Carle Felix Gana

Carle Felix Gana
Gana in the 1910s
Born	Carle Macelé (1873-10-11)11 October 1873 Zira, Provinzia Passeier
Died	19 April 1954(1954-04-19) (aged 80) Viestfurćia near Pescosta, Provinzia Inn
Resting place	King's Rest, Sass dla Porta
Occupation	Author academic folklorist historian
Alma mater	Sancta Pietre, Maran
Genre	Fantasy legend history literary criticism
Literary movement	Neo-Rhaetic
Notable works	Lijëndes Ladines
Spouse	Maria Gana (m. 1900; died 1953)
Children	Andris Carle Felix Margreta Trebo
Military career
Allegiance	Kristian II
Branch	Royal Rifles
Years	1890–1893
Rank	Aucleutnante
Unit	Royal Wergal Rifles
Battles	Tiroler Civil War White War Defence of Marmoleda Black Wednesday Caporin Offensive  (POW)

Carle Felix Gana (born Carle Macelé, 11 November 1873 – 19 April 1954), sometimes known as CFG, was a Tiroler writer, historian and folklorist. He was the author of the Lijëndes Ladines.

From 1898 to 1906, Gana was the Professor of Rhaetian History at his alma mater, Sancta Pietre, and a member of congregation for the University of Maran at large.

Gana is widely regarded as the father of Rhaetian mythology, as author of the first known written collection of the Ladin sagas, codifying the oral legends of the Ladin communities of the Dolomita. The Lijëndes Ladines and his later works are considered seminal sources in the study of folklore in Tirol according to the Department of Rhaetian Studies at the University of Maran. The Istitut ladin Micurá de Rü hails Gana as creating the most significant work of Tiroler cultural history since the Aquila Tirolensis.

Biography

Ancestry

Gana identified himself as Tiroler, with immediate ancestry in the Provinzia Passeier, then the Archduchy of Passeier. Although his father, Hugo Macelé had been affluent, his paternal grandparents had been miners in the Schwaz Gold Mines, and he firmly believed he was of working class heritage. His earliest recorded paternal ancestor is Albrecht Macelé, recorded as a member of the Trënt Merchants Guild in 1712.

His mother, Margreta was from the noble dla Featte family, under the Kingdom of Tirol this afforded substantial respect, Andris Gana stated in a 1969 interview that his grandmother [Margreta] had been estranged from her family due to her marriage to Hugo, but had still retained a stipend by which to sustain herself. His earliest recorded maternal ancestor is Andreas de Nord, Margrave of Adesc (1422 – 1471), although the dla Featte family claim lineage from the 6th century Albrec dis Persenù of the Kingdom of Adesca.

Gana's surname by birth, "Macelé," is believed to be derived from ancient Rhaetic words: "mace," meaning 'great,' 'mighty,' or 'powerful,' and "lés," meaning 'guardian' or 'protector.' The combination of these words gave birth to the name "Macelé". It is likely that this originated from the elder, or leader of a small settlement.

Gana created his own etymological interpretation, which, though entirely fictional, he propagated in the foreword to Lijëndes Ladines:

"Macelé" is said to have originated during a time of great hardship and bravery in the Ladin-speaking valleys. According to the local legends, centuries ago, a powerful and fearsome dragon had taken residence in the heart of one of the valleys. This dragon, known as "Macelé," was said to have terrorized the villages and prevented the local communities from thriving.

The villages in the region united to face this common threat, and a group of brave Ladin warriors embarked on a perilous journey to confront the dragon and bring an end to its reign of terror. After a fierce battle that lasted for days, the warriors managed to defeat the dragon, but not without significant sacrifice. The victory marked a turning point for the villages, as they were finally able to prosper without the constant threat of the dragon's attacks.

In honour of their bravery and unity, the surname "Macelé" was adopted by the descendants of these warriors and their families. It became a symbol of courage, resilience, and the ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. The name served as a reminder of the community's shared history and the importance of standing together in the face of adversity.

As generations passed, the true origin of the name "Macelé" became intertwined with the legend of the dragon, and it continued to be passed down as a proud ancestral name, carrying with it the spirit of bravery and unity that defined the Ladin people.

Childhood

The Royal College of Innsbruck, where Gana was a pupil (1884 – 1889)

Carle Macelé was born on 11 October 1873 in the village of Zira in the Archduchy of Passeier, Kingdom of Tirol (now Provinzia Passeier, Free State of Tirol) to Hugo Frances Macelé, a Tiroler academic, and Margreta Juli Maria dla Featte, married in 1862 in Franconia, Quebecshire. Gana was their only child. His childhood was mostly spent between the village of Zira and Maran, where his father worked. During his early childhood, Gana frequently explored the University of Maran, meeting and subsequently befriending the royal scholar, Battesta Caruso.

On 15 March 1884, when Gana was eleven, his father died suddenly. His mother, now wholly dependent on stipend from the dla Featte family, was required by the Archduke of Adesc to place Gana into the Royal College of Innsbruck. His tutor noted that he was an "intelligent but resentful pupil". He excelled in particular in history, and geography. Within his first year in the college he had studied the full Aquila Tirolensis. His tutor noted that he had, shortly after his first year, developed a keen interest in eugenics.

Education

In October 1889, at seventeen, Gana attained a scholarship to study History and Ladin at Sancta Pietre College, Maran. He thus returned to the university, establishing a close personal friendship with Caruso.

Tiroler Civil War

During the Tiroler Civil War, Carle Felix Gana became an active participant by enlisting in the Royalist Army alongside fellow Maran University students. Gana's enlistment took place in Wergal, near his familial home in Zira, where he joined the Royal Wergal Rifles as an officer.

White War

The Bridge of Sighs in the Marmoleda Glacier, where Gana was deployed. 1891

In the initial stages of the war, in June 1890, Gana's regiment was deployed to the Western Front spanning between Sëlva and the Marmoleda. Gana's role centred on the defence of Marmoleda, a pivotal location in the conflict known as the White War due to the dominance of the Marmoleda Glacier. Gana noted that during winter, the Royalist troops feared avalanche substantially more than they feared the Republican attacks. Gana himself suffered severe frostbite in the winter of 1890–1891, and was given three weeks medical leave to recover.

Capture and imprisonment

During the collapse of the Caporin Offensive in late 1892, Gana and his section were captured in a failed reconnaissance mission in Costa Comune. He was captured by the №22 Battalion Trentin Volunteers, which was composed primarily of Statists, as a result he and his section were placed only under house arrest in Pescosta, and Gana was treated in accordance with his rank.

Pescosta and the Aut Dolomita

Arms

Coat of arms of Carle Felix Gana

Crest A loup Argent. Escutcheon Bars Vert on an escutcheon Argent. Motto ONOR Y VIRTÜ