Dino Grandi
Encyclopedia
Dino Grandi Conte (Count
) di Mordano, was an Italian
Fascist
politician, minister of justice, minister of foreign affairs and president of parliament
.
, province of Bologna
, Grandi was a graduate in law and economics
at the University of Bologna
in 1919 (after serving in World War I
), Grandi started a career as a lawyer
in Imola
. Attracted to the political left
, he nonetheless became impressed with Benito Mussolini
after the two met in 1914, and became a staunch advocate of Italy's entry into the World War.
He joined the Blackshirts
at age 25, and was one of 35 Fascist delegates elected, along with Mussolini, in May 1921 to the Chamber of Deputies
. Grandi survived an ambush
carried out by leftist militants in 1920, and had his studio devastated on one occasion.
on October 28, 1922, in which the Fascists took power in Italy
, Grandi became part of the new government; first as the under secretary of interior (1923), then as the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs
(1929), and also served as Italy's ambassador to the United Kingdom
(1932 to 1939). He was recalled to Italy in order to be appointed as the Minister of Justice. Dino Grandi was an ally to the most radical and violent groups of fascists, always surrounding himself with members of the Blackshirts. He used his position to voice criticism of Mussolini's attempt to reach an armistice
with left-wingers, and was under suspicion for having attempted to replace the latter with the skeptical alleged Mussolini forerunner Gabriele D'Annunzio
.
As a diplomat
, Grandi created a net of connections that were only rivaled by Mussolini's son-in-law, Galeazzo Ciano
, and attempted to use it for his own gains. Thus, he persuaded King
Victor Emmanuel III
to grant him a title, and managed to afford a comfortable position until being sent by Mussolini to the Greek Front
in 1941.
(which Grandi opposed) began to have its devastating effect on Italy after Operation Husky
, Grandi and other members of the Fascist Grand Council met July 24, 1943. At this meeting, Grandi turned against Mussolini and made a motion asking King Victor Emmanuel III to resume his full constitutional authority. The resolution passed by a vote of 19 to 7, with one abstention — effectively removing Mussolini from office. Those leading government figures who had voted for the resolution included Giuseppe Bottai
and Emilio De Bono
as well as Grandi. The king formally removed and arrested Mussolini the next day.
Grandi also negotiated a truce with the left-wing movements, notably with the trade union
s (grouped in the Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro), which gave way to the Italian resistance movement
against Nazi Germany
.
While the Allies
occupied the south, an alternate Fascist government was established in Northern Italy as the Italian Social Republic
. It sentenced Grandi to death for treason in the Verona trial that took place in on January 8-10 1944. Grandi, however, had the foresight to flee to Franco's
Spain
in August 1943. He lived there, then in Portugal
(1943-1948), then Argentina
, and then São Paulo
, Brazil, until the 1960s; he died in Bologna
. Coincidentally, Grandi died on the same weekend as two post-war Italian Fascist leaders. Like Grandi, Pino Romualdi
died on May 21, 1988, while Giorgio Almirante
died the following day.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
) di Mordano, was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Fascist
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
politician, minister of justice, minister of foreign affairs and president of parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
.
Early life
Born at MordanoMordano
Mordano is a town and comune in Emilia Romagna , situated in the province of Bologna....
, province of Bologna
Province of Bologna
The Province of Bologna is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Bologna.-Geography:It has an area of 3,702 km², and a total population of 991,647 . There are 60 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Bologna...
, Grandi was a graduate in law and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
The Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
in 1919 (after serving in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
), Grandi started a career as a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Imola
Imola
thumb|250px|The Cathedral of Imola.Imola is a town and comune in the province of Bologna, located on the Santerno river, in the Emilia-Romagna region of north-central Italy...
. Attracted to the political left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
, he nonetheless became impressed with Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
after the two met in 1914, and became a staunch advocate of Italy's entry into the World War.
He joined the Blackshirts
Blackshirts
The Blackshirts were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II...
at age 25, and was one of 35 Fascist delegates elected, along with Mussolini, in May 1921 to the Chamber of Deputies
Italian Chamber of Deputies
The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...
. Grandi survived an ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
carried out by leftist militants in 1920, and had his studio devastated on one occasion.
A Fascist statesman
After the March on RomeMarch on Rome
The March on Rome was a march by which Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party came to power in the Kingdom of Italy...
on October 28, 1922, in which the Fascists took power in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Grandi became part of the new government; first as the under secretary of interior (1923), then as the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs
As in most countries, in Italy the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which is the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is one of the most important ministerial positions...
(1929), and also served as Italy's ambassador to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(1932 to 1939). He was recalled to Italy in order to be appointed as the Minister of Justice. Dino Grandi was an ally to the most radical and violent groups of fascists, always surrounding himself with members of the Blackshirts. He used his position to voice criticism of Mussolini's attempt to reach an armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
with left-wingers, and was under suspicion for having attempted to replace the latter with the skeptical alleged Mussolini forerunner Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio or d'Annunzio was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, and dramatist...
.
As a diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, Grandi created a net of connections that were only rivaled by Mussolini's son-in-law, Galeazzo Ciano
Galeazzo Ciano
Gian Galeazzo Ciano, 2nd Count of Cortellazzo and Buccari was an Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Benito Mussolini's son-in-law. In early 1944 Count Ciano was shot by firing squad at the behest of his father-in-law, Mussolini under pressure from Nazi Germany.-Early life:Ciano was born in...
, and attempted to use it for his own gains. Thus, he persuaded King
King of Italy
King of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire...
Victor Emmanuel III
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III was a member of the House of Savoy and King of Italy . In addition, he claimed the crowns of Ethiopia and Albania and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Albania , which were unrecognised by the Great Powers...
to grant him a title, and managed to afford a comfortable position until being sent by Mussolini to the Greek Front
Greco-Italian War
The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Italy and Greece which lasted from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II...
in 1941.
Coup and later life
As World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(which Grandi opposed) began to have its devastating effect on Italy after Operation Husky
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
, Grandi and other members of the Fascist Grand Council met July 24, 1943. At this meeting, Grandi turned against Mussolini and made a motion asking King Victor Emmanuel III to resume his full constitutional authority. The resolution passed by a vote of 19 to 7, with one abstention — effectively removing Mussolini from office. Those leading government figures who had voted for the resolution included Giuseppe Bottai
Giuseppe Bottai
Guiseppe Bottai was an Italian lawyer, economist, journalist, and member of the National Fascist Party of Benito Mussolini.-Fascism:...
and Emilio De Bono
Emilio De Bono
Emilio De Bono was an Italian General, fascist activist, Marshal, and member of the Fascist Grand Council . De Bono fought in the Italo-Turkish War, World War I, and the Second Italo-Abyssinian War.-Early life:De Bono was born in Cassano d'Adda...
as well as Grandi. The king formally removed and arrested Mussolini the next day.
Grandi also negotiated a truce with the left-wing movements, notably with the trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s (grouped in the Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro), which gave way to the Italian resistance movement
Italian resistance movement
The Italian resistance is the umbrella term for the various partisan forces formed by pro-Allied Italians during World War II...
against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
While the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
occupied the south, an alternate Fascist government was established in Northern Italy as the Italian Social Republic
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
. It sentenced Grandi to death for treason in the Verona trial that took place in on January 8-10 1944. Grandi, however, had the foresight to flee to Franco's
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in August 1943. He lived there, then in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
(1943-1948), then Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and then São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil, until the 1960s; he died in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. Coincidentally, Grandi died on the same weekend as two post-war Italian Fascist leaders. Like Grandi, Pino Romualdi
Pino Romualdi
Giuseppe "Pino" Romualdi was an Italian right-wing politician who served both the Partito Fascista Repubblicano and the Movimento Sociale Italiano...
died on May 21, 1988, while Giorgio Almirante
Giorgio Almirante
Giorgio Almirante was an Italian politician, the founder and leader of the Italian Social Movement until his retirement in 1987.-Early life:...
died the following day.