- Fernando Mezzasoma
Fernando Mezzasoma (
August 3 ,1907 –April 28 ,1945 ) was an Italian fascist journalist and political figure.Biography
Mezzasoma was born in
Rome , the son of middle-classPerugia ns; from his late teens he showed himself to be a passionate supporter ofBenito Mussolini .Mezzasoma had to contribute to his empovershed family's income from early on, and took several jobs before finishing studies in
accounting . A secretary to the lawyerAmedeo Fani , he was integrated to the statebureaucracy in 1929, after Fani became undersecretary to the ministry ofDino Grandi (the Minister of Foreign Affairs). In 1931, he joined the ranks of theNational Fascist Party (PNF), and soon after became secretary of the Perugia branch of theGruppo Universitario Fascista (GUF), the Fasciststudent 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"), apropaganda volume that was distributed throughout the network of Fascistyouth organization s.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 enteredWorld 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 asGaleazzo Ciano andDino Grandi ), he stayed loyal to Mussolini long after the July 1943Grand Council of Fascism crisis which ended the latter's rule inRome .With the foundation of the
Nazi Germany -assistedItalian 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, onApril 19 ,1945 , left forMilano - parting with his collaborators (includingGiorgio 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 .References
* [http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/ITALY/Italy-Govt.html Short bios of Fascist leaders]
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