International Proposal to add Giacomo Bove Station ruins to the list of Historic Sites and Monuments

International Proposal to add Giacomo Bove Station ruins on King George Island to the List of Historic Site and Monuments

This is a proposal for a new Historic Site or Monument (not previously designated as an HSM by the ATCM).

Relevant details:

(i)                 Name of the proposed HSM: Giacomo Bove Station ruins.

(ii)               Description: on the 60^th Anniversary of the IGY PARTY proposes the designation of a new HSM (Historic Site and Monument) with  the spirit of the International Geophysical Year (1957-58) (Also referred to as the Third IPY). The site is located near the ruins of the Giacomo Bove base. The base was erected in Italia Valley on King George Island, South Shetland Islands on January 20th 1976 by Italian Cav. (Cavalier) Renato Cepparo (1916-2007) who entitled the Scientific Station to the Italian explorer Giacomo Bove (1852-1887). The private Giacomo Bove Station (GBS) was donated to Italian MFA by Cav. Cepparo, becoming the first Italian scientific Governmental station in Antarctica. In September 1976 the Argentine Navy, after that donation, destroyed GBS and the ruins are still there in a complete state of abandonment already denounced by Greenpeace International (GP). It is the oldest building in Italia Valley and it is correlated with British archaeological artifacts⁹. The role of Renato Cepparo Expedition (RCE) was crucial for Italy for the entry in ATS and the Site has a highly international significance for being the only case of a violation of the Antarctic Treaty. The proposed site will be the first international Antarctic site completely dedicated to Peace, Justice and Freedom of Information Act.

(iii)             Coordinates: 62° 10’ 19.82’’ S - Lon: 58° 31’ 3.14’’ W

(iv)              Original proposing Party: PARTY

(v)                Party undertaking management: conservation in a museum or open area (ex situ commemoration)

(vi)              Type (historic site or monument/commemorative): international special HSM and commemorative.

International Proposal to add Giacomo Bove Station ruins on King George Island to the List of Historic Site and Monuments

Working Paper submitted by PARTY

Summary

On the 60^th anniversary of IGI, this proposal is an international initiative to celebrate the friendship between parties, so that the spirit and the letter of the Treaty never be violated anymore. In accordance with Article 8 of Annex V to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty and in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty (Art. IX par 5), PARTY proposes that Giacomo Bove Station (GBS) ruins in Italia Valley be added to the list of Historic Sites and Monuments approved by the ATCM.  GBS was the first permanent building established by Italy in Antarctica, and laid the foundations for Italy’s entrance in ATS and Italy’s scientific research in Antarctic. The new site will be in situ (original setting) or ex situ¹³ (for example in a museum or in an open area). The site has a highly international importance because of its significance. It represents an international milestone in the history of exploration and it must be preserved in order to the remember the value of the Treaty which should not be violated anymore. Moreover the site is the unique case of a polluted zone in an ASMA but completely abandoned even if it is near to many scientific bases.

Introduction and amendments

The International Geophysical Year (1957-58) (Also referred to as the Third IPY) gave the inspiration to the designation of the new HSM. On the 60^th Anniversary of IGI the spirit of collaboration and friendship can live again in an international site. This working paper follows the guidance set out in the Guide to the presentation of Working Papers containing proposals for Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, Antarctic Specially Managed Areas or Historic Sites and Monuments, as annexed to Resolution 5 (2011). Campo Bove is mentioned, for example, in the management plan of Measure 14 (2014) "Antarctic Specially Managed Area No 1 (Admiralty Bay, King George Island): Revised Management Plan" as a historic value to be protected. This document reads that it was dismantled in March 1976. Giacomo Bove Station (GBS) is mentioned many times also in other ATCM documents, with different type of errors in the description, in the name, coordinates and chronology.

Name. We hereby precise that the Italian station was not a hut, but a comfortable seasonal scientific station. The term Campo in Italian has more than one meaning and it was for sure proposed by Renato Cepparo, the entrepreneur who built the artefact, as a station or base. It was also a Governmental station since the private Base was donated to Italian Government by Renato Cepparo. The original name Campo Giacomo Bove given to the artefact by the leader of the Expedition who built the base was meant to underline that it was the first Italian scientific establishment in the Antarctica and absolutely not a hut.  Therefore PARTY suggests that the artefact be called Base Giacomo Bove (BGB) or Giacomo Bove Station (GBS) as stated by ^23,24 (Adri-Antarctic International Association) since 2003.

Position. The HSM geographical coordinates written in many ATCM documents should be amended   in compliance with the geoid  WGS 84 adopted in the Antarctic and easy to be checked in the Google Earth software.The correct coordinates of GBS are 62° 10’ 19.82’’ S - Lon: 58° 31’ 3.14’’ W and there are various errors in ATCM documents. GBS ruins can easily be viewed from satellite photos in the Google Earth chronology.

History and chronology. Concerning the chronology, it is proved that GBS was not dismantled. It was destroyed without permission by Argentine Navy not on March 1976 has it is stated, but on September of the same year.

Other Corrections. The remains of Italian hut Campo Bove at Italia Valley, Ezcurra Inlet is not in

62°10'32.3" S, 58°30'49.0" W   which are wrong, as stated by ATCM document;

Polish refuge (an Apple type hut) at Italia Valley functioning as summer field camp: wrong coordinates

62°10'32.3" S,58°0'49.0" W. The polish hut does not exist anymore, but there are four concrete cubes which should be removed. The concrete cubes can be seen by Google Earth.

Historical background

The present proposal describes a fact happened during a secret military mission from Argentine Navy. The destruction of the base was not a secret mission: it was a confidential mission, within a secret military mission by Argentine Navy, at the beginning of the Malvinas/Falkland war. In this contest, Cav Cepparo decided to accelerate the process for Italy to enter in the ATS and on November 13^th 1975 from Trieste (Italy) Renato Cepparo Expedition (RCE) took place.

On December 12^th 1975 the Argentine War ship ARA Manuel Belgrano threatened RCE on board the Norwegian vessel Rig Mate which brought the Italian explorers to King George Island. R. Cepparo sent a radio message to all the 12 Parties of the Treaty who protested against Argentina. On 20^th March 1976 Renato Cepparo inaugurated the first scientific Italian base entitled to Giacomo Bove¹⁵. GBS was in Italia Valley on King George Island, South Shetland, Antarctic Peninsula. Before that years many Italian researchers explored Antarctica, such as professor Marcello Manzoni in primis.

On Sept ‘76 Argentine Navy³² destroyed GBS²¹ during a secret military mission, violating Art. 1 & 10 of the AT.³⁹ The damnatio memoriae began, because Argentina still denies Freedom of Information (FOI).

A former Argentinian military who participated to the destruction of GBS gave this witness testimony: The military Secret Service denied to take photos. We walked on the Pack for 3 hours under the snow. Icebreaker S. Martin waited for us. GBS removed by ca. 30 mariners from the icebreacker ARA (Armada de la Republica Argentina) Gral. San Martin Q4. The icebreaker was going to Thule arcipelago which was a secret military mission in order to install the ‘Corbeta Uruguay’ argentine station (now English base). During the mission, the Q4 (El Sapo) waited at the entrance Admiralty Bay because it was closed by the ice since it was a particularly cold winter. The mariners were divided in 3-4 teams and, in turn, they walked on the pack for 3 hours with the intruments needed for the distruction of the artefact. Every team was composed by 4-5 men who could not speak with the other teams. The mariners worked for 3-4 days. Every team was divided in to groups, when they reached the destination in Italia Valley. One group loaded the bigger parts of GBS on the Aleutte helicopter. The other group worked on the Base to break it in smaller parts. The parts of GBS were so loaded on ARA San Martin and brought to Buenos Aires. Then ARA San Martin Q4 went to Teniente Camara argentine station where the parts of GBS were moved to ARA Bahia Buen Suceso vessel which brought the parts to Buenos Aires where they should still be hidden in a container, but Argentine authorities do not respect the Freedom Of Information (FOI) and do not reveal where GBS parts are.

In 1977-78, Flavio Barbiero Expedition called ‘Antartico 2’ with 5 partecipants (e.g. Franco Masini and others) found only the basement of GBS instead of the GBS and Barbiero sent a complaint letter to Italian MFA.

Legal background

PARTY  highlites the following legal considerations in order to demonstrate that there are no objections to the designation of the site. Many parties among the first 12 States, sent a letter of protest to SCAR also stated that Argentina did not have the right to oppose to the italian RCE. Furthermore SCAR stated that the fact that Italy had not signed the AT yet was not a reason to prevent the access and construction of a scientific base by Italy.

Strengths

The management plan of Measure 14 (2014) states that the site is a historic value to be protected and nothing has been done yet following the Measure. A wooden sign already exists inside the ruins, so the site could already be considered as an HSM de facto. The sign was erected and painted by Italian explorer Flavio Barbiero in 1978 during ‘Antartico 2’ Expedition but someone or the blizzard made the sign fall down and it should be replaced in the original position, in the middle of the walls at centre.

The environmentalist disapprove the proliferation of monuments in the scientific bases that were designed as HSMs. GBS ruins new HSM is not in a scientific station.

Article X of Antarctic Treaty states that a Party must operate in order to avoid that the Antarctic Treaty be violated by any Party. Thus PARTY propose a special commemorative HSM so that the AT never be violated anymore. In the frame of the application of Art. X of the Treaty, it is thus possible to apply also Art. IX (5) which states that future Measures of ATS – such as the one concerning Article 8, para. 2 of Annex V of the Protocol – will not deny the right to apply the original  AT which allows any Party to designate the site. So Article 8, para. 2 of Annex V of the Protocol can be ignored.  Moreover there are many HSM which are inside an ASMA.

In ATCM it is stated that "The Meeting considered that management of heritage was an important part of Annex V, and welcomed the CEP’s planned development of further guidance material based on the most relevant conservation approaches.”  So PARTY suggests to applay the ex situ conservation of the area by creating a similar site in Italy, after Norwegian moratoria (Barr S., 2016).

Weaknesses.

The base is relatively recent, and this could seem a reason for ATCM not to adopt the new Measure. But there are many other HSMs much younger than GBS, such as Lame Dog Hut at the Bulgarian base St. Kliment Ohridski which was built in 1988, twelve years later.

PARTY took into account Article 8, para. 2 of Annex V of the Protocol: “Any Party may propose a site or monument of recognised historic value which has not been designated as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area or an Antarctic Specially Managed Area, or which is not located within such an Area, for listing as a Historic Site or Monument.”. Since Campo Bove is located in the Antarctic Specially Managed Area No 1 this might be a formal reason against the designation of GBS ruins as an HSM, but the difficulty is solved with the original AT (see Strengths )

The risk of  tourist impact has been considereted. Thus the site will be preserved ex situ, in an area in Trieste (Italy) or in PARTY.

Position and Description

The GBS ruins are in Italia Valley (official name in the Anctarctic Gazzettier), Ezcurra Inlet, Admiralty Bay on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands (latitude 62° 10’ 19.82’’ S, longitude 58° 31’ 3.14’’ W), ca. 5 km east of Polish Arctowsky base, at elevation of a few meters a.s.l.. The site is in ASMA No. 1 and near but outside SSSI No. 8 and recently it has been recognized as a Site of Special value but this does not give to the Site the correct acknowledgment for being ignored for 41 years.

GBS was made of 5 rooms and services. It was an Italian-made 7.2 by 10.8 m sandwich panel structure (prefabricated) donated to the Expedition leader by ‘Paolo Faccini Costruzioni’ near Venice.

The Scientific Station had a scientific laboratory, a radio shack, a kitchen, a living area with library, a mess area, a dormitory, a bathroom with fresh water from a waterfall in the neighborhood and accommodation capacity foralue 15 persons. It was which was erected on 15-20 January 1976 by the First Italian independent Antarctic Expedition. The expedition 1975-1976. GBS had also a second prefabricated building 3.60 m by 2.40 m near the main building, as a technical room with the electricity generator and other utilities. The total area was ca. 70 square meters but the original project was ready for 130 square meters: the customs in Montevideo kept many tons of Italian material as a requisition ordered by Argentine Navy. Both the artifacts were supported by a 20-50 cm stone walls. The biggest foundation is still visible on satellite photographs as a rectangle.

The expedition was a half governmental-half private: the leader had the patronage of CNR (Council for Nationa Research) , University of Genova, Italian MFA and other institutions, but the financial support and idea were private. The base was occupied till Febrary 12^th 1976 at the end of the summer season, with the pupose, declared by the Italian explorer Renato Cepparo, to donate it to Italian MFA and with the agreement that Italian MFA would have donated the base to the Argentinian MFA, in order to straighten the friendship between Argentina and Italy and to allow Italy accelerate the process to enter in the ATS.

The Renato Cepparo Expedition (RCE) was made possible thanks to the Norwegian polar vessel Rig Mate which brought the Italian expedition to Wincky island for climbing and diving activities.

During RCE the mountaineers climbed for the first time 7 mountains (Mt. Leonardo da Vinci, Cima Italia, Cima Radioamatori, Cima Ragni di Lecco, etc.) and they used for the first time an innovative Himalayan techniques applied in Antarctica. During RCE the divers tested innovative diving prototypes. They tested new SCBA (scuba breathing apparatus) and the expedition soon became a milestone expedition.

The researchers discovered a not known fossil forest and paleo shores. They carried out important geological explorations which had been the basis for polish explorers (e.g. Birkenmajer et al.) in Italia Valley.

For the scientific results RCE is considered a model expedition which inspired the actual PNRA (National Program of Researches in Antarctica).

GBS was used to carry out meteorologic, geomorphological, ecological, geological, archaelogical and biological research till Febrary 12^th. From GBS took place the mountaineering expedition in Italia Valley and in Admiralty Bay, while the most important mountaineering and diver (underwater and on iceberg) achievements took place from Tent Camps near the shore after transportation with Rig Mate vessel.

GBS had also been used as radio and Post office.

Between 1975 and 1976 Cav. Renato Cepparo (callsign I2VZP) transmitted with callsign I1SR all over the world. In 1994 Greenpeace made an inspection of the area and published the final report in which it is stated the following description.

The remains of the hut are constructed of rocks cemented with concrete, and sit close to a moss bed. Twelve large iron pegs were distributed around the rock wall, planted in the ground. A pit of about two metres' diameter is located a few meters away from the hut, connected to the hut by a metal pipe. Inside the pit half-buried rubbish could be seen. Inside and around the hut were three solidified bags of cement and five sandbags, and the ground was littered with glass fragments, bottles, rags and pieces of wood.  Inside the "hut" there is a large wooden sign that reads " 'Base Italiana Giacomo Bove', construtta Genn. 1976, destrutta Marzo 1976". The creek that runs past the two structures contained a lot of rubbish, mostly pieces of wood. There were also two campfire sites with pieces of metal for holding cooking instruments, inside which were collections of assorted rubbish (glass, rags, etc.). One of the fires had the remains of a bottle with a label in Polish. The area is a nesting site for numerous Antarctic terns and has a plant cover of lichens and mosses.

Reason for designation

The main reason for designation is the international heritage value because of its highly geopolitic significance. Italian explorer Giacomo Bove gave an important contribution to the knowledge of Patagonian landscape giving precious maps. PARTY proposes the designation because GBS ruins are the only site outside the 3 classification items stated in Thomson theory which discusses the differences between artefact and rubbish. In fact:

- the artefact is not a permanent station (category: transient);

- the artefact is not abandoned (all the area is abandoned, not the scientific station which was destroyed and not abandoned) so the artefact is not rubbish (even if inside and around there are lots of rubbish);

- the artefact is not yet durable because the site has not been designated as as HSM and this is an anomaly and a unique case.

Moreover, consistent with Resolution 8 (1995) and the Appendix to Resolution 3 (2009), this site merits listing also for these other following reasons:

·         Giacomo Bove was an Italian explorer who collaborated with Argentina in the cartography. Renato Cepparo was a true pioneer of Italian Antarctic exploration and both the figure are commemorated in this proposal. In particular the geographer Giacomo Bove produced very precise map of Patagonia that the actual frontiers between Chile and Argentina  were tracked by the Italian mapper. Giacomo Bove explored Africa, North-East Passage, Patagonia and he proposed to Argentina, for the first time, an international expedition (Argentinian and Italian) to Antarctica which, unfortunately, he never realized.

·         GBS is a crucial, unique and highly significant Site for better understanding the international geopolitical balances and for suggesting further considerations upon the sanctioning system which seems to be poor in ATS. After the argentine military mission, nothing indeed happened, apart a few letters of protest by some Parties.

·         GBS is associated with a very particular event of importance in the history of science or exploration of Antarctica, namely the establishment of the first Italian building in Antarctica and beginning of permanent scientific engagement of Italy under the Antarctic Treaty; moreover it represents another particularly international event: the first and unique case of destruction of a scientific base;

·         GBS had a particular technical and architectural value in its reduced materials (since they were kept in Uruguay by custom officers), original design and ingenious method of construction, namely in the skills and ingenuity demonstrated by the Italian researchers and technicians who, by using material at hand, converted what was a standard 130 square meters prefabricated building designed for use in Ross Island into a small but hospitable Antarctic facility for 15 scientists in only 70 square meters, because of the requisition of the material in Montevideo.

• GBS had a historical and cultural value of particularly high significance, namely as the oldest building on Italia Valley which was probably visited or inhabited by sealers in XIX Century²³. Renato Cepparo in fact discovered a cave with many artefacts, in particular a metal mug probably belonging to the mariners of of Lord Melville British vessel (1820-21)  who probably explored KGI for survival after shipwreck.
• GBS ruins and its associated artefacts are part of the cultural and historic heritage of the island and Antarctica and must be preserved in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty.

Conclusions

The Antarctic Treaty provides that “Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only” (Art. I). Argentina violated this article and all the international authorities turn their backs on this case. PARTY invites all the informed Parties to give informations on this case, after 41 years. GBS ruins is a specially commemorative HSM of international importance. There are no objections to the designation of the Site as a HSM. In the name of the Freedom Of Information (FOI) PARTY states that Argentina should give all the historic information to ATCM and CEP. PARTY believes that the cold-case be closed after 41 years so that Argentina gives all the detailed informations about the removal of the base. The Historic Site is already existing but it does not have an HSM status yet. GBS ruins is a milestone in the Antarctic Treaty because – together with the Monument for the AT, it celebrates the importance of respecting the ATCM rules.

Proposal

• CEP adopts a corresponding Measure in order to insert GBS ruins in le list of HSMs.
• CEP asks Argentina to give all the details regarding the military operation lead by the Armada (Argentine Navy) in September 1976 (Freedom of Information) and explain the reason of the destruction;
• CEP considers the suggestions written in Greenpeace Final Report concerning the environmental conservation of Italia Valley and invite Poland to remove the four concrete cubes and all the rubbish in Italia Valley. In particular CEP states that, as already declared by Greenpeace, that the Italians must take responsibility for this site. However, as it is being used by Arctowski, they (the Polish) should clean up the site and refrain from leaving rubbish there in future. Open fires should not be lit by field parties using the camp, and all rubbish should be removed.
• CEP considers the suggestions written in the Cambridge Petition;
• CEP suggests an international inspection in Italia Valley;

The following annexes are attached:

        

Annex 1.       Letter by Argentine minister Ariel Mansi (Argentina);

Annex 2        Letter by Italian Ambassador Arduino Fornara (Italy);

Annex 4        Location Map and geopolitics;

Annex 5        Photograph of GBS and ruins;

Annex 7        Photograph of the wooden signs;

ANNEX 1:   Letter by Argentine MFA

Letter by Argentinian MFA to AIA NGO (former AdriAntartica) represented by prof. Julius Fabbri, (Ph.D.)

ANNEX 2:   Lletters by Italian Head of Antarctic Delegation and translation.

Date: November 19^th, 2012

From: Fornara Arduino Raimondo <arduino.fornara@esteri.it>

To: julius.fabbri@adriantartica.org

Subject: Expedition to Antarctica

Dear professor,

as I mentioned on the phone, I confirm to you that, from my contacts with ATCM Executive Secretary Manfred Reinke and with the Argentine Delegation present  at the ATCM in the past June, it emerged that neither Argentina nor the ATCM had objections to the realization of your initiative organized by Adriantartica cultural Association in the name of Giacomo Bove.

Kind regards,

Ambassador Arduino Fornara

Head of Antarctic Unit

at Ministry of Foreign Affairs

ANNEX 4:   Location Map

Fig. 1 King George Island. Bove = GBS ruins

Fig.2 a) Zatoka_Admiralicji snf polish maps.

ANNEX 5:   Photograph of GBS and ruins.

Fig. 3. Giacomo Bove Station (GBS) in Italia Valley, King George Island, Jan. 1976 (Terranova R.)

Fig. 4. GBS ruins. The photo was taken by Flavio Barbiero in 1978.

ANNEX 7:   Photograph of the wooden signs.

Fig. 6 GBS ruins. Flavio Barbiero paints the Italian wooden sign and locate it vertically  in the center of the ruins (1978)

Fig. 7 Polish radioamateur Stanislaw Miranski (callsign SP3BGD) showing the abandoned italian sign.

References

1. ATCM (2014) management plan of Measure 14 (2014) "Antarctic Specially Managed Area No 1 (Admiralty Bay, King George Island): Revised Management Plan";
2. ATCM (2001) Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, Guidelines for handling of pre-1958 historic remains; Resolution 5;
3. ATCM (2000)  Measure Annex E Management Plan for Site of Special Scientific Interest No. 8; western shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland Islands;
4. Barbiero F. (1978) Denuncia al MAE dell’avvenuta distruzione della base Giacomo Bove;
5. Barr S. (2016) Consideration of protection approaches for historic heritage in Antarctica, WP 30 – CEP 9b, presented to XXXIX ATCM by Norway (11/04/2016);
6. Cepparo R. (1997) Antartide, miti e avventure, pag. 32, Cinehollywood (Milano);
7. Cortemiglia G. C., Gastaldo P., Teranova R. (1981) Studio delle piante fossili trovate nella King George Island delle Isole South Shetland del Sud (Antartide), in “Atti Soc. ital. Sci. Nat. Museo civ. Stor. Nat. Milano”, 122 (1-2), 1981, pp. 37-62;
8. Dominguez J. (2016) Witness testimony on the destruction of GBS, personal communication given to Italian MFA by AIA;
9. Fabbri J. (2016) Analysis on a metal mug discovered in Antarctic Peninsula, in the candidate site ‘Giacomo Bove Station ruins’ Proceedings of the Historic Antarctic Sealing Industry Conference, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, 19-21 September 2016, available on request at j.fabbri@virgilio.it or at  http://giacomobovestation.blogspot.it/ ;
10. Fabbri J. (2017) Cambridge petition: Historic Site for ‘Giacomo Bove Station’ destroyed by Argentine Navy - Freedom Of Information & new historic results. The Future of Polar Governance: Knowledge, Laws, Regimes, and Resources Workshop, 27th March 2017 – British Antarctic Survey, available on request at j.fabbri@virgilio.it or at  http://giacomobovestation.blogspot.it/ ;
11. GP (1994) Greenpeace Interanational, April 11, 1994, Italian Valley "Base Italiana Giacomo Bove";
12. Headland, R. K. (1989) Chronological list of Antarctic expeditions and related historical events, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge; Personal communication
13. ICOMOS (2008) Historical Polar Bases – Preservation and Management, Monuments and Sites XVII, edited by International Polar Heritage Committee of ICOMOS;
14. Manzoni M. & P. Pagnini (1996) Comment, The symbolic territory of Antarctica, Pergamon, Political Geography, Vol. 15, No. 5, pp. 359-364,1996;
15. Palazzi R. O. (2005) La Argentina del extremo Sur 1810-2004, Consejo Argentino para las Relaciones Internacionales (CARI), Dunken ed. Buenos Aires;
16. Terranova R. (2010): Antartide 1975-76 Storia di una spedizione geologica, alpinistica, subacquea, esplorativa; coautore di articoli con Cortemiglia; ha scritto altre due pubblicazioni divulgative sulla spedizione Cepparo;
17. Zavatti S. (1976) La Spedizione Antartica Italiana e il Diritto Internazionale - Fermo: “Il Polo” Vol 32, nr. 2,  pp 44-46;