dossier Anarchists Against fascism

Wanderers Riders

"Getting used" to the exile Italian anarchists lived many a true and its diaspora, during the two black decades of fascism. Most took refuge in France, but also in USA, Switzerland, Belgium, England, etc.. The tragic fate of those who sought refuge in the Russia of the Soviets and found themselves persecuted by the communist regime.

Very first thought was the printing of newspapers of anarchists in exile abroad to continue the attacks against the fascist regime.
On 1 May '23 in Paris, comes " La voce del profugo - The voice of the refugee", June 3 and the fortnightly " Il profugo - The refugee."
Meanwhile, the began criminal provocations of the fascists: September 3 again in Paris the young anarchist Mario Castagna is attacked by a gang of fascists and in the scuffle against his attackers he kills one of them.
A few months later, February 20, 1924, the young anarchist Ernesto Bonomini killed in a Paris restaurant, with some revolver shots, the fascist leader Nicola Bonservizi, foreign secretary of the fasci, the correspondent of "Popolo d’Italia - The People of Italy" and editor of the fascist newspaper in Paris, "L'Italie Nouvelle". Our friend will declare that he wanted to protest against the unpunished crimes of the fascists and their accomplices. Will be sentenced to eight years in prison. Another paper will be out May 1, also in Paris, curated by fellow Italians: " L’Iconoclasta - The Iconoclast" and even more in that year some anarchists create a clandestine newspaper called " Compagno, ascolta! - comrade, listen!" Where there are given directions for a vigorous and ruthless struggle, in the event of an insurrection in Italy.
A few days after the murder of Matteotti, a committee was formed in Paris inspired by anarchists and that will create as a result another paper entitled " Campane a stormo - Bells flock", the drafting of which will be entrusted to his companion Alberto Meschi. For the murder of Matteotti Italian anarchists in France also initiate a national campaign that culminates in the general distribution of thousands and thousands of leaflets in which the crimes of the fasci were reported (July 1924).
During the year 1925 the Italian anarchists continue their anti-Fascist activities, while continuing the publication of newspapers and magazines, just to mention here "La tempra" and "Il monito."
In these years of persecution, deprivation of all kinds, the most vile oppression against anarchists continue by fascist agents in France.
However, they did not give up. In those days (October 11, 1927) Luigi Fabbri, teacher, after refusing to swear allegiance to fascism, and having  been able to take refuge in France, published in Paris, with Berneri and Gobbi, the newspaper "Lotta umana - human struggle."

individual way

Meanwhile, continue the persecution and arrests and deportations. In March of 1928 in Paris was arrested Comrade Pietro Bruzzi, two other companions, and Carlotti Centrone (who died valiantly in Spain) are first arrested and then expelled.
The answer in most cases is the work of courageous activists who act always in an individual way. On August 22 in Saint Raphael (France) the console, known fascist, the Marquis Di Mauro is made sign of an attack. A few months later in November, the young anarchist Angelo Bartolomei, with a pistol shot, killing the fascist priest Don Cesare Cavaradossi. These, vice consul, had proposed to prevent his expulsion from France to betray his comrades and to become his confidant. The Bartolomei escapes from Nancy and takes refuge in Belgium, where, however, will be arrested in January 1929.
In other countries, the Italian anarchists continue to suffer persecution and arrest for their anti-Fascist activities. In July 1928 the anarchist in Belgium Gasperini used the hunger strike to rebel against the extradition requested by the Italian government (he was wounded, along with other comrades, by some fascists in 1921). The Belgian Government will grant the extradition instead of Comrade Carlo Locati.
The expulsion is a fate that will affect many Comrades. Just a few months later, on August 13, in Liège, the Comrade Gigi Damiani is first arrested and then expelled (Tunisia). In this wave of persecution that saw the Italian anarchists always hit in the front row, the movement tries to answer as it can.
Now, however, it becomes difficult even the mere survival, for continuous extrusions that affect anyone who makes vigorous anti-fascist activities: In January of '29 Gobbi, Berneri, Fabbri e Fedeli, following strong pressure from the Italian government, are arrested in Paris and brought to the border with Belgium. This is the beginning of the odyssey of Berneri and many other comrades. Arrested and deported in a part, you just have to change your name and activities, through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, always being hunted down relentlessly.

In September 1929 in Saarbrücken (Germany), the young anarchist Enrico Manzoli (Morano), attacked by a group of fascists belonging to the "helmet of steel," defends himself and kills one. Other anarchists, however, fall under the blows of the Fascists: In January 1930, in Nice, Vittorio Diana was killed by a former policeman, because of his uncompromising stance during the fascist events for the inauguration of a pennant. A few months before died as a result of suffering and deprivation, near Paris, the young anarchist Malaspina, hunted relentlessly by the police in various countries. He had been accused of throwing a bomb at the house of the fascio of Juan-les-Pins. Acquitted for lack of evidence, had been imprisoned and repeatedly tortured.
The 1929 sees the anarchists still in the forefront of the fight against fascism, even if that fight is responsible, given the almost total lack of means, the sole will and courage only. In June 1929 the companions gathered around the magazine's editorial "Lotta Anarchica - Anarchist Fight", are sending in Italy, illegally, a small newspaper format and printed on vellum paper.
There are also attempts to take action: in August the same year the anarchist Paolo Schicchi (65 years completed in that year!) embarks from France and then Tunisia to Sicily, where he wants to inspire by example a movement of rebellion against fascism, but on his arrival in Palermo is immediately arrested along with fellow Gramignano. They were sentenced respectively to 10 and 6 years in prison. The comrade Renda, also a participant in the enterprise, was sentenced to 8 years.
In January of 1931 in Paris was held a conference of anarchists in order to intensify the fight against illegal immigration in Italy, a struggle that will lead many comrades to be arrested and sent into internal exile. This did not stop to continue to send material to Italy led by several teammates. Anarchists, however, in those years also collaborated with other anti-fascist formations, especially the Justice and Freedom, without interrupting the continuous series of individual actions.
Even the anarchists in America developed strong anti-fascist activities. Already on June 16 of '23, the fascist government was making pressures on the Americans to close the anarchist paper "l’Adunata dei Refrattari - The Gathering of Refractories." The anarchist response was swift: November 24 a bomb explodes at the Italian consulate sending it completely in ruins. All year 1924 marks a continuing series of anti-fascist demonstrations organized and animated by the anarchists. In Cuba, for example, anarchists staged a general strike after the arrival of an Italian ship (September 27, 1924).
There are numerous fascist provocations of those years, although most of the time the fascists receive harsh lessons, as in the case of a fascist provocation to an anarchist rally (August 16, 1925) in New York. Of course the anarchists, though few and always persecuted and above all without any external support, were a thorn in those years not indifferent to the U.S. government. Not a day went by that fascist provocations, supported and protected, sometimes by the American authorities, the anarchists did not respond in kind. The '26 and '27 are two years on fire for the anarchist movement in the United States. In fact, in those years, to protest against fascism, is summed up the protest against the criminal conviction to death of Sacco and Vanzetti.
It is practically impossible to enumerate here all the events, attacks, and fighting against both the U.S. authorities that against the fascists. These are the years when the anarchists were taken many times with a gun in the street, both by police officers and from American Fascists.
Even in later years, until '36, continued demonstrations by anarchists and anti-fascist activities that culminated in arrests and deportations in Italy. Many comrades like Armando Borghi, lived many years in secret, because of such persecution. Others, miraculously escaped many vicissitudes, died valiantly in Spain, or taken prisoners, were later deported to Italy.