The Body Of Il Duce: Mussolini's Corpse And The Fortunes Of Italy - Hardcover

Luzzatto, Sergio A.; Randall, Frederika T.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805066462 ISBN 13: 9780805066463

Publisher: Metropolitan Books, 2005

Synopsis

A brilliant young historian follows the odyssey of Mussolini's body in an original exploration of the history and legacy of Italian Fascism

Bullet-ridden, spat on, butchered bloody: this was the fate of Il Duce, strung up beside his dead mistress in a Milan square, as reviled in death as he was adored in life. With Italy's defeat in World War II, the cult of Benito Mussolini's physical self was brought to its grotesque denouement by a frenzied, jeering crowd of thousands-one eerily similar to the cheering throngs that had once roared their approval beneath Il Duce's balcony.

In this groundbreaking work, Sergio Luzzatto traces the fortunes of the Fascist dictator's body: from his charisma, virility, and magnetic domination of Fascist parades, to his humiliating execution, the ugly display of his remains, and beyond. Buried, exhumed, stolen, and hidden for ten years, Il Duce's corpse was finally laid to rest, a shrine for fanatical followers. Through this pursuit, Luzzatto shows how in a totalitarian state the body of the ruler comes to incarnate the nation. And from the indignities visited on Mussolini's corpse, Luzzatto crafts a subtle social and intellectual history of a country struggling to become a republic and free itself from the thrall of Fascism.

Elegantly written and stunningly conceived, alive with never-before-published letters, diaries, and reports, The Body of Il Duce cuts a new and compelling path through twentieth-century history.

About this title

Synopsis:

Bullet-ridden, spat on, strung up in a Milan square: this was the fate of II Duce, as reviled in death as he was adored in life. With Italy's defeat in World War II, the cult of Benito Mussolini's physical self was brought to its grotesque denouement by a jeering crowd of thousands - one eerily similar to the throngs that had once roared their approval beneath his balcony. In this groundbreaking work, Sergio Luzzatto traces the fortunes of Mussolini's body from his charismatic domination of Fascist parades to his humiliating execution and beyond, as his corpse was buried, exhumed, stolen, and secreted away for ten years. Through this pursuit, Luzzatto demonstrates how, in a totalitarian state, the ruler's body comes to incarnate the nation. Elegantly written and stunningly conceived, "The Body of Il Duce" is a compelling history of a country struggling to free itself from the thrall of Fascism.

About the Author:

Sergio Luzzatto is a professor of modern history at the University of Turin, Italy. He is the author of four works of history, and a regular contributor to the leading Italian dailies La Stampa and Corriere della Sera.

About this edition

• Publisher: Metropolitan Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0805066462
• ISBN 13: 9780805066463
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 258