Fernando Mezzasoma
Encyclopedia
Fernando Mezzasoma was an Italian
fascist
journalist and political figure.
, the son of middle-class Perugia
ns; from his late teens he showed himself to be a passionate supporter of Benito Mussolini
.
Mezzasoma had to contribute to his impovershed family's income from early on, and took several jobs before finishing studies in accounting. A secretary to the lawyer Amedeo Fani, he was integrated to the state bureaucracy
in 1929, after Fani became undersecretary to the ministry of Dino Grandi
(the Minister of Foreign Affairs
). In 1931, he joined the ranks of the National Fascist Party
(PNF), and soon after became secretary of the Perugia branch of the Gruppo Universitario Fascista (GUF), the Fascist student organization.
The following year, Mezzasoma was appointed one of the local PNF leaders in Perugia (holding the position until 1935). He began writing for official magazines, such as Dottrina Fascista and Roma Fascista, usually under the pen name
Diogene
. Editor of Assalto in 1934, he became co-editor of the GUF mouthpiece Libro e Moschetto; in 1937, he published Essenza dei GUF ("Essence of the GUF"), a propaganda
volume that was distributed throughout the network of Fascist youth organizations.
A national deputy-secretary of the GUF in 1935, he was included to the leadership group of the PNF in January 1937, and its deputy-secretary on February 23, 1939. When Italy entered World War II
as an Axis Power
, he volunteered for the 7th Artillery Division. In 1942, he quit the army to become the director of the Italian press; he continued in that role until 1943. Unlike a great many leading figures of the government (such as Galeazzo Ciano
and Dino Grandi
), he stayed loyal to Mussolini long after the July 1943 Grand Council of Fascism
crisis which ended the latter's rule in Rome
.
With the foundation of the Nazi Germany
-assisted Italian Social Republic
, he was appointed Mussolini's Minister of Popular Culture, and held this post until the Republic collapsed less than two years later.
He clashed with Junio Valerio Borghese
and, on April 19, 1945, left for Milano - parting with his collaborators (including Giorgio Almirante
). It seems that he had the opportunity to flee the region following Germany's defeat, but would have refused, saying: "I am a minister of Mussolini, I shall die with him".
He was shot by the partisans
in Dongo, captured while he was trying to make his way to Switzerland
.
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
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
journalist and political figure.
Biography
Mezzasoma was born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, the son of middle-class Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
ns; from his late teens he showed himself to be a passionate supporter of 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....
.
Mezzasoma had to contribute to his impovershed family's income from early on, and took several jobs before finishing studies in accounting. A secretary to the lawyer Amedeo Fani, he was integrated to the state bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
in 1929, after Fani became undersecretary to the ministry of Dino Grandi
Dino Grandi
Dino Grandi , Conte di Mordano, was an Italian Fascist politician, minister of justice, minister of foreign affairs and president of parliament.- Early life :...
(the 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...
). In 1931, he joined the ranks of the National Fascist Party
National Fascist Party
The National Fascist Party was an Italian political party, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of fascism...
(PNF), and soon after became secretary of the Perugia branch of the Gruppo Universitario Fascista (GUF), the Fascist student organization.
The following year, Mezzasoma was appointed one of the local PNF leaders in Perugia (holding the position until 1935). He began writing for official magazines, such as Dottrina Fascista and Roma Fascista, usually under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Diogene
Diogenes of Sinope
Diogenes the Cynic was a Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynic philosophy. Also known as Diogenes of Sinope , he was born in Sinope , an Ionian colony on the Black Sea , in 412 or 404 BCE and died at Corinth in 323 BCE.Diogenes of Sinope was a controversial figure...
. Editor of Assalto in 1934, he became co-editor of the GUF mouthpiece Libro e Moschetto; in 1937, he published Essenza dei GUF ("Essence of the GUF"), a propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
volume that was distributed throughout the network of Fascist youth organizations.
A national deputy-secretary of the GUF in 1935, he was included to the leadership group of the PNF in January 1937, and its deputy-secretary on February 23, 1939. When Italy entered World War II
World 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...
as an Axis Power
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
, he volunteered for the 7th Artillery Division. In 1942, he quit the army to become the director of the Italian press; he continued in that role until 1943. Unlike a great many leading figures of the government (such as 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 Dino Grandi
Dino Grandi
Dino Grandi , Conte di Mordano, was an Italian Fascist politician, minister of justice, minister of foreign affairs and president of parliament.- Early life :...
), he stayed loyal to Mussolini long after the July 1943 Grand Council of Fascism
Grand Council of Fascism
The Grand Council of Fascism was the main body of Mussolini's Fascist government in Italy. A body which held and applied great power to control the institutions of government, it was created as a party body in 1923 and became a state body on 9 December 1928....
crisis which ended the latter's rule in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
With the foundation of the 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...
-assisted 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...
, he was appointed Mussolini's Minister of Popular Culture, and held this post until the Republic collapsed less than two years later.
He clashed with Junio Valerio Borghese
Junio Valerio Borghese
Prince Junio Valerio Scipione Borghese was an Italian Navy commander during the regime of Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party and was a prominent hard-line fascist politician in post-war Italy.-Early career:Junio Valerio Borghese was born in Artena, Province of Rome, Kingdom of Italy...
and, on April 19, 1945, left for Milano - parting with his collaborators (including 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:...
). It seems that he had the opportunity to flee the region following Germany's defeat, but would have refused, saying: "I am a minister of Mussolini, I shall die with him".
He was shot by the partisans
Italian resistance movement
The Italian resistance is the umbrella term for the various partisan forces formed by pro-Allied Italians during World War II...
in Dongo, captured while he was trying to make his way to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.