Until the end of August and the beginning of September 1944, Cannobio saw a weak presence of German and fascist forces, and military activities were rare up to that date. Its location on the border, but especially the challenging valleys and surrounding mountains, acted as a deterrent.
The situation changed after the events of August 26, the killing of three German soldiers by partisan forces, that led to a direct reprisal by the fierce Captain Clemens, who, after his departure, left a Nazi-fascist garrison in the town.
Between September 2 and 9, Cannobio was temporarily liberated by the partisans, but it was a fleeting week of freedom, to which the Germans and fascists responded massively on September 9, reoccupying the town. The operation was primarily carried out by fascist forces of the GNR Allievi Ufficiali from Varese and paratroopers from the Folgore Regiment, under the command of German officers.
The Germans had so little trust in the fascists that the latter were placed under the command of an
experienced officer, a veteran of Crete, Major Fallschirmjäger Otto Krüger. The main contingent landed in Cannobio from Maccagno, while the fascists from the Folgore Paratrooper Regiment and the Castagnacci Complements Battalion of the Decima Mas, departing from Verbania, arrived there along the coastal highway - albeit with various problems.