On this day, 28 April 1945, Italy’s fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, was executed by anti-fascist partisans in the village of Giulino de Mezzegra, northern Italy.
After his reign of terror was deposed in 1943, Mussolini was broken from captivity by Nazi troops, and put in charge of a puppet government in northern Italy, which was occupied by Germany.
As more of Italy was liberated by partisan and Allied forces, he tried to escape to Switzerland disguised in a German uniform. But he was spotted by a resistance member who called out “We’ve got Big-Head!”
Mussolini was executed near Lake Como alongside a number of other senior fascists and his mistress. Their bodies were then taken to Milan and dumped in Piazzale Loreto in the early hours of the following morning, where they were soon hung up from the frame of a petrol station in order to protect them from the angry crowd.
The previous year, the Milan Gestapo had publicly executed 15 Italian partisans in that square and hung their bodies there for several days. Subsequently, Mussolini was reported to have said “for the blood of Piazzale Loreto, we shall pay dearly.”
*
We are currently working on a podcast miniseries with interviews we have conducted with surviving Italian partisans, aged between 90 and 100 years old. Our patreon supporters make all of our work possible, and they also get first listen of our podcast episodes as well as exclusive bonus content. So if you can, please consider joining us at https://patreon.com/workingclasshistory https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1974729072712233/?type=3