Gojjam Arbäññenät Hunéta†(Manuscript, n.d.), Folder

Number ?. ?. ?. ?. 63.1, File Number 38.15.

__________. A Letter from Tadäsä Gäbrä Mädhen to Emperor Haylä Sellasé about the

Patriotic Struggle in Gojjam (Manuscript, n.d), Folder Number ?. ?. ?. ?. 63.1, File Number, 47.07.

Amhara Region Planning Office. “Silä Mirab Gojjam Astädadär Akababi Tarik Andand Nä?iboc†(MFN, 1299, Bahr Dar, Tahsas 1982 E.C.).

Dawit Ayalew. “A History of Méçha Wäräda of Bahr Dar (1935-1991). MA Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Department of History, 2010.

Geremew Eskezia. “A History of Yelmana Dénsa District: 1901 -1974â€. MA Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Department of History, 2015.

Seltene Seyoum. “A History of Resistance in Gojjam (Ethiopia): 1936-1941â€. Ph.D. Dissertation, Addis Ababa University, 1999.

Ato Addam Käbbädä. The Life History of of Däjjazmac Deräs Šefäraw (Obituary, Amharic, Adét, n.d).

Ato Fä?änä Enyäw. The Life History of Däjjazmac Anläy Haylé (Obituary, Amharic, Adét).

Ato Mesganaw Tayä. The Life History of Qäññazmac Dästa Yimam (Obituary, Amharic, Adét, 1978).

Ato Šägaw Andwaläm. The Life History of Ato Andwaläm Birhanu (Obituary, Amharic, Adét, Hidar 29, 2007 E.C.).

Bahru Zewde. A History of Modern Ethiopia, Revised Second Edition. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University Press, 2002.

Bälay Mäkonnän. Etégé ?aytu Bä Däbrä Mäwi. Addis Ababa: ?ana Publishing Enterprise, 2003 E.C

Imiru Haylä Sillasé (Leul Ras). Kayähut Ina Kä Imastawsäw. Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa University Press, 2001 E.C.

Haddis Kassa (Aläqa), Geše Abbay-Gojjam-Finotä Sälam: Yäjäbdu Ina Yä Limat Mägelä?ha. Bahr Dar: Qidus Giyorgis Publisher, Tahsas 2004 E.C.

Mockler, Anthony. Haile Sellasie`s War: The Italian- Ethiopian War, 1935-1941.Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984.

Sbachi, Alberto. Ethiopia Under Mussolini: Fascism and the Colonial Experience. London: Zed Books, 1989.

Tädla Zä Yohannes. Yä Ethiopia Tarik: Italia Bä Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Mankusa Publishing Enterprise, PLC, 2004 E.C.

Published
2018-10-08
How to Cite
Eskezia, G. (2018). Local Response to Italian Occupation in Yilmana Dénsa District (West Gojjam) and the Battles of Yizora and Yidibi (1937). Ethiopian Journal of Social Sciences, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.20372/ejss.v3i1.78
Section
Articles