How did the 1883 Casamicciola earthquake affect Benedetto Croce's life?

The 1883 earthquake in Casamicciola was a traumatic turning point in the life of Benedetto Croce. The disaster resulted in the death of his parents, leaving him and his brother, Alfonso, orphaned.

Croce described this period as a "bad dream" that shattered the stability of his childhood and youth, leaving him permanently marked by the experience. Following the tragedy, he became a solitary figure and turned to an austere course of study as a means of salvation, eventually becoming one of the most significant historians and philosophers of the 20th century.2