San Luca

Infobox CityIT
img_coa =
official_name = San Luca
name = San Luca
region = Calabria
province = Province of Reggio Calabria (RC)
elevation_m =
area_total_km2 = 104.2
population_as_of = Dec. 2004
population_total = 4186
population_density_km2 = 40
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|38|9|N|16|4|E|type:city(4,186)_region:IT
frazioni = Ientile, Ricciolio, Vorea, Polsi
telephone = 0964
postalcode = 89030
gentilic = sanluchesi
saint =
day =
mayor =
website =
mapy = 16.0667
mapx = 38.1500

San Luca is a "comune" (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in the Italian region Calabria, located about 100 km southwest of Catanzaro and about 35 km east of Reggio Calabria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 4,186 and an area of 104.2 km².All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.]

The municipality of San Luca contains the "frazioni" (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Ientile, Ricciolio, Vorea, and Polsi.

The important Italian author Corrado Alvaro was born in San Luca in 1895. His hand-written notes are now kept by a foundation in San Luca.

San Luca borders the following municipalities: Benestare, Bovalino, Careri, Casignana, Cosoleto, Delianuova, Samo, Sant'Agata del Bianco, Santa Cristina d'Aspromonte, Scido.

tronghold of the 'Ndrangheta

San Luca is considered to be the stronghold of the 'Ndrangheta. According to a former " 'ndranghetista", "almost all the male inhabitants belong to the 'Ndrangheta, and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi has long been the meeting place of the affiliates."Paoli. "Mafia Brotherhoods", p. 29] At least since the 1950s, the chiefs of the 'Ndrangheta "locali" have met regularly near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi during the September Feast. In 1969 the police raided a meeting near the sanctuary and captured more than 70 " 'ndranghetisti", while other managed to escape.Paoli. "Mafia Brotherhoods", p. 59]

The historical preeminence of the San Luca family is such that every new group or "locale" must obtain its authorization to operate and every group belonging to the 'Ndrangheta "still has to deposit a small percentage of illicit proceeds to the "principale" of San Luca in recognition of the latter’s primordial supremacy."Paoli. "Mafia Brotherhoods", p. 29-30] San Luca, in the words of a study published in 2005 by Italy's domestic intelligence service, is "the cradle of [the 'Ndrangheta] and its epicentre". [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/aug/17/italy.topstories3 Silence on the streets of Calabria's mafia capital as deadly feud crosses borders] , The Guardian, August 17, 2007]

The San Luca feud, a war between the two 'Ndrangheta clans Pelle-Vottari-Romeo and Strangio-Nirta from San Luca that had started in 1991 and resulted in several deaths spilled into Germany in 2007; six men were shot to death in front of an Italian restaurant in Duisburg on 15 August 2007. [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2265889.ece How the tentacles of the Calabrian Mafia spread from Italy] , "Times Online", 15 August 2007] [ [http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,500016,00.html Six Italians Killed in Duisburg] , "Spiegel Online", 15 August 2007]

Demographic evolution

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References

*Paoli, Letizia (2003). "Mafia Brotherhoods: Organized Crime, Italian Style", New York: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-515724-9 ( [http://www.organized-crime.de/revpao01mafiandrangheta.htm Review] by Klaus Von Lampe) ( [http://www.ccja-acjp.ca/en/cjcr/cjcr68.html Review] by Alexandra V. Orlova)

External links

* [http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/2008.05-field-notes-calabria-mafia-omerta-bruce-livesey/ All In The Famiglia: Cracking omertà in Calabria] , by Bruce Livesey, The Walrus Magazine, May 2008