PRIME MINISTER BENITO (IL DUCE) MUSSOLINI (ITALY) - AUTOGRAPHED SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH 3/1932 - HFSID 40811

BENITO MUSSOLINI
5x8 photo of him reading a paper, inscribed, signed and dated on the mount
Photograph Mount inscribed and signed: "A Arianna Mikelina/Roma 10 marzo 1932 - X Mussolini" in Italian. B/w, 7¼x10¾ overall, image 5¼x8 (two surfaces). The "X" penned by Mussolini next to "1932" indicates the tenth year that the Fascists had been in power. Benito Mussolini (1883-1945), a member of the Italian Parliament, had led a Fascist march on Rome in 1922. When the Cabinet resigned, King Victor Emmanuel asked Mussolini to form a ministry. Il Duce (The Leader) of the Fascists took over a number of ministries himself. He changed the electoral law to assure Fascist control of government and, by 1925, openly instituted a dictatorship (which would last until 1943), suppressing all opposition parties and newspapers. In 1929, a concordat with the Vatican was signed in which the Italian state was finally recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. Beginning in the 1930s, Mussolini instituted rigid governmental control of the country's industries and large sums were spent on public works. After Achille Starace became Secretary of the Fascist Party in December 1931, just three months before this photograph was signed, he proclaimed that all meetings and public occasions would begin with the official Roman "salute to the Duce" and that all Fascists would wear military-style uniforms. Mussolini, who was finally deposed and arrested on July 25, 1943, was rescued by the Germans several months later and set up a Fascist state in Northern Italy. In April 1945, as the Allied armies were approaching Milan, Mussolini was captured and executed by Italian partisans as he attempted to seek refuge in Switzerland. Diagonal crease at lower right margin touches the "ol" of Mussolini. Mounting remnants on verso show through at blank margins, which are also lightly soiled, touching writing (all completely legible). Minor defects touch forehead of facial image. Overall, fair condition.