Tullio Cianetti
Encyclopedia
Tullio Cianetti was an Italian
fascist politician who was well known for his work with the syndicate
s.
The son of a farmer, Cianetti was conscripted in 1917 and served as a lieutenant in the Italian Army
until 1921. Returning to Assisi, he worked as a teacher, whilst also helping to found the fascio
in the town, becoming secretary in 1922. He was moved to Terni
to organise the syndicate before being appointed regional secretary for syndicates in Umbria
in 1924. The same year he stepped away from fascism for a time following the death of Giacomo Matteotti
and suspicion began to arise that he was too left-wing. However by 1925 he had returned as secretary of syndicates in Syracuse, before going on to hold similar roles in Carrara
, Messina, Matero and Treviso
.
In 1931 he was made secretary of the national federation of miners and quarrymen and in this role agitated for higher wages. However, despite his tendency to sometimes clash with the government he continued to rise in influence, serving as secretary of the Fascist Confederation of Industrial Workers' syndicates and Vice-President of the Institute of Social Assurance. As head of the Confederation, Cianetti concluded a deal with Robert Ley
in 1937 to allow Italian workers to go to Nazi Germany
for employment. Such was the regard with which he was held by the leaders of the German Labour Front
that the main Volkswagen
factory even had a leisure complex called Cianetti Hall in his honour.
Cianetti's rise continued when he was appointed to the Fascist Grand Council in November 1934 and 1939 was made undersecretary of corporations. He reached his zenith in April 1943 when he became Minister of Corporations. However his dissident tendencies continued as Cianetti voted in favour of Dino Grandi
's motion to remove Mussolini, after Grandi had told him that all he was doing was arranging for the king to share the burden of government with Mussolini. Cianetti wrote to Il Duce to apologise immediately afterwards.
Cianetti was one of those fascists tried along with Galeazzo Ciano
in the Verona trial of 8–10 January 1944, although of all the defendants he was the only one spared execution, sentenced instead to thirty years imprisonment. The letter of apology he had written to Mussolini saved him from the death penalty. Following the liberation he escaped imprisonment and went into exile in Mozambique
.
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...
fascist politician who was well known for his work with the syndicate
Syndicate
A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies or entities formed to transact some specific business, or to promote a common interest or in the case of criminals, to engage in organized crime...
s.
The son of a farmer, Cianetti was conscripted in 1917 and served as a lieutenant 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...
until 1921. Returning to Assisi, he worked as a teacher, whilst also helping to found the 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 the town, becoming secretary in 1922. He was moved to Terni
Terni
Terni is a city in southern Umbria, central Italy, capital of the province of Terni, located in the plain of the Nera river. It is 104 km N of Rome, 36 km NW of Rieti, and 29 km S of Spoleto.-History:...
to organise the syndicate before being appointed regional secretary for syndicates in Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
in 1924. The same year he stepped away from fascism for a time following the death of Giacomo Matteotti
Giacomo Matteotti
Giacomo Matteotti was an Italian socialist politician. On 30 May 1924, he openly spoke in the Italian Parliament alleging the Fascists committed fraud in the recently held elections, and denounced the violence they used to gain votes...
and suspicion began to arise that he was too left-wing. However by 1925 he had returned as secretary of syndicates in Syracuse, before going on to hold similar roles in Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
, Messina, Matero and Treviso
Treviso
Treviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
.
In 1931 he was made secretary of the national federation of miners and quarrymen and in this role agitated for higher wages. However, despite his tendency to sometimes clash with the government he continued to rise in influence, serving as secretary of the Fascist Confederation of Industrial Workers' syndicates and Vice-President of the Institute of Social Assurance. As head of the Confederation, Cianetti concluded a deal with Robert Ley
Robert Ley
Robert Ley was a Nazi politician and head of the German Labour Front from 1933 to 1945. He committed suicide while awaiting trial for war crimes.- Early life :...
in 1937 to allow Italian workers to go to Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
for employment. Such was the regard with which he was held by the leaders of the German Labour Front
German Labour Front
The German Labour Front was the National Socialist trade union organisation which replaced the various trade unions of the Weimar Republic after Adolf Hitler's rise to power....
that the main Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
factory even had a leisure complex called Cianetti Hall in his honour.
Cianetti's rise continued when he was appointed to the Fascist Grand Council in November 1934 and 1939 was made undersecretary of corporations. He reached his zenith in April 1943 when he became Minister of Corporations. However his dissident tendencies continued as Cianetti voted in favour of Dino Grandi
Dino Grandi
Dino Grandi , Conte di Mordano, was an Italian Fascist politician, minister of justice, minister of foreign affairs and president of parliament.- Early life :...
's motion to remove Mussolini, after Grandi had told him that all he was doing was arranging for the king to share the burden of government with Mussolini. Cianetti wrote to Il Duce to apologise immediately afterwards.
Cianetti was one of those fascists tried along with Galeazzo Ciano
Galeazzo Ciano
Gian Galeazzo Ciano, 2nd Count of Cortellazzo and Buccari was an Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Benito Mussolini's son-in-law. In early 1944 Count Ciano was shot by firing squad at the behest of his father-in-law, Mussolini under pressure from Nazi Germany.-Early life:Ciano was born in...
in the Verona trial of 8–10 January 1944, although of all the defendants he was the only one spared execution, sentenced instead to thirty years imprisonment. The letter of apology he had written to Mussolini saved him from the death penalty. Following the liberation he escaped imprisonment and went into exile in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
.