German Game About Sicilian Mafia Outrages Italians

A German board game based on the mafia wars that raged in Sicily in the 1980s has sparked controversy in Italy, with the sister of murdered judge Giovanni Falcone calling it an insult to all those who fought to free Italy from organised crime. This was reported by The Guardian.

The game is called La Famiglia: The Great Mafia War. It is produced by the German company Boardgame Atelier and received the prestigious Golden Ace award last year, which is presented at the annual games festival in France.

Described by the manufacturer as a ‘conflict game set against the backdrop of a mafia feud in Sicily’, it has recently been translated into Italian and distributed on various online retail sites.

The basic idea of the game is that players representing different mafia families compete with each other for control of Sicily, using tools such as car bombs ‘to dominate as many regions as possible’.

‘I don't understand how it is possible that someone has thought of this game that plays on the feelings of those who have lost their lives in the service of the state,’ Maria Falcone told Corriere della Sera. ‘The Mafia has only created death in Sicily and in Italy. Such games insult the memory of all those who contributed to the liberation of this land (from organised crime).’

Italian politician Alessandro De Leo sent a letter to Sicilian President Renato Schifani. ‘This product not only insults the dignity of Sicilians, but also devalues the daily efforts of millions of citizens who fight for law and justice in our region,’ he wrote.

Game designer Maximilian Maria Thiel said: ‘First of all, I am very sorry if anyone feels hurt or offended by this game. This was not our intention. In this game, only gangsters kill each other. So I don't see a problem - except for the fact that it seems to be a trigger for some people.’