Giuseppe Nicola Summa, Known As Ninco Nanco

Faline · #1 ● 10-20-2013, 01:09 PM

Giuseppe Nicola Summa, known as Ninco Nanco (April 12, 1833 - March 13, 1864), was an Italian brigand. One of the most important brigands after the Italian unification, he was a lieutenant of Carmine Crocco, band chief of the Vulture area, in Basilicata. He was known for his brilliant guerrilla warfare[1] and for his brutality against the enemies.

Ninco Nanco's activity began to weaken on the early 1864, because of the betrayal of Giuseppe Caruso, Crocco's lieutenant who decided to collaborate with the Italian government. On March 13, 1864, Ninco Nanco and two of his brigands (one of whom was his brother Francescantonio), while repairing in a farmhouse in the district of Castel Lagopesole, were suddenly surprised by the national guards, headed by captain Benedetto Corbo. The farmhouse was assaulted and, after a short conflict, Ninco Nanco and his men were captured and soon killed.
He was fired with two shots to the throat by Nicola Coviello, corporal of the guards, to avenge the death of his brother-in-law, killed by Ninco Nanco on June 27, 1863, but most probably the brigand was killed by the order of Corbo himself, to prevent that he could reveal his protectors, including Corbo. In fact Corbo was involved, two months later, in another affair of complicity with the brigands and was accused for having issued, without any authority, two brigands belonging to the Ninco Nanco's band.
Crocco wanted to avenge the death of his lieutenant but the arrival of reinforcements in the district of Avigliano forced him to abandon the plan. His corpse was taken to Avigliano and hanged as a warning to the people and, the next day, it was brought to Potenza, where it was buried. His subordinates joined the band of Gerardo De Felice known as "Ingiongiolo", brigand from Oppido Lucano.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninco_Nanco