Nicolò Carandini
Encyclopedia
Count Nicolò Carandini was the first Italian ambassador to Britain
after World War II
.
.
His political career started in the 1920s when he got involved in the Italian democratic veterans movement, but he retired from political life after the rise of the fascist regime. In 1926 he married Elena Albertini, daughter of Luigi Albertini
, who in 1925 had been removed by the fascists from his position as Director of the newspaper Corriere della Sera
. Carandini then became chief administrator of the Torre in Pietra estate near Rome, transforming it into a modern agricultural enterprise. During the years of fascism he came into closer contact with democratic opposition groups around liberal philosopher Benedetto Croce
and developed ideas of a modern reformatory liberalism, based on the principle of social justice.
In May 1943, two months before the overthrow of Benito Mussolini
, he started writing liberal pamphlets and organized their distribution in the Roman underground. In august, he found himself with other liberal individuals such as Leone Cattani, Alessandro Casati and Mario Pannunzio to refound the Italian Liberal Party
(PLI).
After the armistice of September 8 and the German occupation of Rome he was a member of the underground Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale (the political organization of the Italian Resistance) and, after the liberation of the Italian Capital on June 4, 1944, he became Minister in the antifascist Bonomi government. In November of that year he was sent to be Italy's first Ambassador in Great Britain after the end of the fascist regime (which still existed as a German satellite state in Northern Italy until April 1945). He proved to be an efficient diplomat in his efforts to regain British confidence in the new Italian democratic government, but wasn't able to avoid his country being treated as a loser of World War II by the British and their Allies
in the upcoming Peace Treaty.
Although being mostly in London, he also continued to occupy himself with Italian internal politics. By the end of 1945 he disapproved the initiative of Liberal Party leader Leone Cattani to overthrow the government of Ferruccio Parri
, the elderly head of the Resistenza movement.
On June 2, 1946 he was elected to the Italian Constitutional Assembly, but declined in order to remain on his diplomatic mission in London. A few months later he brokered the Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement
that settled the fate of South Tyrol
between Italy
and Austria
. Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi
wanted Carandini to become his Foreign Minister in early 1947, but he refused, not having the full support of his party. He finally returned from Great Britain in autumn 1947.
The PLI-Congress at the end of 1947 signed a complete split between the Carandini-led left and the majoritarian right of the PLI. Not being able to gain the support of the party-centre, in early 1948 Carandini and a group of leading left-wing liberals left the PLI, assembling first in the Rinascita Liberale movement and, later that year, founding the Movimento Liberale Indipendente (MLI), which aimed on creating a Third Force
alliance of all center-left democratic parties and groups as a lay counter-part of dominating Christian Democrats. By 1951 those plans failed, but Carandini had contributed in a change of the PLI-leadership (Bruno Villabruna
) and a more progressive orientation of the party, which he and his movement re-joined in the end of that year.
But in 1954 the liberals once again changed leadership (Giovanni Malagodi) and the following year the left decided to leave the party for the second time. So, in late 1955 Carandini was among the founders of the Partito Radicale
that existed as a small party until 1962. After that date he retired from active political life.
From 1948 to 1968 he served as president of the airline Alitalia
. He was also a leading member of the Movimento Federalista Europeo
, founded in 1943 on the base of the 1942 Ventotene Manifesto
by Altiero Spinelli
and Ernesto Rossi
.
Carandini was second cousin once removed
of the British
actor Christopher Lee
(who claimed it is he who suggested him to start an acting career). One of his sons is the Roman
archaeologist Andrea Carandini
. One of his grandsons is the neuroscientist Matteo Carandini
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
after 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...
.
Biography
Carandini was born at ComoComo
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
.
His political career started in the 1920s when he got involved in the Italian democratic veterans movement, but he retired from political life after the rise of the fascist regime. In 1926 he married Elena Albertini, daughter of Luigi Albertini
Luigi Albertini
Luigi Albertini was an influential Italian journalist and politician.Albertini was an outspoken antifascist, even though at one time he did support the National Fascist Party in their opposition to the Left...
, who in 1925 had been removed by the fascists from his position as Director of the newspaper Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
. Carandini then became chief administrator of the Torre in Pietra estate near Rome, transforming it into a modern agricultural enterprise. During the years of fascism he came into closer contact with democratic opposition groups around liberal philosopher 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 developed ideas of a modern reformatory liberalism, based on the principle of social justice.
In May 1943, two months before the overthrow of 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....
, he started writing liberal pamphlets and organized their distribution in the Roman underground. In august, he found himself with other liberal individuals such as Leone Cattani, Alessandro Casati and Mario Pannunzio to refound the Italian Liberal Party
Italian Liberal Party
The Italian Liberal Party was a liberal political party in Italy.-Origins:The origins of liberalism in Italy came from the so-called "Historical Right", a parliamentary group formed by Camillo Benso di Cavour in the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia following the 1848 revolution...
(PLI).
After the armistice of September 8 and the German occupation of Rome he was a member of the underground Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale (the political organization of the Italian Resistance) and, after the liberation of the Italian Capital on June 4, 1944, he became Minister in the antifascist Bonomi government. In November of that year he was sent to be Italy's first Ambassador in Great Britain after the end of the fascist regime (which still existed as a German satellite state in Northern Italy until April 1945). He proved to be an efficient diplomat in his efforts to regain British confidence in the new Italian democratic government, but wasn't able to avoid his country being treated as a loser of World War II by the British and their Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
in the upcoming Peace Treaty.
Although being mostly in London, he also continued to occupy himself with Italian internal politics. By the end of 1945 he disapproved the initiative of Liberal Party leader Leone Cattani to overthrow the government of 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:...
, the elderly head of the Resistenza movement.
On June 2, 1946 he was elected to the Italian Constitutional Assembly, but declined in order to remain on his diplomatic mission in London. A few months later he brokered the Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement
Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement
The Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement, named after the foreign ministers of Austria and Italy , of September 1946, allowed Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol to remain part of Italy, but ensured its autonomy....
that settled the fate of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
between 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...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi was an Italian statesman and politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party. From 1945 to 1953 he was the prime minister of eight successive coalition governments. His eight-year rule remains a landmark of political longevity for a leader in modern Italian politics...
wanted Carandini to become his Foreign Minister in early 1947, but he refused, not having the full support of his party. He finally returned from Great Britain in autumn 1947.
The PLI-Congress at the end of 1947 signed a complete split between the Carandini-led left and the majoritarian right of the PLI. Not being able to gain the support of the party-centre, in early 1948 Carandini and a group of leading left-wing liberals left the PLI, assembling first in the Rinascita Liberale movement and, later that year, founding the Movimento Liberale Indipendente (MLI), which aimed on creating a Third Force
Third Force
The Third Force was a paramilitary movement established by unionist politicians in Northern Ireland in 1981.The group was established by Ian Paisley, ostensibly as a complement to the security forces, although it bore many of the hallmarks of the earlier Ulster Protestant Volunteers...
alliance of all center-left democratic parties and groups as a lay counter-part of dominating Christian Democrats. By 1951 those plans failed, but Carandini had contributed in a change of the PLI-leadership (Bruno Villabruna
Bruno Villabruna
Bruno Villabruna was an Italian lawyer and liberal politician.Born in Santa Giustina, near Belluno in the Veneto, he was first elected to parliament in 1921...
) and a more progressive orientation of the party, which he and his movement re-joined in the end of that year.
But in 1954 the liberals once again changed leadership (Giovanni Malagodi) and the following year the left decided to leave the party for the second time. So, in late 1955 Carandini was among the founders of the Partito Radicale
Partito Radicale
The Radical Party was a political party in Italy. For decades it was a bastion of liberalism and radicalism in Italy and proposed itself as the strongest opposition to the Italian political establishment, which was seen as corrupt and conservative...
that existed as a small party until 1962. After that date he retired from active political life.
From 1948 to 1968 he served as president of the airline Alitalia
Alitalia
Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. , in its later stages known as Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. in Extraordinary Administration, was the former Italian flag carrier...
. He was also a leading member of the Movimento Federalista Europeo
Movimento Federalista Europeo
The European Federalist Movement was founded in Milan in 1943 by a group of activists led by Altiero Spinelli...
, founded in 1943 on the base of the 1942 Ventotene Manifesto
Ventotene Manifesto
The Ventotene Manifesto is a political statement written by Altiero Spinelli and by Ernesto Rossi while they were prisoners on the Italian island of Ventotene during World War II. Completed in June 1941, the Manifesto was circulated within the Italian Resistance, and it soon became the programme...
by Altiero Spinelli
Altiero Spinelli
Altiero Spinelli was an Italian political theorist and a European federalist. Spinelli is referred to as one of the "Founding Fathers of the European Union" due to his co-authorship of the Ventotene Manifesto, his founding role in the European federalist movement, his strong influence on the first...
and Ernesto Rossi
Ernesto Rossi
Ernesto Rossi was an Italian politician, journalist and anti-fascist activist. His ideas contributed to the Partito d'Azione, and subsequently the Partito Radicaleco-authur of the Ventotene Manifesto. Rossi was born in Caserta....
.
Carandini was second cousin once removed
Cousin chart
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
(who claimed it is he who suggested him to start an acting career). One of his sons is the Roman
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
archaeologist Andrea Carandini
Andrea Carandini
Count Andrea Carandini is an Italian archaeologist specialising in ancient Rome. Among his many excavations is the villa of Settefinestre....
. One of his grandsons is the neuroscientist Matteo Carandini
Matteo Carandini
Matteo Carandini is a contemporary neuroscientist who studies the visual system. He received a PhD in Neural Science from New York University and continued as a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University...
.
Sources
- Carandini Albertini, Elena, Passata la stagione... . Diari 1944-1947. Florence 1989.
- Riccardi, Luca, Nicolò Carandini il liberale e la nuova Italia, 1943-1953. Grassina, Bagno a Ripoli 1992.
- Carandini Albertini, Elena, Dal terrazzo. Diario 1943-1944. Bologna 1997.
- Dotti Messori, Gianna, I Carandini. La storia e i documenti di una storia plurisecolare. Modena 1997.
- Longo, Oddone, Majnoni, Elisa (editor), Nicolò Carandini, il lungo ritorno. Lettere dalla Grande Guerra. Udine 2005.
- Blasberg, Christian, Die Liberale Linke und das Schicksal der Dritten Kraft im italienischen Zentrismus, 1947-1951. Frankfurt 2008.
- Rolf Steininger, South Tyrol: a minority conflict of the twentieth century, Transaction Publishers, 2003