Gangster party or holiday in mafia style

Ready-made scenarios for indoor and outdoor quests: ⇒ Quests for children (up to 10 years old) ⇒ Quests for teenagers (up to 16 years old) ⇒ Quests for adults (over 18 years old)

The 20-30s of the 20th century went down in American history as the “gangster era.” The impetus for its flourishing was the adoption of Prohibition. The law did not bring the expected effect, but it became an incentive for the growth of bootlegging and smuggling. Gangsters took control of the illegal liquor trade, which brought huge profits. Elegant clothes, expensive cars, beautiful women in diamonds, shootouts with the police - the chic and dangerous lifestyle of the “bad boys” still attracts attention to this day. The phenomenon of “gangster cinema” even emerged in cinema. Films such as “The Public Enemy”, “Once Upon a Time in America”, “Scarface”, “The Godfather”, “Pulp Fiction”, “Chicago” have become classics. Because of its romantic and mysterious aura, a gangster theme will be an excellent theme for organizing a party. It is worth noting that this style for a theme party will be especially interesting for people over 25 years old. The gangster era is a time of dangerous chases and shootouts, robbery and persecution, the smell of whiskey and cigars, as well as a constant uncontrollable passion for power, money, women and weapons. It is this slightly rogue atmosphere that you should try to convey at the time of the gangster party. Or as it is also called - a mafia themed party.

Preparing for the party.

In order for the party to go perfectly and match the surroundings, you need to try to take into account as many details as possible. The preparatory stages include the following organizational processes:

1. Drawing up a list of guests, selecting a suitable place (room) for the party; 2. Production, preparation and distribution of invitations; 3. Think over your “gangster” image; 4. Think over the design of the room, selection of props, creation of a photo zone; 5. Select suitable dishes for the menu. 6. Make a list of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that will correspond to the theme of that time; 7. Selection of thematic music; 8. Competitions, entertainment and board quest games - team quest “Al Capone’s Gangsters against the Russian Mafia” and board quest “Bank Robbers”.

What, I suppose you read the entire plan outlined above and became scared by the number of organizational issues? Don't be afraid, Don Zavodila is with you! As the old gangsters say, “Take a machine gun and don’t be afraid of anything!” Our detailed script will be your weapon in preparing for a mafia-style party.

Go …

Competition No. 2 “Bonnie and Clyde”

The roles of Bonnie and Clyde can be played by any couple at your party; if there is none, you can create it yourself by choosing a girl and a guy.

All guests present are given cards in advance; on 5 (10) cards the amount of money is indicated, on the remaining cards are written the tasks that Bonnie and Clyde must complete. You can also have the actions come up with those present themselves.

Bonnie and Clyde's task is to rob each guest present in turn, using the gangsters' favorite words: “Everyone stay in their places! This is a robbery! Hands up!" and collect all the money cards, completing .

Action Cards

1) Together congratulate the hero of the occasion in gangster slang.

2) Take a special group photo in gangsta style. To do this, you need to arrange all the guests in unusual poses and photograph them.

3) Draw a gift for the Jubilee in this way: one of you will take a felt-tip pen in your hands and close your eyes, and the other will guide his hand.

4) Sing the chorus of any song together: one meowing, the other grunting, and so naturally that the guests will not guess the song.

Competition No. 3 “Game fast gangster”

To play you will need regular cards (but you can make your own cards). The presenter will pull out one card at a time.

The task of all players, when they see the card - pictures from jack to king, is to shout out the word “Gangster” faster than others. The last one to shout is out of the game. The last remaining participant receives a prize.

We make a list of guests and choose a place for the party.

First, we make a guest list. After all, it depends on the number of guests how many invitations to make, what size room to look for, what menu to create. When choosing a place for a holiday, take into account its location so that all guests can easily reach it. Don't forget that thanks to a gangster party, you and your guests should be transported to the atmosphere of the 30s, and this is the time of underground casinos and illegal bars. Therefore, depending on the number of guests, we recommend the following places for your party: 1. If your guest list includes up to 6 people , then such a party can be held in an apartment. 2. If there will be from 6 to 25 guests, then consider the option of a country house, cottage, cafe or restaurant. 3. If there will be more than 25 , then a storage facility (hangar) may be an excellent option.

Party up to 6 people:

When organizing a party in an apartment for a small company, immediately take into account the duration, which should not exceed 5 hours, since in a confined space guests can quickly become emotionally exhausted and the theme of the party will gradually become unnoticeable. In order to keep your gangster friends constantly in suspense, warm up the mood, think over thematic tricks that you will implement throughout the evening. For example, an hour after the guests have gathered, enjoyed the atmosphere of your interior, took pictures with each other, offer everyone a small aperitif and smoke a real cigar or roll up a roll of tobacco. A rolling kit and tobacco are not expensive and can be purchased at any tobacco store. For girls who smoke, take care of long cigarette holders with which they can smoke a cigarette elegantly. If you do not allow smoking in the apartment, then organize a special place for smoking, as well as smoking accessories - matches, ashtray.

Also, at the time of the feast, you can please your friends with whiskey aged 15 years. And also tell some happy story that you saved this bottle for a special occasion, since it is very valuable to you and you borrowed it 5 years ago from the director of the National Bank at the time of your successful robbery. If there are no smokers among your guests, then you can get by with sweet cigars. To do this, take chocolate tubes, arrange their box like a cigarette case, and place a lighter next to it. Now even your non-smoking guests will be able to smoke a cigarette and be in the subject of all the intimate conversations that usually take place in the smoking room.

Party from 6 to 25 people:

When choosing a venue for a gangster party for up to 25 people, think about which establishment from among those you have visited best suits the interior in the mafia style or the interior of the old city in the style of the 30s. If you don’t know such establishments, then use the Internet. Now every self-respecting establishment has a website where you can see photos of the hall and find reviews on social networks. Also take into account the fact that if your guests are no more than 15 people, then there is no point in renting a whole cafe for this. You need to find a venue with a separate room for your event (VIP room) and agree to rent this room.

If your guests will be more than 15 people, then it makes sense to rent the entire establishment and arrange a real gathering of the leaders of mafia clans.

Party from 25 people:

An abandoned warehouse (hangar) can also be an excellent option as a party venue. Just imagine the festive atmosphere when, approaching such an abandoned place, your guest sees an elegantly dressed young man standing on the street with a machine gun. Having approached him, the guard will menacingly ask: “Your name?” Hearing the name, he will take a notepad and pencil out of his back pocket, check his notes and say: “Yes, you are on the list!” After which he leads the guest to the large door of the brick hangar and loudly shouting “Johnny, it’s me!” will open the gates! Having gone inside, your gangster friend will find himself on the territory of a warehouse, where, in addition to some boxes, boxes, wooden pallets, he will see a bar counter, hear music and smell cigars and whiskey. This atmosphere will highlight and add a little spice to your party.

Mafia surroundings: preparing invitations

Start creating a party atmosphere with the invitations. Send emails to all guests with a themed picture (card style - money - two barrels). If desired, draw it yourself in a graphics editor. Sign something like “Weapons allowed.”

If you prefer to present invitations in person, you can make them in the style of a 1930s newspaper. This is done very simply: a sheet of paper is kept in strong black tea to give it the characteristic color of an aged newspaper. Then, when the paper is dry, write the text with black paste or a felt-tip pen: “Phenomenal event! The dismantling of criminal clans... and... will take place at... at (indicate the start time of the party and address) Don’t miss it!” Also warn guests that they must arrive dressed as a mafioso. Have with you as many attributes as possible characteristic of representatives of the real mafia.

Ready-made quest scenarios ⇓

Add a pinch of extreme. To organize a gangster party in such a place, you will additionally need to take care of:

Find a suitable hangar.
Clean the premises.
Consider seating, necessary furniture, toilet, etc.
Provide suitable lighting.
Provide music.
Consider an option with a bar counter, a bartender, and dishes.
Solve the issue with the menu, as well as with cutlery.

Preparing for this kind of party will take quite a lot of time, effort and material resources, but the effect of such realism will really take you back to the 30s of Chicago.

Staff and welcoming guests:

The number of staff depends on the budget, the size of the party, and the number of guests. If you are throwing a party at home, for a small circle of friends, you can handle it yourself, but for a large party you need at least a bartender.

Ensuring that the guests do not get bored and that the atmosphere is maintained is the task for the party host. So think over the scenario for the entertainment part of the event yourself or discuss it in detail with the host. A good holiday requires musical accompaniment; this problem can be solved with the help of musical equipment that will play pre-recorded music; if the party budget allows, then invite musicians or a DJ. You can invite a professional photographer. If a gangster party is organized entirely in-house, then all these organizational tasks fall on the shoulders of the owner of the house. Separately think about the process of welcoming guests. A properly organized meeting will stir up interest in the party and set a festive mood from the very threshold. Invitees will like it if they are met on the street, or on the threshold of their home. In the premises itself, guests can be greeted by a waiter (or the owner of the house) with drinks and cigars. Further “guardianship” of the guests is taken by the host of the party or its owner, if there is no host.

The "Old" Sicilian Mafia

A still from the Italian TV series “Octopus”
The article Albanian crime clans outside Albania also said that the “families” of this Balkan country actively cooperate with the criminal communities of neighboring Italy. Continuing the topic, in a short series of articles, we will talk about the Sicilian mafia, the Campanian Camorra, the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta and the Apulian Sacra Corona Unit. And let's start with a story about the emergence of the “old” Sicilian mafia.

Thanks to cinema, other ethnic criminal groups are now called “mafia” - Russian, Jewish, Mexican, Greek, Irish, and so on. Meanwhile, “Irish mafiosi” are the same as “Finnish Indians”, “Mexican Vikings” or “Ukrainian samurai”. The only foreign criminal communities organized on principles similar to the mafia are the Albanian ones, which operate on the basis of the Besе code (literally translated as “trust”), extremely similar to the Sicilian “Omerta”. This was discussed in the article Albanian crime families outside Albania.

The clans of the real Sicilian mafia are still family organizations, and outsiders accepted into one of them are “adopted” by them.

Societa d'onore, La Mano Nera and Cosa Nostra

The Mafia is often called Cosa Nostra ("Our Cause"), but this name appeared in the United States and relatively recently - after 1929.
Most researchers believe that it was invented by the famous New York mafioso Salvatore Lucania, better known as Charlie or Lucky (Lucky) Luciano. Allegedly, it was he who proposed it at the famous mafia “conference” in Atlantic City in May 1929 (it will be discussed in the next article). However, some believe that this name originally appeared in FBI documents as a designation specifically for Italian ethnic gangs operating in the United States, and only later began to be used by members of these criminal clans. One way or another, the name stuck, and now the mafiosi themselves call their “families” Cosa Nostra. Before this, the Sicilians called this organization Societa d'onore - "Society of Honor". And the first Sicilian gangs in the United States were called La Mano Nera - “Black Hand”. The fundamental difference between Cosa Nostra and La Mano Nera is the extensive collaboration of its “families” with people of non-Sicilian and even non-Italian origin. We'll talk more about this in the next article.

Legendary "founding fathers"

Legend, first recorded in 1890, states that the founders of Italy's three main criminal networks were brothers from Toledo, associated with the local gang La Garduna.
It is curious that a certain Madame de Subervic, in a pamphlet written in 1846, speaks of this gang as a long-existing secret organization of Jesuits. It is difficult to say whether this gang actually existed or was invented by this French woman who wanted to show what terrible things the Jesuits were doing in Spain. Perhaps some gang actually operated in Toledo and its environs, but, most likely, it had nothing to do with the Jesuits, being a purely criminal “brigade”. But let's return to our legend.

While the “Toledo brothers” limited themselves to robbing ordinary townspeople and peasants, the authorities did not pay much attention to them. But one day they killed their sister’s rapist, who turned out to be a noble man and even close to the king. The bandits were caught and sent to prison on the island of Favignana, located near Sicily. Here they allegedly spent 29 years, 11 months and 29 days, after which they managed to escape. The eldest of the brothers, Osso, who chose Jesus Christ himself as his patron, landed in Sicily, founding the Mafia here. Mastrosso, who chose the Archangel Michael as patron, became the founder of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta. Carcagnosso, who dedicated himself to Saint Peter, founded the Campanian (Neapolitan) Camorra. The main feature of these “honor societies” was the presence of the law of Omerta (silence, failure to report). This law was observed especially strictly in Sicily.

It is the mafia that is currently the most famous criminal community in the world: the “old”, Sicilian, and the “new” - American. The most famous are the Chicago and New York clans of Cosa Nostra. The Chicago mafia is inextricably linked with the name of Al Capone, and the “frontman” of the New York one is Charles (Lucky) Luciano. Carl Gambino managed to spread the influence of his “family” (which was headed by the equally famous John Gotti from 1985 to 2002) to New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. But more on that later.

What is "mafia"?

Sicily has an extremely advantageous geographical position and is famous for its excellent climate (in many guidebooks you can read that “there is no bad weather”), and therefore it constantly served as an object of expansion for surrounding states.

Sicily on a map of the Mediterranean Sea

The Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Normans and Arabs tried to gain a foothold on this island. In the Middle Ages, the German Hohenstaufens, the French and the Aragonese fought for it. One could even say that Sicily served as an indicator of the power of various peoples and states: whoever owned this island was stronger. And therefore they try to translate the word “mafia” using different languages. There are a great many versions, and its meaning varies within very wide limits.

Many authors are sure that the word “mafia” initially had a negative connotation. Some say that it comes from the Tuscan word maffa (“poverty” or “misfortune”). They point to the first dictionary of the Sicilian dialect, published in 1868, which names "mafia" as a word brought to Sicily by Garibaldi's volunteers in 1860 and suggests its Tuscan origin. But in the same dictionary a synonym for the word “mafia” is the Campanian word Camorra. That is, in the Tuscan dialect there are no analogues to the name of this organization, just as there is no word that could be used to call a criminal community of this type. And therefore this version is doubtful.

Some researchers derive the word “mafia” from the French Mauvais (“bad”) or from the Arabic Mahias (“to deceive, fool”). Another consonant Arabic word is Magtaa, which means cave (supporters of this version believe that this is an allusion to the gangs that took refuge in these caves).

At the same time, according to Diego Gambeta, in Sicily in the 19th century the word “mafiusu” was used in relation to proud, arrogant and cocky people, but sometimes it served as a synonym for the word “brave”. In Russian there is a word with a similar meaning - “dashing”: it can be applied to a person “evil, bringing misfortune”, but is also used in the meaning of “daring, brave”.

Other authors, on the contrary, try to “ennoble” the word “mafia”. For example, some researchers claim that it is formed from two Arabic words - Mu' (strength or security) and afah (security, protection) - Mu'afah.

Finally, there are supporters of the version according to which the word “mafia” is an abbreviation. Some say that it is derived from the phrase Mazzini Autorizza Furti, Incendi, Avvelenamenti (“Mazzini authorizes robbery, arson and poisoning”). Others talk about the phrase Morete Alla Francia, Italia Anela (“The death of France is Italy’s sincere desire”). In this case, as we see, the mafia acts as a patriotic organization uniting fighters against the French occupiers.

Another “patriotic” version connects the word “mafia” with the events of the so-called “Sicilian Supper,” when the Angevin dynasty was overthrown in 1282. Then, on Easter Monday, a French soldier raped a young Sicilian woman, and on her wedding day. According to legend, the girl’s mother went crazy with grief and ran through the streets shouting “Ma fia!” (My daughter!). The outraged residents of Palermo rebelled and killed the invaders.

However, according to another version, on March 30, 1282, the Frenchman simply pestered a girl who wanted to enter the church. In the ensuing scuffle, the Sicilian men killed the insolent man. At this time, the bell sounded, calling people to evening prayer, and more and more people approached the church. The stories about the incident grew ever more detailed, and it all ended in an uprising, during which thousands of French were killed.

Erulo Eroli. Sicilian Vespers

After the French, the Aragonese came to Sicily, and for many years this island belonged to the Spanish Habsburgs, and then to the Spanish Bourbons. In 1860, Sicily became the base of Garibaldi's March of the Thousand, which ended with the fall of the Neapolitan Bourbon-ruled Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the annexation of southern Italy to the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Landing of Garibaldi in Sicily

This is how the Kingdom of Italy was created, in which Sicily was traditionally a backward, depressed territory with a low standard of living and almost universal illiteracy.

But when does the word “mafia” appear in written sources in a meaning close to the modern one – “secret criminal group”?

It was first heard in the report of the prosecutor of the Sicilian province of Trapani, Pietro Ulloa, in 1838 (still under the Bourbons), who wrote to the Minister of Justice:

“In many villages there are brotherhoods, mostly consisting of seven people and calling themselves parties. They do not hold gatherings and are connected only with their leader, who is an official in some places, and a priest in others.”

In 1843, Gaetano Mosca and Giuseppe Rizzotto's play "Mafia in Vicar" (Vicaria is the name of a prison in Palermo) was published.

Then, in 1865, we see this word in the report of the Prefect of Palermo, Marquis Filippo Gualterio.

And finally, in May 1875, the Cavalier Soragna, deputy prefect of Palermo, writes to the Minister of Foreign Affairs:

“The mafia... this huge organization... which has spread throughout the entire social organism and, using the opposite methods of intimidation and patronage, is trying to replace public power... Nowadays it has greater power than the government and the law.”

And in 1894, Italian Interior Minister Girolamo Cantelli spoke of the mafia as a “real social scourge” and an “epidemic.”

On the other hand, many experts say that the mafia is not only a criminal community, but also a way of life. Giuseppe Pitre, himself a native of Palermo, wrote:

“A mafioso is not a thief or a tramp... mafiosi are exceptionally brave and firm people, people who never fall for the bait... A mafioso wants to be respected, and almost always respects others. If he is offended, then he does not rely on either the law or justice, but administers it himself; when he lacks the strength to do this, he acts with the help of other people who find themselves in the same situation as him.”

The influence of the mafia was already so great that there was a saying on the island:

“There are three governments in Sicily: Rome, the regional government and the mafia. But the mafia must obey unquestioningly or die.”

Mafiosi

Jan Potocki's novel The Manuscript Found in Zaragoza has a good story about how the mafia came to be.
The robber Zoto, the son of a Calabrian bandit, who by the will of fate ended up in Sicily, tells the main character of this novel about the chieftain of his first gang. It was Testa Longa, a resident of the town of Val Castera, located at the foot of Etna, who found himself outlawed after the murder of the local duke, who “put his hand behind the bodice” of his wife. Zoto's words: "In his place, every decent person would do the same."

And here's what happened next:

“Testa Longa entered into negotiations with the main tenants of the surrounding estates. “We will rob together,” he told them. “When I come to you, give me everything you want, and for this you can blame all your robberies on me in front of the owners.” Testa Longa conscientiously divided everything between his comrades... Moreover, passing through some village, he ordered to pay double for everything, so that he very soon became the idol of the Two Sicilies.”

Thus, with minimal risk to himself and his people, Testa Longa received money, fame and reputation.

Zoto is a former Sicilian bandit, the son of a Calabrian robber. Still from the Polish film “The Manuscript Found in Zaragoza”

Over time, some of these tenants came to the very logical conclusion that paying even a small part of the “profits” to warlords like Testa-Longa was not economically feasible. They themselves created detachments that allegedly robbed them. With the help of these gangs, they kept both disgruntled peasants and intractable aristocrats at bay.

But the “brotherhood” of the mafia included not only fraudulent tenants and “romantic bandits,” but also quite respectable citizens - priests, lawyers, doctors and even “heads of administration.”

The “Honor Society” offered its “protection” to both the local barons and the peasants who worked for them, acting as a kind of intermediary and taking payment from both. In case of any “grievance”, a person turned to the local “godfather”, who could help collect the debt (taking a certain percentage of the returned amount) or take revenge for the “offended honor”. People who tried to solve their problems on their own were persecuted by both the mafia and local authorities, often under the control of "respected people." Those who refused “protection” were initially warned. As such a “warning” they could burn outbuildings, destroy crops, or throw the head of a sheep, pig, donkey or mule under the door. If this did not help, they kidnapped a family member and entered into negotiations again, threatening to send his ear or finger with the next letter. Finally, they killed the head of the family or one of the household members. In this case, the head of the local mafia clan addressed one of the piccolo ("baby"). Kissing him on the lips, he called the name of the victim and uttered a ritual phrase:

“If the mother (or father) demands, the baby obeys!”

“Picciolo” took the lupara (the so-called sawn-off shotgun of a hunting rifle, usually used for hunting wolves) and went to carry out the order. At the same time, he added salt to the buckshot.

Lupara, found in one of the caches

They were supposed to shoot at close range in the face or back of the head. After the successful execution of this order, the status of the killer increased, and he was no longer called Picciolo, but Tavaro - “Bull”.

Each member of the "Honor Society" was protected by the entire clan, and attacking him was punishable even with the risk of high casualties. Traitors were sentenced to death; they usually found out about the sentence when they saw the head of a dog (or the corpse of a dog without a head) at their door.

In “historical times”, admission to the “brotherhood” began to take place according to a ritual similar to the Masonic ones. The candidate was led into a dark room by two members of the clan who vouched for him, here he pierced his middle finger, soaked a paper sample in blood and burned it over a candle, pronouncing an oath. In it, he promised to “remain faithful to his brothers, never deceive or betray them, help them with all his might” and assured everyone:

“Just as this holy image turned into ashes, so I will disappear if I do not keep my oath.”

This was the old Sicilian mafia, which few people outside of Italy have heard of. But soon a new mafia appeared - American. It is curious that back in the 30s of the twentieth century, new members of the American Cosa Nostra, when “initiated,” took an oath in the Sicilian dialect of Italian. The following phrase was included in its text:

“I live by a pistol and a knife and I will die by a pistol and a knife.”

But the final part remained almost unchanged:

“May I turn to ashes like this paper if I betray the organization.”

This is known from the testimony of Joseph Valachi, who was accepted into one of the New York “families” in 1930.

Mussolini against the mafia

The “Godfathers” of Sicily at one time financially supported the future Duce, donating a certain amount for organizing the “March on Rome” (October 28, 1922).
The King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, had enough forces to disperse the Blackshirts, but he did not dare give orders to the army. Instead, the cowardly monarch appointed Mussolini as head of the government, in which he received dictatorial powers, also occupying the positions of ministers of internal and foreign affairs. During Mussolini's trip to Sicily in 1924, an incident occurred that had far-reaching consequences for both the mafiosi and fascist Italy.

The hero of the scandal was the mayor of Piana dei Greci (and also the head of the local mafia clan) Ciccio Cuccia. This scoundrel in 1923 managed to place his newborn son in the church in the arms of the King of Italy, who unexpectedly became the godfather of this child and, according to protocol, was forced to award the mafioso the Order of the Italian Cross.

Ciccio suggested that Mussolini refuse to be guarded, saying that the dictator was in no danger when he was with him. After an arrogant refusal, he forbade the townspeople to attend the fascist rally at which the Duce spoke. Offended by Mussolini, he issued a decree on a complete ban on the mafia, and the Minister of Police, Cesare Mori, was appointed responsible for its “eradication.”

This campaign turned out to be extremely “dirty”: many Sicilians took advantage of the opportunity to settle scores with their neighbors, the police did not particularly understand and reacted to any, even the most absurd denunciations, extracting “confessions” through torture and torture.

The largest convicted mafia leader was Don Vito Cascio Ferro, who in 1909 personally killed American police lieutenant Joe Petrosino, who was sent to Sicily to “exchange experiences,” as well as more than 20 other people. They managed to accuse him only of smuggling.

In 1934 Mussolini stated:

“The mafia is no more. She is finally destroyed. We wiped it off the face of the earth forever!”

However, many “men of honor” escaped punishment. They either hid or left the island, including going to the United States, where they joined the ranks of the Cosa Nostra there. And in 1932, in honor of the tenth anniversary of the March on Rome, a large-scale amnesty was held in Italy, as a result of which many convicted mafiosi were released. Many years of efforts by the police (among whom there were honest people who sincerely wanted to rid Sicily of criminals) went to waste, but the mafia did not forgive Mussolini.

"Anti-fascists" of the American and Sicilian mafia

After the United States entered World War II, New York District Attorney Frank Hougan proposed using Cosa Nostra to combat sabotage and prevent possible sabotage in American ports, stating: “I am
deeply convinced that many of these Italian racketeers are loyal Americans.” . As far as I know them, they don’t give a damn about Mussolini.”

And soon Lucky Luciano, who was in an American prison, was visited by old friends and associates - lawyer Moses Polakof and Meyer Lansky, a “mafia accountant” (one of the founders of the gambling business in Las Vegas). On behalf of the American government, they made the “godfather” “an offer that cannot be refused.”

Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky

Cooperation with the mafia turned out to be very successful: American ports worked like clockwork during the war. And during the Allied landing in Sicily (“Operation Husky”), the losses of the Americans, who were assisted by local mafiosi, were significantly less than the British.

Montgomery's Eighth British Army, which landed at Syracuse and Paquino, fought its way to Messina for 5 whole weeks.

American troops of George Patton (Seventh Army) from Jele and Licate reached Palermo practically without fighting in seven days. On this path, at the request of Lucky Luciano, they were personally accompanied by the “boss of bosses” of Sicily - Calogero Vizzini (Don Calo), whom the Americans called the “General of the Mafia”. Later, he was even appointed mayor of the city of Villalba and awarded the title of “honorary colonel” of the American army.

Calogero Vizzini, illiterate "boss of bosses" of the Sicilian mafia

And the second most influential mafioso of the island, Genco Russo, without any help, captured Colonel Salemi, a staunch fascist and commander of the impregnable fortress of Monte Cammarata. Many of the soldiers and officers of the demoralized garrison were Sicilians. Under threat of reprisals against members of their families, they capitulated to the mafiosi.

Giuseppe Genco Russo, mafia boss of the city of Mussomeli (province of Caltanissetta)

According to eyewitnesses, in cities where Americans entered, shooting often began: emboldened mafiosi settled scores with their enemies and with overly principled police officers.

In 1962-1963 In Sicily, the so-called “First Mafia War” began, in which the “authoritative” clan of Salvatore Greco clashed with the “upstarts” from the “family” of Angelo La Barbera. The culmination of those events was the explosion in the city of Chiakulli (June 30, 1963), which claimed many lives of random people. This terrorist attack caused enormous indignation; its important consequence was a change for the worse in the attitude of ordinary Sicilians towards the mafia. The retaliatory repressions of the authorities forced many mafiosi to emigrate to the United States.

Another blow was dealt to the mafia in 1978, when 114 members of various “families” were arrested and convicted (“Trial 114”).

Unlike Mussolini's short-term campaign, in modern Italy the fight against the mafia is ongoing and very active. In this photograph taken by Letitsiya Battalya in Sicily in 1980, we see the moment of the arrest of the famous mafioso Leoluca Bagarella:

Letizia claims that after she took this photo, Bagarella managed to kick her so hard in the stomach that she fell to the ground.

A powerful blow to the Sicilian mafia was dealt in 1986-1987: 338 mafiosi were convicted thanks to the work of prosecutor Giovanni Falcone.

Giovanni Falcone at the funeral of Palermo police prefect Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa, killed by the mafioso, 1982, fotograf Letitsiya Battalya
In May 1992, Falcone suffered revenge from the mafia: his car was blown up near Palermo. In addition to the prosecutor, his wife and three bodyguards were killed.

Memorial sign at the site of the death of prosecutor Giovanni Falcone

Two months later, the car of his successor, Paolo Borsellino, was blown up in Palermo. Currently, the names Falcone and Borsellino are assigned to Palermo Airport. There is a tree growing at the door of Falcone’s house, on which photographs of new mafia victims are now placed next to his portrait. And in one of the squares of Palermo you can see a black stele dedicated to the memory of all the people who have ever died at the hands of the mafiosi.

Judges and prosecutors handling mafia-related cases are often under government protection. In this 1998 photo, also by Letizia Batalha, you see Judge Roberto Scarpitano walking with four guards:

Judge Roberto Scarpitano with guards, 1998, photograf Letitsiya Battalya

La Stidda

In the 80s of the twentieth century, a new criminal group, La Stidda (“The Star”), appeared in Sicily, breaking away from the “old” mafia.
It was headed by Croce Benvento and Salvatore Calafato; the members of this organization are called stiddari or stiddaroli. According to the most likely version, La Stidda received its name from the locally revered icon “Madonna with the Star”.

La Stidda managed to survive the “Great Mafia War” that unfolded in the 80s of the twentieth century (according to criminologists, up to a thousand Zvezda militants and about 500 mafia members were killed then). Currently, La Stidda controls the southern part of Sicily, its positions are especially strong in the area near the cities of Gele, Agrigento and Caltanissette.

This organization also has branches in Genoa, Turin and Milan. Little is known about its activities; it is believed that the main area of interest of the “schismatics” is control over the sphere of sexual services and the organization of the gambling business.

Now let’s go back a little and see that at the end of the 19th century a new, even more powerful mafia began to emerge in the USA. The reason for its emergence was the mass emigration of Italians to this country, among whom there were many immigrants from Sicily.

"Lemon Fever"

Many people know that the US mafia clans got very rich from the illegal import of alcoholic beverages, their production “locally” and trade in alcohol during the “Prohibition” (we will talk about this in the next article).
And that the basis for the well-being of the modern mafia is the drug trade. Mafiosi now also do not disdain selling weapons, organizing sexual services, and making money from illegal migration. However, the first successful “business project” of the mafia “families” of Sicily was control over the cultivation and export of lemons. The fact is that for many centuries the real “scourge” of sailors of all countries was scurvy. Only in the middle of the 18th century did the Scottish physician James Lind prove that when fruits were included in the diet, the incidence of scurvy decreased sharply. Lemons were considered especially beneficial. At the end of the 18th century, the British Royal Navy Sick and Wounded Committee issued a recommendation to make the consumption of lemon juice mandatory for the crews of all government ships. “Private traders” followed them, and then the captains of foreign ships learned about the benefits of lemons. Now it has become extremely profitable to start lemon plantations in Sicily, demand was constantly growing, supply was lagging behind, and prices for lemons were constantly going up. The mafiosi immediately offered theirs, as well as their safe transportation to ports and loading onto ships. When huge plantations of lemon trees appeared in Florida at the beginning of the 20th century and the demand for Sicilian lemons fell, many bankrupt farmers emigrated to the United States. Most of them were forced to take any job there and work for literally pennies.

Italian immigrants to the USA, photo from the early 20th century

But some formed new mafia clans here, which over time surpassed the old Sicilian mafia in the scale of their activities. At first, these new mafiosi collected taxes only from their fellow countrymen, but soon they turned their attention to people of all other nationalities. The first mafia organization in the United States appeared in New Orleans in 1890 and was called the “Black Hand”. It is characteristic that it was founded by “fruit merchants”.

We will talk about this and much more in the next article.

Production, preparation and distribution of invitations.

Once the list has been compiled, the date and place have been agreed upon, we send out invitations to guests. An invitation is the first step to immersing guests in gangster surroundings. You can make invitations yourself or order them. If you decide to make your own invitations, we provide you with several options:

A simple and uncomplicated option . If you don’t see the point of spending a lot of time on invitations, then this option is just for you. We find on the Internet the relevant pictures and pictures you like on the topic of gangsters, mafia, weapons, etc. Using a graphic editor, add your invitation text to such pictures, print it on a printer, roll it into a bundle, tie it with a scarlet ribbon and the invitation is ready. (see photo No. 1)

In the form of a playing card. To do this, use a computer to write the text of the invitation, add the designation of a playing card in the corners and print it on a printer. Then carefully glue the printed text to the cardboard (coated on both sides), round the edges of the card and the invitation is ready. (see photo No. 2)
In the form of a tuxedo. This is one of the simplest, but at the same time visually original ways to make an invitation. A black sheet of cardboard is folded on the left and right sides so that the folded edges meet clearly in the middle of the original side of the cardboard. At the left and right folded edges, you need to additionally bend the edges at an angle so that they resemble a tuxedo collar. On the left side of the tuxedo we make a slot and insert a piece of white cardboard into it, as if a white scarf is peeking out of the tuxedo. Next, we print out the invitation in A5 format and insert it into the tuxedo, which was previously made from black cardboard. (see photo No. 3)
In the form of a pistol. To make such an invitation, you will need black cardboard, A4 paper, a computer, a printer, glue and scissors. We print out an image of a pistol on a printer (2 pieces per invitation). Cut out the printed image along the outline. Next, we cut out a gun from cardboard in the shape of the printed image so that the two halves of the cardboard are connected to each other in the muzzle area (as shown in the photo below). Next, we glue the cardboard and the printed image together. Inside the pistol we place a sheet of invitation rolled into a tube, make a hole in the area of the trigger so that the invitation can be tied through it with thread to prevent it from falling out of the pistol.

5. In the form of a wanted poster (printed in a printing house). A creative and funny way to invite your friends to a gangster party is to have a poster with a personal photo of your guest. It is best to print such a poster not on a home printer, but in a printing house. Take funny photos of your guests from social networks, write a funny text (preferably individual for each guest) like: “Attention!!! A dangerous criminal, a seducer of women, a lover of strong drinks and strong tobacco is wanted! If you have any information, please contact me by phone number (indicate your number) or appear for personal testimony (indicate address, date, time).”

Do not design invitations in bright colors; it is better to choose black and white. In the invitation, in addition to the date and time of arrival at the “gangster party,” we make sure to draw the guests’ attention to the importance of the dress code. Indicate in large print that a stylized costume is required.

The dress code is important for the atmosphere, for conveying the spirit of the party, so the more details guests are advised on this issue, the better. You can send your guests a short list of rules for your party along with the invitations. All points of such rules should be presented with humor, so that your gangster friends can immediately anticipate the fun format of the party.

Entertainment, games and scenario

Armed, no, no, not with a machine gun, but with imagination, we create a program for the evening. The motto is this: we keep the intrigue from beginning to end, surprise, delight and light up. Bright and positive memories from the holiday will remain if you think through everything in advance.

Upon entering, guests are greeted by a stern and taciturn guard who searches newly arrived mafia members, offers to buy weapons and cigars, checks the secret password (it could be the “godfather”) and the dress code.

If the newly minted dons and doñas lack polish, he suggests coming to the table with accessories and complementing their image with hats, cigars, boas, and pistols. Children present at the holiday turn into newspaper delivery men or shoe shiners.

The opening of the holiday should be very spectacular. The lights turn off for a moment, and suddenly the Godfather appears on the previously empty stage. He sits calmly in a leather chair, smoking a cigar. The greeting of guests begins with congratulations. Wants to live peacefully with each other. But, despite the leader’s wishes, the two influential clans seek revenge on each other and do not hide their enmity. A shootout between them is guaranteed. The script can be based on such a plot. Perhaps the organizers will structure the program in such a way that the Godfather will be determined only towards the end of the holiday. All bandits will desperately fight for this title.

Or vice versa, members of all gangs will have to unite to investigate the murder. Nowadays, a very fashionable game - a live quest - fits perfectly here. Guests are given roles with characteristics, and a riddle is voiced, which they must solve in the process of communication. Whatever it is, there should be not just separate competitions, but some kind of plot connecting them.

An important stage could be the ceremonial initiation of recruits to the criminal world, which, according to the scenario, will include familiarization with the laws of the clan, various tests in the form of the following competitions:

Quiet night. Task: on a quiet night you need to steal a valuable document. It is guarded by the most experienced bandits - 4-5 people stand half a meter from each other, forming a circle. They are blindfolded. The “thief” has a rattle tied to his leg, so he must sneak through the guards to the paper. The latter can move if they hear the noise of the rattle; if it is quiet, then they stand motionless.
Kill an enemy. The gangs are asked to determine who is the most accurate. The mafia must shoot skillfully. You can throw darts at both darts and balloons. The bandits shoot alternately in pairs. According to the game scenario, if one bandit hits the target, then he kills his enemy - a rival from another gang. The “deceased” person is deprived of the right to fire.
Robbery of the century. The mafia must rob banks within a certain time - in this case, these are real glass jars filled with coins. One by one, the participants run up to the jar, scoop up the jingling change with a spoon and take it to their lair. After the relay heist, everyone counts their loot.
Destroy evidence. The last “case” did not go as smoothly as we would have liked. The police still have the evidence, which is stored in a safe with a combination lock. Evidence must be destroyed. The code is at the bottom of the juice glass. Task: drink juice from a straw as quickly as possible, read the code, rush to the safe and open it.
The power of money. Rich clans are accustomed to wasting money, fortunately there is a countless amount of it. Money doesn't smell. That's what they think. The competition participant is tied with a scarf over his eyes and given a real banknote in his hands. We need to determine its worth. You are allowed to touch, smell and taste.
My prey. Ten participants are shown a jar filled to the top with money. Task: determine how much money is in the container and how much one tenth will be if the money is divided equally. The one who comes closest to both sums wins.
Musical congratulations. If men in competitions must show their masculinity, then women, on the contrary, must be very feminine this evening. You can invite the ladies to congratulate everyone present with a song or dance to a soundtrack, and portray the stars of black and white cinema of that time.

The culmination of the party may be a police raid. Front-profile photographs, fingerprinting - everything goes according to the usual scenario in these cases. Mafias offer to pawn each other for a high reward. If there are few guests, then the exciting, action-packed and world-famous game Mafia can also become a continuation of the evening. Cards and masks required. A themed party is not complete without dancing.

Gangster image or description of costumes (outfit) for a gangster party.

In their “golden times,” famous gangsters formed the elite of society and paid close attention to their personal wardrobe. It was customary to have suits made to order from personal tailors. When creating a male look, the suit should be a classic two-piece or three-piece, made of smooth fabric in blue, gray and black shades. The shirt is plain or vertically striped, perfectly ironed, and the shoes are no less perfectly polished. Under no circumstances should you use sneakers or any elements of a sports style as footwear. Every self-respecting gangster had a fedora with a soft brim. It’s great if you have one like this in your wardrobe, it will add realism to the image. You can complement your look with accessories such as suspenders, cufflinks, pins, massive pocket watches, cigars and, of course, weapons.

To create a female look in the style of the gangster era, we take straight-cut dresses. The color of the dress is your choice, but it is advisable not to experiment with multi-colored dresses with flowers and polka dots, but to give preference to classic solid colors such as red, black, white, blue. A great addition to the look can be: long beads, feathers, veils, furs, sequins, gloves, fishnet tights, mouthpieces. We complement the image with a hairstyle, bright makeup and an equally bright manicure.

If your city provides rental services for gangster-style costumes, we advise you to indicate the addresses of such points in your invitations. Perhaps this will make the task easier for some of your guests, and for others it will prompt them to create their own unique image.

Party design solution

You will need black and red fabrics to drape the walls with. Black and white photographs will fit perfectly into the interior. Place ashtrays around the room, lay out cards, game tokens, dummies of money and weapons.

Invitations

Print out your picture on paper with the words “Wanted.” Please indicate your meeting location and password. Promise a reward for the capture of the criminal. Change the name of the invitee to the Italian style. For example, Konstantin - Konstantineo, Yuri - Yurinye, etc.

Suits

Your guests can choose a variety of images for themselves, because they are so unique, and bring them to life. For example, a dress with a high waist will suit girls, and a boa and a fan will complement the outfit. Men can come dressed in a suit, adding a hat, holster, bowtie and cigarette case. Children can act as newspaper sellers.

Props for competitions:

printed words “chief”, “glorious”, “brave”, “important”, “kind”, “fashionable”, “evil”, “simple”;
dart;
blindfolds;
dummies of banknotes;
a bunch of balloons;
case.

Music

Musical compositions from famous films about the mafia will best complement the atmosphere of the evening. For example, “Once Upon a Time in America”, “The Godfather”, etc.

Decorating the room, selecting props, creating a photo zone.

Gangster parties are held both in entertainment venues and at home. If you find a bar or pub that works in the right style, it will make the preparation task much easier. If there is no “ready” space, we decorate the room ourselves. There are nuances that need to be taken into account in the design: we use black, red and white as the main colors; We make the lighting dim; We close the windows and doors with heavy curtains. In those days, this was necessary so that no one would see that a meeting of gangsters was taking place, at which they not only decided on their important issues, but also drank illegal alcohol. There are some interior features that will definitely help you when decorating your interior. ♦ 1. Print in a printing house or printer, and then hang posters with views of Chicago or New York, black and white images of celebrities of those times on the walls. First of all, these are portraits of famous gangsters - Al Capone, Johnny Dillinger, Tommy Morello, Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, and others. Images of “movie gangsters” will also add a party atmosphere. ♦ 2. You should also hang the posters on the wall, which we wrote about in point No. 5 “Preparation of invitations.” Place "Wanted" posters on your walls with pictures of your friends and a funny description. This design will definitely lift the spirits of your guests. ♦ 3. What is a gangster without passion? Also use dice and cards as interior elements. Place them on furniture and a holiday table. ♦ 4. Wooden boxes, which can be stacked in a chaotic manner at the entrance to the room, are suitable as excellent props for the interior of a mafia-style party. The boxes may contain empty bottles or straw, indicating that something fragile was transported in the boxes. ♦ 5. On some boxes with straw, you can use a stencil to make the inscription “whiskey”, and also put a couple of bottles of whiskey in the box. ♦ 6. In the 30s, gangsters loved everything luxurious, so pay special attention to various kosher interior elements - pearl beads, feathers, etc. ♦ 7. An excellent option to emphasize the financial success of your gangster party would be a large number of packs of dollars that need to be laid out on furniture, table, etc. For such dollars, you can use napkins with an image of a 100 dollar bill printed on them. The napkins look very realistic, so they will definitely add their own thematic charm.

Ready-made scenarios for home and street quests ⇓

♦ 8. We also advise you to pay attention to jute bags or, as they are simply called, “burlap.” Such bags can be filled with something bulky and folded at the entrance to the holiday room. Your guests will feel like they are in some kind of underground warehouse. ♦ 9. As a tablecloth for a festive table, we advise you to order on the Internet a green cloth with an image of game cells printed on it, just like in a casino. If you couldn’t find such a tablecloth, then buy a piece of green fabric in the store, preferably its quality should be similar to the fabric that is used to cover billiard tables and roulette tables. This will give your guests the feeling that they are sitting at a gaming table in a casino. ♦ 10. If you have old vinyl records, they are also perfect as props for your mafia party.

Photo zone:

When decorating a room, plan a separate space for a photo zone. Surely guests will be delighted with stylized photographs. For a photo zone, you can use a prison stadiometer, handcuffs, dummy weapons and, of course, a large number of souvenir American dollars in a suitcase. You can also separately make various signs with thematic inscriptions, such as: “The Mafia is immortal!”, “Wanted,” “Attention! Dangerous criminal." etc. With such signs your guests will be happy to take pictures. Also, having bought a black piece of fabric measuring 1.90 m X 1.5 m, you can draw a body outline on it with chalk, as a reminder that there was a shootout in the room in which Big Joe, a militant of the opposing mafia clan, was injured. Spread such a piece of fabric on the floor. If there is an advertising agency in your city and your party is taking place in a cafe or restaurant, then you can order a professional photo stand. For example, you can make a photo zone with a real-size car of that time that was shot at.

To ensure that guests behave appropriately and do not forget who they are visiting, be sure to post the rules of your party in the most visible place. Every gangster present must respect your rules.