Pablo Ricchieri
Encyclopedia
Pablo Ricchieri was an Argentine Army officer and Minister of War during the second Administration of President Julio Roca.
to Catalina Chufardi and Lazzaro Ricchieri, both Italian immigrants
from the Region of Liguria
. He enrolled at the National War College on a scholarship, and graduated with honors in 1879 as a Second Lieutenant. He subsequently completed higher studies at the Royal Military Academy of Belgium
, in Brussels
. where he presented a thesis on the defense of Belgium
and earned an officer's degree in 1883.
Ricchieri was promoted to Captain and returned to Argentina in 1886. The following year, he was transferred to the Argentine Embassy in Berlin
as a military attaché
. He was named director of the European bureau of the Argentine Armaments Commission in 1890 and of the Technical Commission on Armaments in 1895, in which capacity he purchased a large shipment of new Mauser
rifle
s for the Argentine Army
. He was named Colonel, and in 1898 returned to Argentina as Director General of the National War Arsenal.
President Julio Roca subsequently appointed Ricchieri Army Chief of Staff, and on July 13, 1900, citing his "intelligent furor and single-minded dedication to our military procurement needs," President Roca named him the nation's War Minister. His tenure was marked by ongoing efforts to modernize the Argentine Armed Forces amid tensions in Argentina-Chile relations
resulting from the Beagle
and Puna de Atacama dispute
s. Ricchieri reorganized the War Department; restored the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers (protagonists during the Argentine War of Independence
and the Argentina-Brazil War
, though inactive since 1826); streamlined the National War College and other instructional institutions, enacting standardized testing; commissioned the establishment of Army bases of Campo de Mayo
(Greater Buenos Aires
), General Paz
(Córdoba
), Campo de los Andes
(Mendoza), Paracao (Paraná), and General Belgrano
(Salta
); and divided the Army into twenty (later, seven) geographic regions. He also advanced the landmark Law 4.301 (the Ricchieri Act) of 1901, which mandated compulsory military service
for a minimum of one year for able-bodied Argentine men at age 18; conscription (colloquially known in Argentina as la colimba) would remain in force until 1995.
Ricchieri supported proposed military action against neighboring Chile
over ongoing border disputes. War, however, was averted by the May Pacts
and the Treaty of Arbitration
, both signed in 1902. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in 1904 and retired from his post as War Minister upon the end of President Roca's term in October. He served briefly as Director of the National War College between October 1904 and January 1905.
He again served as Army Chief of Staff and was promoted to the rank of Major General in 1910. Ricchieri believed the military should remain a disinterested party in Argentine politics. He nevertheless lent his support in 1909 to UCR
leader Hipólito Yrigoyen
's call for universal male suffrage
and the secret ballot
(reforms opposed by the ruling National Autonomist Party
). These reforms were ultimately enacted with the Sáenz Peña Law
of 1912.
Ricchieri and explorer Francisco Moreno
co-founded the Argentine Boy Scouts Association
on July 4, 1912; he served as its first secretary, during Moreno's tenure as President of Scouts de Argentina, and succeeded Moreno as its president upon the latter's death in 1919. Ricchieri was commissioned in 1916 to prepare a situational appraisal of World War I
for the Argentine Government, which at that point considered enlisting troops to the aid of the Triple Entente
allies. He retired in 1922 as a Lieutenant General.
Twelve years later, in recognition of his distinguished military service, he was promoted to Army General by President Agustín Justo. Ricchieri was also honored abroad, receiving the Order of the Red Eagle
(Germany
), merit badges from Chile and France
, and an appointment as Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
.
He died in Buenos Aires in 1936 and was buried with the highest military honors in La Recoleta Cemetery
. National Route A002
, which links Buenos Aires to the Ministro Pistarini International Airport
, was named in his honor in 1952.
Life and times
Ricchieri was born in San Lorenzo, Santa FeSan Lorenzo, Santa Fe
San Lorenzo is a city in the south of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, located 23 km north of Rosario, on the western shore of the Paraná River, and forming one end of the Greater Rosario metropolitan area...
to Catalina Chufardi and Lazzaro Ricchieri, both Italian immigrants
Italian Argentine
An Italian Argentine is a person born in Argentina of Italian ancestry. It is estimated up to 25 million Argentines have some degree of Italian descent...
from the Region of Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
. He enrolled at the National War College on a scholarship, and graduated with honors in 1879 as a Second Lieutenant. He subsequently completed higher studies at the Royal Military Academy of Belgium
Royal Military Academy (Belgium)
The Royal Military Academy is the military university of Belgium. The school is responsible for the education of the officers of the four components of the Belgian defence . The school is located in Brussels in a building construct by the architects Henri Maquet and Henri Van Dievoet...
, in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. where he presented a thesis on the defense of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and earned an officer's degree in 1883.
Ricchieri was promoted to Captain and returned to Argentina in 1886. The following year, he was transferred to the Argentine Embassy in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
as a military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
. He was named director of the European bureau of the Argentine Armaments Commission in 1890 and of the Technical Commission on Armaments in 1895, in which capacity he purchased a large shipment of new Mauser
Mauser
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces...
rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
s for the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
. He was named Colonel, and in 1898 returned to Argentina as Director General of the National War Arsenal.
President Julio Roca subsequently appointed Ricchieri Army Chief of Staff, and on July 13, 1900, citing his "intelligent furor and single-minded dedication to our military procurement needs," President Roca named him the nation's War Minister. His tenure was marked by ongoing efforts to modernize the Argentine Armed Forces amid tensions in Argentina-Chile relations
Argentina-Chile relations
Argentina–Chile relations refers to interstate relations between the Republic of Chile and the Argentine Republic. Argentina and Chile share the world's third-longest international border, which is long and runs from north to the south along the Andes mountains...
resulting from the Beagle
Beagle conflict
The Beagle Conflict was a border dispute between Chile and Argentina over the possession of Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands and the scope of the maritime jurisdiction associated with those islands that brought the countries to the brink of war in 1978....
and Puna de Atacama dispute
Puna de Atacama dispute
The Puna de Atacama dispute was a border dispute involving Argentina, Chile and Bolivia in the 19th century over the arid high plateau of Puna de Atacama located about 4500 m.a.s.l...
s. Ricchieri reorganized the War Department; restored the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers (protagonists during the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
and the Argentina-Brazil War
Argentina-Brazil War
The Cisplatine War or the Argentine–Brazilian War was an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" in the 1820s between the United Provinces of River Plate and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.-Background:Led by...
, though inactive since 1826); streamlined the National War College and other instructional institutions, enacting standardized testing; commissioned the establishment of Army bases of Campo de Mayo
Campo de Mayo
Campo de Mayo is a military base located in Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina, northwest of Buenos Aires.Campo de Mayo covers an area of and is one of the most important military bases in Argentina, including Argentine Army's:...
(Greater Buenos Aires
Greater Buenos Aires
Greater Buenos Aires is the generic denomination to refer to the megalopolis comprising the autonomous city of Buenos Aires and the conurbation around it, over the province of Buenos Aires—namely the adjacent 24 partidos or municipalities—which nonetheless do not constitute a single administrative...
), General Paz
José María Paz
Brigadier General José María Paz y Haedo was an Argentine military figure, notable in the Argentine War of Independence and the Argentine Civil War.-Childhood:...
(Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
), Campo de los Andes
8th Mountain Infantry Brigade (Argentina)
The 8th Mountain Infantry Brigade is a unit of the Argentine Army specialised in Mountain warfare. The headquarters of the Brigade is based on Mendoza, Mendoza Province...
(Mendoza), Paracao (Paraná), and General Belgrano
Manuel Belgrano
Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano , usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano, was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader. He took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and created the Flag of Argentina...
(Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
); and divided the Army into twenty (later, seven) geographic regions. He also advanced the landmark Law 4.301 (the Ricchieri Act) of 1901, which mandated compulsory military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
for a minimum of one year for able-bodied Argentine men at age 18; conscription (colloquially known in Argentina as la colimba) would remain in force until 1995.
Ricchieri supported proposed military action against neighboring Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
over ongoing border disputes. War, however, was averted by the May Pacts
Pactos de Mayo
The Pactos de Mayo are four protocols signed in Santiago de Chile by Chile and Argentina on 28 May 1902 in order to extend their relations and resolve its territorial disputes. The disputes had led both countries to increase their military budgets and run an arms race in the 1890s.1. - Acta...
and the Treaty of Arbitration
Treaty of Arbitration between Chile and Argentina of 1902
The Cordillera of the Andes Boundary Case 1902 , was a British arbitration that established the present day boundaries between Argentina and Chile in Patagonia between the latitudes of 40° and 52° S as a interpretation of the Boundary treaty of 1881 between Chile and Argentina...
, both signed in 1902. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in 1904 and retired from his post as War Minister upon the end of President Roca's term in October. He served briefly as Director of the National War College between October 1904 and January 1905.
He again served as Army Chief of Staff and was promoted to the rank of Major General in 1910. Ricchieri believed the military should remain a disinterested party in Argentine politics. He nevertheless lent his support in 1909 to UCR
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
leader Hipólito Yrigoyen
Hipólito Yrigoyen
Juan Hipólito del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Irigoyen Alem was twice President of Argentina . His activism became the prime impetus behind the obtainment of universal suffrage in Argentina in 1912...
's call for universal male suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
and the secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
(reforms opposed by the ruling National Autonomist Party
National Autonomist Party
The National Autonomist Party was an Argentine political party during the 1874-1916 period. Created on March 15, 1874 by the union of the Autonomist Party of Adolfo Alsina and the National Party of Nicolás Avellaneda...
). These reforms were ultimately enacted with the Sáenz Peña Law
Sáenz Peña Law
The Sáenz Peña Law was Law 8871 of Argentina, sanctioned by the National Congress on 10 February 1912, which established the universal, secret and mandatory male suffrage though the creation of an electoral list...
of 1912.
Ricchieri and explorer Francisco Moreno
Francisco Moreno
Francisco Pascacio Moreno was a prominent explorer and academic in Argentina, where he is usually referred to as Perito Moreno...
co-founded the Argentine Boy Scouts Association
Scouts de Argentina
Scouts de Argentina is one of the national Scouting associations of Argentina.Scouting was officially founded in Argentina in 1912, shortly after the publication of "Scouting For Boys" in Spanish, was granted a National Charter in 1917, and was among the charter members of the World Organization...
on July 4, 1912; he served as its first secretary, during Moreno's tenure as President of Scouts de Argentina, and succeeded Moreno as its president upon the latter's death in 1919. Ricchieri was commissioned in 1916 to prepare a situational appraisal of 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...
for the Argentine Government, which at that point considered enlisting troops to the aid of the Triple Entente
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was the name given to the alliance among Britain, France and Russia after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907....
allies. He retired in 1922 as a Lieutenant General.
Twelve years later, in recognition of his distinguished military service, he was promoted to Army General by President Agustín Justo. Ricchieri was also honored abroad, receiving the Order of the Red Eagle
Order of the Red Eagle
The Order of the Red Eagle was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
), merit badges from Chile and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and an appointment as Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...
.
He died in Buenos Aires in 1936 and was buried with the highest military honors in La Recoleta Cemetery
La Recoleta Cemetery
La Recoleta Cemetery is a famous cemetery located in the exclusive Recoleta neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It contains the graves of notable people, including Eva Perón, Raúl Alfonsín, and several presidents of Argentina.- History :...
. National Route A002
National Route A002 (Argentina)
National Route A002 Autopista Teniente General Pablo Riccheri connects Avenida General Paz with Ministro Pistarini International Airport ....
, which links Buenos Aires to the Ministro Pistarini International Airport
Ministro Pistarini International Airport
Ministro Pistarini International Airport , more commonly known as Ezeiza International Airport owing to its location within the Ezeiza Partido in the Greater Buenos Aires, is an international airport located south-southwest of Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina...
, was named in his honor in 1952.