Giancarlo Pajetta
Encyclopedia
Giancarlo Pajetta was an Italian
communist politician.
Pajetta was born in Turin
and become a member of the Italian Communist Party
(PCI) during his youth. In 1927 this caused him a condemn to two years of imprisonment. In 1931 he went into exile to France
, becoming the Italian representant to the Communist International.
In 1933 Pajetta secretly went to Parma
to convince some Fascist members to abandon that party, but was discovered and sentenced to 21 years. He was freed at the fall of the Fascist regime on August 23, 1943 and subsequently took part to the partisan resistance in the Brigate Garibaldi.
In 1944, together with Ferruccio Parri
and Alfredo Pizzoni
, he was appointed as president of the Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale (National Liberation Committee) of northern Italy
(then still under German occupation). He became also Chief of Staff of the partisan military forces.
In 1948 Pajetta become member of the National Secretariat of the PCI, with responsibility for its international relationships (he was member, among the others). It remained in the national secretariat until 1985. He was also elected in the Italian Parliament from 1946 until his death, and in the European Parliament
in 1984. He was also repeatedly director of L'Unità
(PCI's newspaper) and of the Marxist periodical Rinascita.
Pajetta was one of the most respected members of PCI after World War II. He was a member of migliorista current with other figures such as Giorgio Amendola
and Giorgio Napolitano
, often in contrast with the lines of the party's leader (like with Palmiro Togliatti
). At the death of secretary Enrico Berlinguer
in 1984, Pajetta was considered too old to succeed him; he also opposed to Achille Occhetto
's project of transformation of PCI into a social-democratic force (the future Democratic Party of the Left
, or PDS).
Pajetta died suddenly in his Rome house in September 1990, before the dissolution of PCI. His funerary ceremony was followed by some 200,000 people.
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...
communist politician.
Pajetta was born in Turin
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...
and become a member of the Italian Communist Party
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...
(PCI) during his youth. In 1927 this caused him a condemn to two years of imprisonment. In 1931 he went into exile to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, becoming the Italian representant to the Communist International.
In 1933 Pajetta secretly went to Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
to convince some Fascist members to abandon that party, but was discovered and sentenced to 21 years. He was freed at the fall of the Fascist regime on August 23, 1943 and subsequently took part to the partisan resistance in the Brigate Garibaldi.
In 1944, together with Ferruccio Parri
Ferruccio Parri
Ferruccio Parri was an Italian partisan and politician who served as the 43rd Prime Minister of Italy for several months in 1945. During the resistance he was known as Maurizio.-Biography:...
and Alfredo Pizzoni
Alfredo Pizzoni
Alfredo Pizzoni was an Italian banker and politician who was president of the Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale Alta Italia during the late stages of World War II....
, he was appointed as president of the Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale (National Liberation Committee) of northern Italy
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...
(then still under German occupation). He became also Chief of Staff of the partisan military forces.
In 1948 Pajetta become member of the National Secretariat of the PCI, with responsibility for its international relationships (he was member, among the others). It remained in the national secretariat until 1985. He was also elected in the Italian Parliament from 1946 until his death, and in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 1984. He was also repeatedly director of L'Unità
L'Unità
l'Unità is an Italian left-wing newspaper, originally founded as official newspaper of the Italian Communist Party.-History:L'Unità was founded by Antonio Gramsci on 12 February 1924, as the newspaper of workers and peasants, the official newspaper of Italian Communist Party : it was printed in...
(PCI's newspaper) and of the Marxist periodical Rinascita.
Pajetta was one of the most respected members of PCI after World War II. He was a member of migliorista current with other figures such as Giorgio Amendola
Giorgio Amendola
Giorgio Amendola was an Italian writer and politician.Born in Rome in 1907, he was the son of Lithuanian intellectual Eva Kuhn and Giovanni Amendola, a liberal anti-fascist who died in 1926 in Cannes after having been attacked by killers hired by Benito Mussolini...
and Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano is an Italian politician who has been the 11th President of Italy since 2006. A long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and later the Democrats of the Left, he served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 1992 to 1994 and as Minister of the Interior from 1996 to...
, often in contrast with the lines of the party's leader (like with Palmiro Togliatti
Palmiro Togliatti
Palmiro Togliatti was an Italian politician and leader of the Italian Communist Party from 1927 until his death.-Early life:...
). At the death of secretary Enrico Berlinguer
Enrico Berlinguer
Enrico Berlinguer was an Italian politician; he was national secretary of the Italian Communist Party from 1972 until his death.-Early career:...
in 1984, Pajetta was considered too old to succeed him; he also opposed to Achille Occhetto
Achille Occhetto
Achille Occhetto , nicknamed Akel, is an Italian political figure.-Biography:Occhetto was born in Turin. He served as the secretary-general of the Italian Communist Party between 1988 and 1994 Achille Occhetto (born 3 March 1936), nicknamed Akel, is an Italian political figure.-Biography:Occhetto...
's project of transformation of PCI into a social-democratic force (the future Democratic Party of the Left
Democratic Party of the Left
The Democratic Party of the Left was a post-communist, democratic socialist political party in Italy.-History:...
, or PDS).
Pajetta died suddenly in his Rome house in September 1990, before the dissolution of PCI. His funerary ceremony was followed by some 200,000 people.