Carlo Pareschi (19 August 1898 – 11 January 1944) was an Italian

Fascist Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural soci ...

politician, member of the

Grand Council of Fascism The Grand Council of Fascism (, also translated "Fascist Grand Council") was the main body of Mussolini's Fascist regime in Italy, which held and applied great power to control the institutions of government. It was created as a body of the ...

and minister of agriculture of the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...

from 1941 to 1943.

Biography

A renowned

agronomist An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.) is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the Philippines, the Uni ...

, he fought in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

in the 6th Heavy Artillery Regiment, earning a Bronze Medal of Military Valour. After the war, he joined the Fascist Party in the early 1920s. From 1928 to 1932 he was general secretary of the Fascist Confederation of Farmers, and in 1933 he became a member of the

, although he did not personally attend its sessions during the 1930s. In 1941, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he volunteered for the front and was sent to

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

with the rank of

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

Captain, but was recalled after a few months to be appointed president of the Fascist Confederation of Farmers and then Minister of Agriculture. He attended the Grand Council of Fascism for the first time on 25 July 1943, when he was among those who voted in favor of the

motion of no confidence A motion or vote of no confidence (or the inverse, a motion or vote of confidence) is a motion and corresponding vote thereon in a deliberative assembly (usually a legislative body) as to whether an officer (typically an executive) is deemed fi ...

against

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...

, having been persuaded to do so by

Dino Grandi Dino Grandi, 1st Conte di Mordano (4 June 1895 – 21 May 1988), was an Italian Fascist politician, minister of justice, minister of foreign affairs and president of Parliament. Early life Born at Mordano, province of Bologna, Grandi was ...

. To those who pointed out that the approval of Grandi's order of the day would result in the resignation of the Duce, Pareschi replied "these are merely words, nothing will ever change, as usual". Even after the arrest of Benito Mussolini, considering himself a "technician" lent almost unwillingly to politics, he did not foresee desire for revenge of the Fascists and remained in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, where in early October 1943, after the

Armistice of Cassibile The Armistice of Cassibile ( Italian: ''Armistizio di Cassibile'') was an armistice that was signed on 3 September 1943 by Italy and the Allies, marking the end of hostilities between Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was made public ...

and the German takeover, he was arrested by the authorities of the newly established

Italian Social Republic The Italian Social Republic (, ; RSI; , ), known prior to December 1943 as the National Republican State of Italy (; SNRI), but more popularly known as the Republic of Salò (, ), was a List of World War II puppet states#Germany, German puppe ...

. Tried for

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

at the Verona Trial, he was sentenced to death and executed by

firing squad Firing may refer to: * Dismissal (employment), sudden loss of employment by termination * Firemaking, the act of starting a fire * Burning; see combustion * Shooting, specifically the discharge of firearms * Execution by firing squad, a method of ...

on 11 January 1944, along with

Galeazzo Ciano Gian Galeazzo Ciano, 2nd Count of Cortellazzo and Buccari ( , ; 18 March 1903 – 11 January 1944), was an Italian diplomat and politician who served as Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister in the government of his father-in-law ...

Emilio De Bono Emilio De Bono (19 March 1866 – 11 January 1944) was an Italian general, fascist activist, marshal, war criminal, and member of the Fascist Grand Council (''Gran Consiglio del Fascismo''). De Bono fought in the Italo-Turkish War, the First Wo ...

Luciano Gottardi Luciano Gottardi (18 February 1899 – 11 January 1944) was an Italian Fascist politician and trade unionist. Biography The son of a small farmer, he participated in the First World War initially as a private in the telegraph troops of the Roy ...

and

Giovanni Marinelli Giovanni Marinelli (18 October 1879 – 11 January 1944) was an Italian Fascism, Italian Fascist political leader. Biography Marinelli was born in Adria, Veneto. A wealthy man, Marinelli contributed to Fascist success by financing the March on ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pareschi, Carlo 1898 births 1944 deaths Ministers of agriculture of Italy Italian military personnel of World War I Members of the Grand Council of Fascism National Fascist Party politicians Royal Italian Army personnel killed in World War II Recipients of the Bronze Medal of Military Valor Verona trial executions