Edgardo Sogno
Encyclopedia
Edgardo Sogno Rata del Vallino (Turin
29 December 1915 - 5 August 2000) was an Italian
diplomat
, partisan and political figure. He was born in an aristocratic family from Piedmont
.
's auxiliary units which fought in the Spanish Civil War
in 1938 on the Francoist side. He then became collaborator of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1940, during World War II
. He achieved two others diplomas in Rome and started frequenting some anti-fascist circles, which included Benedetto Croce
and Giaime Pintor.
He was called by the army in 1942 to go to France
. However, he was arrested a year later on charges of high treason for having publicly prophetised the victory of the United States. A monarchist, he was during these years close to the Italian Liberal Party (PLI), and became representant of the PLI at the National Liberation Committee (Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale). He created the Partisan group Organizzazione Franchi and obtained a gold medal for his acts, helping hundreds of Italian Jews and others seek safe haven in Switzerland.
. He contested the June 2, 1946 referendum creating the Republic of Italy
, deposing numerous appeals before the Corte di Cassazione in the aim of repealing the results of the vote (and restore monarchy). Although this failed, he became diplomat of the new regime, first in Buenos Aires where Juan Peron
was head of state, then in Paris, London, Washington DC and Rangoon. While posted to Budapest, Hungary, in 1956, he helped people flee the country after anti-communist protests were halted by a Soviet invasion.
He returned to Italy in 1971, where he founded the Comitati di Resistenza Democratica (Committee of Democratic Resistance), an anti-communist politic centre. Three years later, he was accused by the communist
magistrate Luciano Violante
of having planned, along with Luigi Cavallo and Randolfo Pacciardi
, the Golpe bianco, a supposed colpo di stato
. Following a year and a half of prison, he was freed in 1978, the investigative magistrate declaring that he was in the impossibility to proceed in the trial. He was later completely exhonorated for attempting to plot a coup.
Edgardo Sogno then returned to politics only in 1996, as candidate to the Italian Senate
, in Cuneo
, for the National Alliance
(Alleanza Nazionale) party founded by Gianfranco Fini
. Failing to be elected, he retired to private life.
In his 1998 memoirs, Sogno revealed how he had visited the CIA station chief in Rome in July 1974 to inform him of his plans for an anti-communist coup. He wrote: "I told him that I was informing him as an ally in the struggle for the freedom of the west and asked him what the attitude of the American government would be," and then: "He answered what I already knew: the United States would have supported any initiative tending to keep the communists out of government."
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
29 December 1915 - 5 August 2000) was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, partisan and political figure. He was born in an aristocratic family from Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
.
Under Fascism
He joined the Italian military at 18 and was named sub-lieutenant in the regiment Nizza Cavalleria. After being laureate in jurisprudence, he volunteered for MussoliniBenito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's auxiliary units which fought in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
in 1938 on the Francoist side. He then became collaborator of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1940, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He achieved two others diplomas in Rome and started frequenting some anti-fascist circles, which included Benedetto Croce
Benedetto Croce
Benedetto Croce was an Italian idealist philosopher, and occasionally also politician. He wrote on numerous topics, including philosophy, history, methodology of history writing and aesthetics, and was a prominent liberal, although he opposed laissez-faire free trade...
and Giaime Pintor.
He was called by the army in 1942 to go to France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
. However, he was arrested a year later on charges of high treason for having publicly prophetised the victory of the United States. A monarchist, he was during these years close to the Italian Liberal Party (PLI), and became representant of the PLI at the National Liberation Committee (Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale). He created the Partisan group Organizzazione Franchi and obtained a gold medal for his acts, helping hundreds of Italian Jews and others seek safe haven in Switzerland.
After the war
After the Liberation, he founded the Corriere Lombardo newspaper as well as Costume. Edgardo Sogno was then elected deputy to the Constituent Assembly during the 1946 general electionItalian general election, 1946
The Italian general election of 2 June 1946 was the first Italian election after World War II and elected 556 deputies to a Constituent Assembly...
. He contested the June 2, 1946 referendum creating the Republic of Italy
Birth of the Italian Republic
The Italian constitutional referendum which officially took place on 2 June 1946, is a key event of Italian contemporary history. Until 1946, Italy was a kingdom ruled by the House of Savoy, kings of Italy since the Risorgimento and previously rulers of Savoy...
, deposing numerous appeals before the Corte di Cassazione in the aim of repealing the results of the vote (and restore monarchy). Although this failed, he became diplomat of the new regime, first in Buenos Aires where Juan Peron
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
was head of state, then in Paris, London, Washington DC and Rangoon. While posted to Budapest, Hungary, in 1956, he helped people flee the country after anti-communist protests were halted by a Soviet invasion.
He returned to Italy in 1971, where he founded the Comitati di Resistenza Democratica (Committee of Democratic Resistance), an anti-communist politic centre. Three years later, he was accused by the communist
Italian Communist Party
The Italian Communist Party was a communist political party in Italy.The PCI was founded as Communist Party of Italy on 21 January 1921 in Livorno, by seceding from the Italian Socialist Party . Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci led the split. Outlawed during the Fascist regime, the party played...
magistrate Luciano Violante
Luciano Violante
Luciano Violante is an Italian judge and politician, Member of Parliament since 1979. He is particularly interested in questions of justice, the struggle against the Mafia and institutional reform.-Biography:...
of having planned, along with Luigi Cavallo and Randolfo Pacciardi
Randolfo Pacciardi
Randolfo Pacciardi was an Italian politician, a member of the Italian Republican Party . He was also an officer who fought during World War I and in the Spanish Civil War.-Biography:...
, the Golpe bianco, a supposed colpo di stato
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. Following a year and a half of prison, he was freed in 1978, the investigative magistrate declaring that he was in the impossibility to proceed in the trial. He was later completely exhonorated for attempting to plot a coup.
Edgardo Sogno then returned to politics only in 1996, as candidate to the Italian Senate
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
, in Cuneo
Cuneo
Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area...
, for the National Alliance
National Alliance (Italy)
National Alliance was a conservative political party in Italy.Gianfranco Fini was the leader of the party since its foundation in 1995, however he stepped down in 2008 after being elected to the nominally non-partisan post of President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and was succeeded by...
(Alleanza Nazionale) party founded by Gianfranco Fini
Gianfranco Fini
Gianfranco Fini is an Italian politician, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, leader of the center-right Future and Freedom party, and the former leader of the conservative National Alliance and the post-fascist Italian Social Movement...
. Failing to be elected, he retired to private life.
In his 1998 memoirs, Sogno revealed how he had visited the CIA station chief in Rome in July 1974 to inform him of his plans for an anti-communist coup. He wrote: "I told him that I was informing him as an ally in the struggle for the freedom of the west and asked him what the attitude of the American government would be," and then: "He answered what I already knew: the United States would have supported any initiative tending to keep the communists out of government."
See also
- History of Italy as a monarchy and in the World WarsHistory of Italy as a monarchy and in the World WarsThis articles covers the history of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars.-Italian unification :Modern Italy became a nation-state during the Risorgimento on March 17, 1861 when most of the states of the Italian Peninsula and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies were united under king Victor...
- History of the Italian Republic
- Italian Resistance and Partisans
- Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil WarThe Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...