© 2012 Perantoni (all rights reserved) · colonial dominions in the lands of the Mediterranean basin, and fascist legionaires were also involved in a military campaign against Spain’s

© 2012 Perantoni (all rights reserved)


1. In the 1930’s, Benito Mussolini’s fascist Italy was aggressively expanding its

colonial dominions in the lands of the Mediterranean basin, and fascist legionaires

were also involved in a military campaign against Spain’s Bolshevism in the west.

Later, when seeking control of the Adriatic sea, Mussolini’s attention turned to

the Macedonian lands of Greece and Albania in the east.

This blue ‘Two Lire’ airmail stamp depicts an arrow-launch by an

ancient Roman “sagittarium” archer regiment, which is an accurate

representation of Italy’s fascist politics of the period.

2. The fascist legionary soldier planting ancient Roman

standard depicts fascist Italy’s unification of its north-

African colonies, involving primarily Ethiopia, Somalia,

and Eritrea, into the new protectorate of the “Africa

Orientale Italiana”, as part of Italy’s ongoing endeavor

to obtain a land-corridor connecting the Mediterranean

sea to the Pacific Ocean, via the Indian Ocean.

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Fascist letter-seal (Italian Albania)

1930 “Sagittarium” air-mail stamp

1938 Fascist Legionary


3. Later that period, Benito Mussolini made the critical and

fatal blunder of joining with Adolf Hitler into the alliance of

friendship renown as the “Pact of Steel”, an ill-fated alliance

which would eventually lead to the fall of fascist Italy.

This 75-cent stamp commemorated the “Pact of Steel”

between IL Duce and Der Fuhrer.

Unlike Hitler, whose nazi government lasted approximately

half the duration of Mussolini’s fascist government, Hitler’s

face appeared on several German stamps during the 1930’s,

whereas this Italian “Pact of Steel” stamp (one of a 6-stamp

set) is the only stamp in which Mussolini appears on official

Italian postage, not by himself, but alongside Adolf Hitler.

4. The Mussolini-Hitler “Pact of Steel” lead Italy into a Euro-

pean war which many Italians had tacitly opposed. In 1940 a

new pact was formed, the “Tripartite Pact” between Rome,

Berlin, and Tokyo (acronym: Ro-Ber-To, “Roberto”), and now

Italians were being drawn into war against the rest of the

world. However, except for the increase of military activities,

war was not being felt in the Italian homeland. Even as late as

1942 when the war was raging throughout several European

countries, and on lands of the Pacific ocean, the Italian people

were still enjoying life as usual as indicated by this 1942 stamp

commemorating the 150th anniversary of the famous Italian

composer Gioacchino Antonio Rossini’s birth.

5. The war, however, was coming closer to home as the Allied

forces were poised in north Africa in preparation of an immi-

nent attack on the Italian mainland. An invasion of Italy

would be an attack in “the soft underbelly of Europe”, as was

described by Sir Winston Churchill. But the office of fascist

propaganda kept the Italian people in the dark about such

strategic war information. This July 1943 stamp from San

Marino commemorates fascism and fascist propaganda, with

an overprint celebrating philatelic activities in Italy and in

San Marino ... only one week prior to allied forces’ landing in

Sicily … only one week prior to the allied attack on Italy.

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The Pact of Steel, 1941


6. The attack on Sicily was a rude awakening for the Italian people, and the grim reality of an immi-

nent invasion of their homeland. Consequently, later in July the Fascist Grand Council dismissed

Mussolini as their leader. The next day, on 25 July 1943, King Victor Emmanuel III had Mussolini

arrested and imprisoned, and soon afterwards the National Fascist Party was dissolved. Hitler came

to the rescue of his dear friend, and less than 2 months later, on 12 September, German special forces

raided the facility where Mussolini was being kept, and they rescued him. Subsequently, Mussolini

and Hitler established a new fascist front to oppose the Allies advancing northward, and they founded

a new fascist government with headquarters in the town of Salo’ on lake Garda. Without delay the

restored Duce disarmed the Italian Police Force (Carabinieri) and replaced it with the new “Guardia

Nazionale Republicana” (GNR) who were loyal Fascists willing to cooperate with the German Army.

This above green stamp was overprinted “GNR” ironically over the King’s profile. It was a 1943

local issue from the city of Brescia, not far from Mussolini’s new headquarters in Salo’.

7. Stamps and postal services were important sources of income for Mussolini’s new fascist govern-

ment, which was named “La Repubblica Sociale Italiana” (RSI). In January 1944, prior to printing

their own stamps, the RSI post offices overprinted the new government’s name and/or fascist symbols

directly over the King’s image on existing issues. It was a sardonic statement for the rest of Italy.

These 3 stamps are samples of such overprints.

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8. The new RSI fascist government’s overprints went on until spring of 1944, adding overprints for

special delivery and authorized delivery stamps in April 1944. The war propaganda stamps of 1942

were especially used (with overprints) as an effort to tell the Italian people that the war against the

Allies was not lost, and Italy was still headed for victory. These 3 stamps are samples.

Arms and hearts must be aimed to the objective


9. Then by June the RSI began printing its own original stamps, and overprints were no

longer needed. Notable is the stamp depicting a drummer boy calling its people to arms

(all’armi, all’armi!). Also, a stamp of enduring defiance depicting the image of “Roman

Italia” wearing fortifications on its head and carrying the ancient Roman ‘fascio’ war axe.

Note also that the first RSI stamp for special delivery depicts the cathedral of Palermo,

and was issued long after Sicily had capitulated to the side of the Allies.

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10. During the summer of 1944 the RSI began

printing a series of stamps to commemorate ancient

buildings and monuments destroyed by Allied

bombings. Each stamp is titled in ancient latin

“Hostium Rabies Diruit” which translates

“Destroyed by enemy violence”. The first two

issues, 20₵ Loggia dei Mercanti (Bologna) and the

25₵ church of San Lorenzo (Rome), were reissued a

second time later that summer for a better design.

“ Hostium Rabies Diruit “ : Destroyed by enemy violence

“to Arms to Arms!”

“People born to conquer

as victor, and as victim too.”

By Giacomo Leopardi

BOLOGNA (1944) Loggia dei Mercanti

ROMA (1944) S. Lorenzo

Back to war in ‘44


11. There were many monuments and churches being destroyed by Allied bombings, and

the RSI postal printers had no shortage for their commemorations. Bologna’s 20₵ Loggia

dei Mercanti and Rome’s 25₵ San Lorenzo were reissued in the new and improved design,

followed by San Ciraico of Ancona, and then two denominations of Milano’s Santa Maria

delle Grazie, and two denominations for the Abbey of Montecassino.

12. By late 1944 it was obvious to most Italians that the war was lost,

and even the German soldiers stationed in the RSI had became disillu-

sioned of Hitler’s promise of a 1000-year Reich. The Allied forces

were rapidly advancing northward, still the RSI remained defiant

even as German troops were gradually retreating toward the alpine

foothills of north Italy. This stamp commemorates the hundred-year

anniversary of the execution of the loyalist Bandiera Brothers (which

by chance, the name Bandiera actually means “flag” in Italian). The

stamp was issued by the fascist RSI in December, likely as an attempt

to fuel patriotism (or martyrdom) in the face of the advancing Allies.

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Hostium Rabies Diruit “Destroyed by enemy violence”

ROMA— S. Lorenzo (2nd edition)

Abbazia di Montecassino

MILANO—S. Maria delle Grazie

ANCONA—S. Ciraico (completely destroyed)

MILANO—S. Maria delle Grazie

Abbazia di Montecassino

BOLOGNA (2nd edition) Loggia dei Mercanti


14. Following a brief period of Allied Military

Government (AMG), Italy was committed to

correcting all wrongs, making a new start, and

establishing a new republic. These two stamps

were issued in the fall of 1945 to celebrate a new

vision (“Torch of Enlightenment” a new light),

and to promote “new Italian Unification and

Justice” (depicted by scales and a family).

15. Soon afterward the new Italian Postal

system issued the next two stamps depict-

ing the “Rebirth and Reconstruction” of

Italy (shown as planting the new nation ...

and giving it support).

13. By springtime of 1945 the war was lost for the RSI and

fascism. Benito Mussolini, the Italian Duce, attempted to

escape to Germany but he was captured by Italian partisans,

and he was executed without a trial on 28 April. The next day,

in Milano’s piazzale Loreto, his bloody dead body was hung by

his feet from a gas station overhang, and then it was beaten

with clubs and sticks by a mob of angry Italians. Less than 24

hours later Adolf Hitler commited suicide in his Berlin bunker

headquarters, the ‘Fuhrerbunker’. This 1945 Italian stamp

celebrates “Freedom” (breaking the chains of fascism).

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Breaking the chains of fascism

A New Light Unification and Justice

Planting new Nation

Giving it support


17. Then, in great contrast with Mussolini’s 1930 air mail stamp which depicted the an-

cient Roman “sagittarium” arrow-launch, the new air mail stamps of 1945 depict peace-

ful speedy birds, and the new era’s jet-engine airplane with a handshake of friendship.

16. By 1946 the earlier stamps of fascist Italy and the subsequent RSI stamps

were no longer valid postage. Italy’s long-established conventional stamps

were re-issued, but all fasces had been removed from Giulius Caesar, from

Augustus Caesar, and from all the other traditional stamps of Italy.

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Fasces were removed from stamps and all other publications

Peace and Frienship


18. Finally, in 1946, Italy issued an eight stamp set

for the proclamation of the New Italian Republic.

Page 8

Repubblica di Lucca

Repubblica di Amalfi

Repubblica di Siena

Repubblica di Genova

Repubblica di Pisa

Repubblica di Firenze

Repubblica di Venezia

Il Giuramento di Pontida

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© 2012 Perantoni (all rights reserved) · colonial dominions in the lands of the Mediterranean basin, and fascist legionaires were also involved in a military campaign against Spain’s