1

Alcatraz Island (37°49'35"N, 122°25'21"W) is located in the middle of San Francisco Bay in California.

L’isola di Alcatraz (37°49' 35"N, 122°25'21"O) si trova in mezzo alla baia di San Francisco, California.

2

It was formerly used as a military stockade and later as a maximum security prison.

Usata in origine come prigione militare, divenne in seguito un carcere di massima sicurezza.

3

Today, the island is a historic site supervised by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is open to tours.

Oggi l’isola, sito storico facente parte della Golden Gate National Recreation Area, è gestita dal National Park Service ed è aperta al pubblico.

4

Visitors can reach the island by ferry ride from Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

È raggiungibile mediante un traghetto che parte dal Fisherman’s Wharf, una banchina del porto di San Francisco.

5

It is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

È considerata monumento storico nazionale.

6

Its name comes from the Spanish (and originally Arabic) word for the gannet, a kind of seabird.

Il nome deriva dalla denominazione spagnola (e originariamente araba) della sula, un uccello marino.

7

It was first discovered by Juan Manuel de Ayala.

Fu scoperta da Juan Manuel de Ayala.

8

It is home to the now abandoned prison, the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States, early military fortifications, and natural features such as rock pools, a seabird colony, and unique views of the coastline.

Vi si trovano la prigione, ora abbandonata, il più antico faro operativo della costa occidentale degli Stati Uniti e vecchie fortificazioni militari; fra le bellezze naturali si contano pozze rocciose, una colonia di uccelli marini e spettacolari vedute della costa.

9

History

Storia

10

The interior of a regular cell in the row known as Broadway.

L’interno di una cella del braccio chiamato Broadway.

11

Alcatraz was a military fort from 1850 to 1933.

Dal 1850 al 1933 Alcatraz è stata un forte militare.

12

The United States Disciplinary Barracks on Alcatraz were acquired by the United States Department of Justice on October 12, 1933.

Le Caserme di Alcatraz furono acquistate dal Ministero della Giustizia degli Stati Uniti il 12 ottobre 1933.

13

The island became a federal prison on August, 1934.

Nell’agosto 1934 l’isola divenne un carcere federale.

14

During the 29 years it was in use, the jail held such notable criminals as Al Capone;

Nei 29 anni in cui il carcere è stato operativo ha ospitato noti criminali, quali Al Capone,

15

Robert Franklin Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz;

Robert Franklin Stroud, l’Ornitologo di Alcatraz;

16

and Alvin Karpis, who served more time at Alcatraz than any other inmate.

e Alvin Karpis, che scontò ad Alcatraz più tempo di qualsiasi altro detenuto.

17

It also provided housing for the Bureau of Prison staff and their families.

Vi alloggiavano anche i membri del personale e le loro famiglie.

18

Today the family members that occupied the island and called it home can join the Alcatraz Alumni Association and participate in the annual reunion that celebrates the opening of the prison the second weekend of August.

La Alcatraz Alumni Association, della quale possono fare parte tutti coloro che hanno vissuto sull’isola in qualità di addetti o loro familiari, celebra ogni anno l’apertura della prigione nel secondo weekend di agosto.

19

Most family members have favorite stories they share of their experiences growing up on the rock.

Molti di loro amano raccontare varie storie e aneddoti sulla loro esperienza di vita su The Rock.

20

The penitentiary was closed for good on March 21, 1963.

Il penitenziario è stato chiuso definitivamente il 21 marzo 1963.

21

The prison closed because it was far more expensive to operate than other prisons, and the bay was being polluted by the sewage from the approximately 250 inmates and 60 Bureau of Prison families on the island.

Il motivo della chiusura stava essenzialmente nei costi, di gran lunga più alti di quelli di altre prigioni, e nel fatto che la baia veniva inquinata dai liquami dei circa 250 detenuti e delle 60 famiglie degli addetti che vivevano sull’isola.

22

It was easier to build a new, traditional land-bound prison than to pay for all the upkeep and support the Alcatraz prison required.

Era più facile costruire una prigione nuova sulla terraferma che non pagare le spese per il mantenimento di Alcatraz.

23

In 1969, a group of Native Americans affiliated with the American Indian Movement attempted to reclaim the land, saying that an 1868 federal treaty allowed Native Americans to use all federal territory that the government was not actively using.

Nel 1969 un gruppo di indiani d’America affiliati all’American Indian Movement provarono a rivendicare quella terra, affermando che un trattato del 1868 permetteva al loro popolo di usare tutti i territori federali che il governo non stava utilizzando.

24

During the occupation, several buildings got damaged or destroyed, including the Guard house and the Lighthouse.

Durante l’occupazione diversi edifici, fra i quali la guardia e il faro, furono danneggiati o distrutti.

25

After 18 months of occupation, the government forced them off.

Dopo 18 mesi di occupazione il governo li allontanò con la forza.

26

The island is also known as "The Rock," and it was featured in a movie of the same name.

L’isola, nota anche come “The Rock”, è stata teatro di un film omonimo.

27

Escape attempts

Tentativi di fuga

28

During its 29 years of operation, the penitentiary never logged any officially successful escapes.

Nei 29 anni di funzionamento del penitenziario non si sono registrate ufficialmente fughe riuscite.

29

In all attempts escapees were either shot dead or believed to be drowned in the frigid San Francisco Bay.

In tutti i tentativi i fuggiaschi furono uccisi oppure considerati annegati nelle gelide acque della baia.

30

Thirty-six prisoners were involved in attempts;

Trentasei furono i detenuti che tentarono la fuga;

31

seven were shot and killed, two drowned, five unaccounted for, the rest recaptured.

sette furono uccisi, due annegarono, cinque sparirono misteriosamente, gli altri furono ricatturati.

32

Two prisoners made it off the island but were returned, one, in 1945 and one in 1962.

Due detenuti riuscirono ad abbandonare l’isola, ma ci tornarono, uno nel 1945 e l’altro nel 1962.

33

Three escapees, Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, disappeared from their cells on June 11, 1962.

Tre fuggiaschi, Frank Morris e i fratelli John e Clarence Anglin, scomparvero dalle loro celle l’11 giugno 1962.

34

This attempt, popularized in the motion picture Escape from Alcatraz, was among the most intricate ever devised.

Questo tentativo, narrato nel film Fuga da Alcatraz, fu fra i più complessi mai concepiti.

35

Though only some evidence was found that they died in their attempt, they are officially listed as "missing and presumed drowned."

Nonostante le prove della loro morte non siano mai state conclusive, ufficialmente furono considerati “dispersi e presumibilmente annegati”.

36

Plywood paddles and parts of a raft made from raincoats were found on Angel Island by the FBI.

L’FBI trovò su Angel Island pagaie di compensato e pezzi di una zattera fatta con impermeabili.

37

It is very likely that they did die in their attempt as, after all these years, no one has surfaced claiming to be or even to have seen the escapees.

Un elemento a sostegno della tesi della loro morte è che dopo tutti questi anni non c’è mai stato nessuno che affermasse di essere uno di loro o, quanto meno, di averli visti.

38

In 2003, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, the co-hosts of the television series MythBusters, sought to prove whether the escapees could have survived.

Nel 2003 Jamie Hyneman e Adam Savage, ospiti della serie televisiva MythBusters, vollero fare una prova per vedere se gli evasi avrebbero potuto effettivamente sopravvivere.

39

Using similar materials to those used by the three convicts, they constructed an inflatable raft from a large quantity of rubber raincoats and made plywood paddles.

Con impermeabili di gomma e del compensato, materiali simili a quelli usati dai tre detenuti, costruirono una zattera gonfiabile e delle pagaie.

40

Hyneman and Savage selected a date when the tide direction and rate matched that of the escape attempt.

Hyneman e Savage sfruttarono anche la marea, in un momento in cui la direzione e la velocità della stessa erano propizie alla fuga.

41

With another crew member, Will Abbot, standing in for the third prisoner, they were able to paddle with the outgoing tide to the Marin Headlands, near the North tower of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Insieme a Will Abbot, che rappresentava il terzo detenuto, riuscirono a remare con la marea uscente fino a Marin Headlands, presso la torre Nord del Golden Gate.

42

Both Hyneman and Savage agreed that the escape could have succeeded, though the actual fate of the prisoners is unknown.

Hyneman e Savage concordarono sul fatto che la fuga poteva essere riuscita, nonostante il destino effettivo dei detenuti sia rimasto ignoto.

43

Conversely, tests using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers scale model of San Francisco Bay indicated that paddles or other debris thrown into the water from the landing location would be carried by the returning tide to Angel Island.

Prove fatte con il modello in scala della baia di San Francisco dei Genieri dell’Esercito indicavano che pagaie o altri rottami gettati in acqua dal  punto di sbarco sarebbero stati portati dalla marea entrante ad Angel Island.

Alcatraz Island (37°49'35"N, 122°25'21"W) is located in the middle of San Francisco Bay in California.

It was formerly used as a military stockade and later as a maximum security prison.

Today, the island is a historic site supervised by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is open to tours.

Visitors can reach the island by ferry ride from Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

It is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

Its name comes from the Spanish (and originally Arabic) word for the gannet, a kind of seabird.

It was first discovered by Juan Manuel de Ayala.

It is home to the now abandoned prison, the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States, early military fortifications, and natural features such as rock pools, a seabird colony, and unique views of the coastline.

History

The interior of a regular cell in the row known as Broadway.

Alcatraz was a military fort from 1850 to 1933.

The United States Disciplinary Barracks on Alcatraz were acquired by the United States Department of Justice on October 12, 1933.

The island became a federal prison on August, 1934.

During the 29 years it was in use, the jail held such notable criminals as Al Capone;

Robert Franklin Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz;

and Alvin Karpis, who served more time at Alcatraz than any other inmate.

It also provided housing for the Bureau of Prison staff and their families.

Today the family members that occupied the island and called it home can join the Alcatraz Alumni Association and participate in the annual reunion that celebrates the opening of the prison the second weekend of August.

Most family members have favorite stories they share of their experiences growing up on the rock.

The penitentiary was closed for good on March 21, 1963.

The prison closed because it was far more expensive to operate than other prisons, and the bay was being polluted by the sewage from the approximately 250 inmates and 60 Bureau of Prison families on the island.

It was easier to build a new, traditional land-bound prison than to pay for all the upkeep and support the Alcatraz prison required.

In 1969, a group of Native Americans affiliated with the American Indian Movement attempted to reclaim the land, saying that an 1868 federal treaty allowed Native Americans to use all federal territory that the government was not actively using.

During the occupation, several buildings got damaged or destroyed, including the Guard house and the Lighthouse.

After 18 months of occupation, the government forced them off.

The island is also known as "The Rock," and it was featured in a movie of the same name.

Escape attempts

During its 29 years of operation, the penitentiary never logged any officially successful escapes.

In all attempts escapees were either shot dead or believed to be drowned in the frigid San Francisco Bay.

Thirty-six prisoners were involved in attempts;

seven were shot and killed, two drowned, five unaccounted for, the rest recaptured.

Two prisoners made it off the island but were returned, one, in 1945 and one in 1962.

Three escapees, Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, disappeared from their cells on June 11, 1962.

This attempt, popularized in the motion picture Escape from Alcatraz, was among the most intricate ever devised.

Though only some evidence was found that they died in their attempt, they are officially listed as "missing and presumed drowned."

Plywood paddles and parts of a raft made from raincoats were found on Angel Island by the FBI.

It is very likely that they did die in their attempt as, after all these years, no one has surfaced claiming to be or even to have seen the escapees.

In 2003, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, the co-hosts of the television series MythBusters, sought to prove whether the escapees could have survived.

Using similar materials to those used by the three convicts, they constructed an inflatable raft from a large quantity of rubber raincoats and made plywood paddles.

Hyneman and Savage selected a date when the tide direction and rate matched that of the escape attempt.

With another crew member, Will Abbot, standing in for the third prisoner, they were able to paddle with the outgoing tide to the Marin Headlands, near the North tower of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Both Hyneman and Savage agreed that the escape could have succeeded, though the actual fate of the prisoners is unknown.

Conversely, tests using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers scale model of San Francisco Bay indicated that paddles or other debris thrown into the water from the landing location would be carried by the returning tide to Angel Island.

This proved that escape was possible with the resources available to the escapees and provided an explanation for the location of the escape debris found by the FBI.