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Mussolini revealed as racist in diaries
Source: Agencies |
November 18, 2009, Wednesday
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BENITO Mussolini was a fierce anti-Semite, who proudly said his hatred for Jews preceded Adolf Hitler's and vowed to "destroy them all," according to previously unpublished diaries by the Fascist dictator's mistress.
The diaries said Mussolini talked about the warm reception he received from Hitler at the 1938 Munich Conference. He called the German leader a "softy" and attacked Pope Pius XI for his criticism of Nazism and Fascism.
On a more intimate note, Mussolini was explicit about his sexual appetites for his mistress and said he regretted having affairs.
Racial laws
The diaries kept by Claretta Petacci, Mussolini's mistress, between 1932 and 1938, are the subject of a book coming out this week entitled "Secret Mussolini." Excerpts were published on Monday by Italy's leading daily Corriere della Sera and confirmed by publisher Rizzoli.
Historians said the diaries appeared to be convincing and reinforced the image that Mussolini was strongly anti-Semitic, even though early on there was some Jewish support for his Fascist movement.
But they cautioned that these were the diaries of the dictator's lover - not Mussolini himself - and therefore must be taken with "an extra grain of salt."
Corriere said the diaries shed new light on Mussolini, who had been seen as more obsequious toward the pope and "dubious" over Italy's racial laws, which led to persecution of Italian Jews.
Many of the excerpts that were published date to 1938, a crucial year during which Mussolini's Fascist regime passed the racial laws and Europe sealed its appeasement toward Nazi Germany at the Munich Conference.
The diaries said Mussolini talked about the warm reception he received from Hitler at the 1938 Munich Conference. He called the German leader a "softy" and attacked Pope Pius XI for his criticism of Nazism and Fascism.
On a more intimate note, Mussolini was explicit about his sexual appetites for his mistress and said he regretted having affairs.
Racial laws
The diaries kept by Claretta Petacci, Mussolini's mistress, between 1932 and 1938, are the subject of a book coming out this week entitled "Secret Mussolini." Excerpts were published on Monday by Italy's leading daily Corriere della Sera and confirmed by publisher Rizzoli.
Historians said the diaries appeared to be convincing and reinforced the image that Mussolini was strongly anti-Semitic, even though early on there was some Jewish support for his Fascist movement.
But they cautioned that these were the diaries of the dictator's lover - not Mussolini himself - and therefore must be taken with "an extra grain of salt."
Corriere said the diaries shed new light on Mussolini, who had been seen as more obsequious toward the pope and "dubious" over Italy's racial laws, which led to persecution of Italian Jews.
Many of the excerpts that were published date to 1938, a crucial year during which Mussolini's Fascist regime passed the racial laws and Europe sealed its appeasement toward Nazi Germany at the Munich Conference.
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