Mussolini (in his own words)

This may seem an oddly trivial question about this entry, but are you sure that Mussolini was strung up in a gas station?
The subject came up in conversation while I was in Brescia, Italy in May (rather uncomfortably for my companion, a member of a royal family that was exiled and imprisoned during that unfortunate era).
That part of Italy was a Fascist stronghold, and a semi-random stranger who recognized my companion came up to us on the street and started talking to us about Mussolini for some reason (my friend exited the conversation the moment the name “Mussolini” came up).
My Italian isn’t great, but when I brought up the subject of the gas station he insisted that the body was hung in the central square in Milan instead. I still think I’m right about that — and that you are, too, but I’m wondering what your source is for that factoid. I can’t remember where I gleaned it.

The speech captions in the second photograph show the writer’s ignorance; Halifax’s Garter sash is being worn correctly – *under* the arm.

Oh, how interesting! I wonder why that is the case.

If you have an opportunity, have a look at Ciano’s diaries, recently re-released in English. Most fascinating.

Now I get confused sometimes by the patchwork of reactionary sentiments around here. Although Franco was just grand, Mussolini is still a bad guy; did I get that right? ;)

If you have an opportunity, have a look at Ciano’s diaries, recently re-released in English. Most fascinating.

I will have to look them up.

Although Franco was just grand, Mussolini is still a bad guy; did I get that right?

Indeed, you are correct. Mussolini was a fascist modernizer, whereas Franco was a traditional reactionary.

(Although Franco called himself a ‘fascist’ a handful of times during the Civil War and shortly thereafter, fascist thought rarely made any headway under his rule, despite the hopes of the Falangists).

Since our last (long ago) discussions on the subject, I’ve looked into the case of ‘Franco as fascist’ and must say I agree (for the most part) with your assessment of him as “traditional reactionary.” Whether he was “grand” or not is another matter.

Whether he was a fascist or reactionary (or even the savior of Spain), questions of how many were killed during Franco’s rule remain. Some estimate 500,00 to 2 million. Others estimate 35,000 were killed either summarily or after a hasty court marshall. According to military historian Anthony Beevor, the figure for non-combatants and surrendered troops killed by Franco’s Nationalists “must exceed 100,000 and may be closer to 200,000.”

Of course there’s Franco’s famous (and disturbing) words: “I am responsible only to God and history.”

“Halifax’s Garter sash is being worn correctly – *under* the arm.”

Oh, how interesting! I wonder why that is the case?

That “sash” is called the riband of the Order of the Garter. The riband was introduced by King Charles II, to take the place of a narrow blue ribbon hung round the neck and from which was suspended the “Lesser George” an heraldic figurine in earlier days, and as a substitute for the garter used from King Henry V to King Henry VIII.

There is some evidence that the first riband was black, though it is certain that it has been blue since 1622. It was once narrower, broadening to the wider width we know today under the Stuarts.

The colour of the riband has varied somewhat over the years, the Stuarts having a light blue and the Hanoverians a dark blue. The colour was last altered in 1950 to what is called kingfisher deep blue.

The riband of the Garter is worn by men in formal dress passing across the body but not over the shoulder. It is buttoned to the waistcoat at the left armhole and at the right hip, where the Lesser George figurine pendant conceals the button. Lord Halifax wears the Gerter riband and star in the photo above thus and in the correct manner. The other star on his coat is that of either the Order of Sts. Michael & George, the Star or India or the Indian Empire.

No kidding. Halifax held membership as a knight in all three chivalric orders plus the Order of Merit. He is not wearing them all in the photo above, but Halifax actually did give Mussolini a run for his money with decorations. I’m sure Mussolini was aware that fact, hence the obvious upstaging which Andrew saw in the photo images. However there was no sash “slippage” with a man like Lord Haliax. Not him.

Cheers!