Giorgio Almirante

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Giorgio Almirante.

Giorgio Almirante (June 27, 1914 - May 22, 1988) was an Italian politician, the founder and leader of the Italian Social Movement until his retirement in 1987.

Almirante was born at Salsomaggiore Terme, in Emilia Romagna. He spent his childhood following his parents, who worked in the stage world, in Turin and Rome. Here he studied under Giovanni Gentile, the then pre-eminent pro-fascist philosopher. He graduated in Literature in 1937.

He began his political career as a journalist for Il Tevere, a fascist newspaper published in Rome. A minor figure in the Fascist Party, Almirante helped to organise the Italian Social Republic, being appointed Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Culture in 1944. After the collapse of the Salò Republic, Almirante, who was seen as a minor figure, set about forming the Social Movement and immediately made himself leader.

Almirante fell out of the leadership for a long period between 1954 and 1969, when Arturo Michelini took charge and began to move the party more towards the Monarchists and Christian Democrats. During this time he became leader of what was sometimes called the 'leftist' faction within the party, that sought to establish Fascism as a cure for economic woes. By this time Almirante had largely broken with the spiritual dimensions of Julius Evola, a man of whom he had previously been a staunch follower (leadership of the Evola wing fell to Pino Rauti).

After Michelini's death in 1969, Almirante returned to the leadership and demonstrated a new moderation in leadership, removing Fascist symbols in 1970, declaring an acceptance of the democratic system in Italy and overseeing a merger with some monarchist groups in 1973. For Almirante, who had been blamed on having links to coup attempts in the 1960s and had been investigated for possible connections to Ordine Nuovo, these were important steps in both personal and party rehabilitation. Guiding the party in the 1970s and 1980s, Almirante also groomed his successor Gianfranco Fini.

Feeling that the party was being run as Almirante's private property, Rauti challenged the veteran leader in 1987, but was defeated at the party's annual conference. Following his victory, Almirante stepped down and handed over the reins to his protege Fini.

He died in Rome on May 22, 1988 aged 73.

[edit] References

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved!)
Any material not supported by sources may be challenged and removed at any time. This article has been tagged since October 2006.