Ezio Maria Gray
Encyclopedia
Ezio Maria Gray was an Italian
politician and journalist.
Gray, a staunch critic of socialism
, was a founder member of the Italian Nationalist Association
in 1910. He dropped out of politics to serve in the Italian Army
during the First World War and afterwards in Dalmatia
. On his return to Italy he became a supporter of fascism
and set up the Novara fascio
in 1920. Gray was elected to parliament
for the fascists in 1921 and was appointed to the National Directorate in 1924. The following year he was appointed to the Grand Council of Fascism
and in 1927 he took over the editorship of the fascist journal Il Pensiero di Benito Mussolini
. Away from his party duties he was a leading figure in the Società Dante Alighieri, President of the Ente Autonomo della Stampa and a businessman with a reputation for shady dealings.
Gray served in the army during the Second World War before returning to civilian life as a radio broadcaster. His position grew towards the end of the Italian fascists period and on 23 July 1943 he was appointed vice-president of the Chamber of Fasci and Corporations
. Gray continued to be an important figure in the Italian Social Republic
and following the collapse of this entity he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for his leading role in the fascist government.
Soon after being sent to prison however Gray was amnestied and in 1947 he launched his own journal, La Rivolta Ideale, which pressed a neo-fascist
line. He then edited Il Nazionale, the paper of the Italian Social Movement
and became a leading figure on the hard-line tendency, supporting Giorgio Almirante
in his struggles with the more moderate Arturo Michelini
. Gray returned to parliament, serving the MSI as a deputy from 1953 to 1958 and in the Senate
from 1963 to 1968.
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...
politician and journalist.
Gray, a staunch critic of socialism
Criticisms of socialism
Criticism of socialism refers to a critique of socialist models of economic organization, their efficiency and feasibility; as well as the political and social implications of such a system. Some criticisms are not directed toward socialism as a system, but are directed toward the socialist...
, was a founder member of the Italian Nationalist Association
Italian Nationalist Association
The Italian Nationalist Association, Associazione Nazionalista Italiana was Italy's first nationalist political party founded in 1910. under the influence of Italian nationalists such as Enrico Corradini and Giovanni Papini...
in 1910. He dropped out of politics to serve in the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
during the First World War and afterwards in Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
. On his return to Italy he became a supporter of fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and set up the Novara fascio
Fascio
Fascio, plural -sci /'faʃʃo, ʃi/ is an Italian word literally meaning "a bundle" or "a sheaf", and figuratively league, and which was used in the late 19th century to refer to political groups of many different orientations...
in 1920. Gray was elected to parliament
Parliament of Italy
The Parliament of Italy is the national parliament of Italy. It is a bicameral legislature with 945 elected members . The Chamber of Deputies, with 630 members is the lower house. The Senate of the Republic is the upper house and has 315 members .Since 2005, a party list electoral law is being...
for the fascists in 1921 and was appointed to the National Directorate in 1924. The following year he was appointed to the Grand Council of Fascism
Grand Council of Fascism
The Grand Council of Fascism was the main body of Mussolini's Fascist government in Italy. A body which held and applied great power to control the institutions of government, it was created as a party body in 1923 and became a state body on 9 December 1928....
and in 1927 he took over the editorship of the fascist journal Il Pensiero di Benito Mussolini
Benito 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....
. Away from his party duties he was a leading figure in the Società Dante Alighieri, President of the Ente Autonomo della Stampa and a businessman with a reputation for shady dealings.
Gray served in the army during the Second World War before returning to civilian life as a radio broadcaster. His position grew towards the end of the Italian fascists period and on 23 July 1943 he was appointed vice-president of the Chamber of Fasci and Corporations
Chamber of Fasci and Corporations
Chamber of Fasci and Corporations was the official name of the Italian Chamber of Deputies established on January 19, 1939, to replace the Chamber of Deputies during the 30th legislature of Italy. The Chamber was vested with legislative power from March 23, 1939 to August 2, 1943, during the...
. Gray continued to be an important figure in the Italian Social Republic
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
and following the collapse of this entity he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for his leading role in the fascist government.
Soon after being sent to prison however Gray was amnestied and in 1947 he launched his own journal, La Rivolta Ideale, which pressed a neo-fascist
Neo-Fascism
Neo-fascism is a post–World War II ideology that includes significant elements of fascism. The term neo-fascist may apply to groups that express a specific admiration for Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism or any other fascist leader/state...
line. He then edited Il Nazionale, the paper of the Italian Social Movement
Italian Social Movement
The Italian Social Movement , and later the Italian Social Movement–National Right , was a neo-fascist and post-fascist political party in Italy. Formed in 1946 by supporters of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the party became the fourth largest party in Italy by the early 1960s...
and became a leading figure on the hard-line tendency, supporting Giorgio Almirante
Giorgio Almirante
Giorgio Almirante was an Italian politician, the founder and leader of the Italian Social Movement until his retirement in 1987.-Early life:...
in his struggles with the more moderate Arturo Michelini
Arturo Michelini
Arturo Michelini was an Italian politician and Secretary of the Italian Social Movement.Michelini was born in Florence. An accountant by profession, he was a lower to middle-ranking figure in the National Fascist Party, rising to become secretary of the party in Rome...
. Gray returned to parliament, serving the MSI as a deputy from 1953 to 1958 and in the 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...
from 1963 to 1968.