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Edoardo (Dino) Alfieri | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of Popular Culture | |
| In office 11 June 1936 – 31 October 1939 | |
| Preceded by | Galeazzo Ciano |
| Succeeded by | Alessandro Pavolini |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1886-06-08)8 June 1886[1] |
| Died | 2 January 1966(1966-01-02) (aged 79) |
| Political party | PNF |
| Spouse | Carlotta Bonomi (m. 1920) |
| Profession | Lawyer, diplomat |
Edoardo (Dino) Alfieri[2] (8 June 1886 – 2 January 1966) was an Italian fascist politician and diplomat. He served asBenito Mussolini's press and propaganda minister and ambassador toBerlin.
Alfieri was born inBologna in 1886 to Antonio and Maria Bedogni.[3] Growing up, he was politically active, joining the Nationalist Association in 1910.[4]
He completed his law degree at the University of Genoa in 1915 and shortly thereafter volunteer for military service. Alfieri was quickly promoted to lieutenant earning a bronze medal in 1916 and silver medal for military valor in 1917. He was discharged in July 1919.[4]
In 1911, he finished law studies and soon after joined the nationalist group formed byEnrico Corradini. A volunteer inWorld War I, he was critical of the merger between Corradini's group andBenito Mussolini'sNational Fascist Party (PNF). Nonetheless, he was elected to theItalian Chamber of Deputies on the PNF list in 1924.
Under Mussolini's government, Alfieri was assigned several tasks: between 1929 and 1934, he was co-director of theExhibition of the Fascist Revolution, deputy secretary of theCorporazioni, and deputy secretary for Press and Propaganda from 1935, assuming the duties of MinisterGaleazzo Ciano during the latter's mission in theSecond Italo-Abyssinian War. When Ciano moved on to becomeMinister of Foreign Affairs, Dino Alfieri found himself appointed Minister of People's Culture in 1937, and declared himself in favour ofAntisemiticalracial segregation laws passed in 1938.
He was Italy's envoy to theHoly See starting 7 November 1939, and five months later toNazi Germany, where he often metAdolf Hitler. While there, he was constantly helping out Italian workers and consulate staff. As the war progressed and Italy needed help, he attempted to solicit material aid from Germany, but despite assurances, little came of it. When the war began to deteriorate for the Axis, he wrote communiques and expressed verbally to Mussolini that the Germans saw Italy simply as abuffer state from the encroaching allies and urged the Duce to seek peace with the Allies but simultaneously assured the Germans that Italy was not betraying them.
In July 1943, Alfieri was called to Rome by members of the Grand Council in order to participate in a meeting. It is unclear as to whether he truly realized what was being proposed at the meeting. A member of theGrand Council of Fascism, Alfieri voted in favor ofDino Grandi'scoup d'état in July 1943, that led to Mussolini's arrest and fall from power of the Italian Fascist government.[5]
When the GermanWehrmacht occupied Italy (seeOperation Achse), Alfieri fled toSwitzerland.
In January 1944, he wassentenced to deathin absentia by akangaroo court during theVerona trial. The Swiss government did not give him political asylum but tolerated his attendance inSwitzerland.
On 12 November 1946, an Italian court stated his innocence. On 6 February 1947, an inquiry of theItalian Foreign Ministry ended. Then, he was officially pensioned off.
In 1947, Alfieri returned to Italy and a year later published his memoirs asDue dittatori di fronte ("[Two] Dictators Face to Face"). The book reveals little about Italian and German relations during the war beyond personal recollections.[6]
Alfieri died in a Milan hospital on 2 January 1966. Details about his death were withheld for three days. At the time of his death, Alfieri was president of Mitam,[7] a textile and clothing manufacturers association.[3]
Media related toDino Alfieri at Wikimedia Commons
Members of theMussolini Cabinet | ||
|---|---|---|
| Head of government andduce of Fascism |  | |
| Minister of Aeronautics (since 1925) | ||
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | ||
| Minister of Agriculture (abolished in 1923) | ||
| Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (since 1929) | ||
| Minister of the Colonies (abolished in 1937) | ||
| Minister of Italian Africa (since 1937) | ||
| Minister of Communications (since 1924) | ||
| Minister of Corporations (since 1926) | ||
| Ministry of Popular Culture (since 1937) | ||
| Minister of the Interior | ||
| Minister of Domestic Economy | ||
| Minister of Domestic Education | ||
| Minister of Finance | ||
| Minister of Justice and Affairs of Religion | ||
| Minister of Industry and Commerce | ||
| Minister of Public Works | ||
| Minister of War | ||
| Minister of Labour and Social Security | ||
| Minister of Posts and Telegraphs | ||
| Minister of War Production (since 6 February 1943) | ||
| Minister of Public Education | ||
| Minister of Trades and Currencies | ||
| Minister of Press and Propaganda | ||
| Minister of Freed Territories from Enemies (abolished on 5 February 1923) | ||
| Minister of Treasure (merged into Ministry of Finance on 31 December 1922) | ||
