Umberto Merlin (1885–1964) was an Italian lawyer and

Christian Democrat Christian democracy (sometimes named Centrist democracy) is a political ideology that emerged in 19th-century Europe under the influence of Catholic social teaching and neo-Calvinism. It was conceived as a combination of modern democratic ...

politician who held several cabinet posts in the 1940s and 1950s.

Early life and education

Merlin was born in

Rovigo Rovigo (, ; egl, Ruig) is a city and ''comune'' in the Veneto region of Northeast Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. Geography Rovigo stands on the low ground known as Polesine, by rail southwest of Venice and south-southwest of P ...

on 17 February 1885. He was president of the Catholic Youth Club of St. Francis Association. In 1903 he became the Veneto regional president of the Association. In 1906 he obtained a degree in law from the

University of Padua The University of Padua ( it, Università degli Studi di Padova, UNIPD) is an Italian university located in the city of Padua, region of Veneto, northern Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from ...

Career

Following his graduation Merlin worked as a lawyer. He participated in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

with the rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

. He was a cofounder the Italian Popular Party, but during the Fascist rule he did not involve in politics. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

Merlin resumed his political activities and joined the Christian Democracy Party. He was elected as one of the 60 national councilors of the Christian Democrats in the congress held in Rome on 24-27 April 1946. The same year he was elected deputy to the

Constituent Assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...

. In 1947 Merlin was named as the general secretary of the party. In 1948 he became a senator and served in the first four legislatures. He served as the minister of posts and telecommunications in the cabinet led by

Alcide De Gasperi Alcide Amedeo Francesco De Gasperi (; 3 April 1881 – 19 August 1954) was an Italian politician who founded the Christian Democracy party and served as prime minister of Italy in eight successive coalition governments from 1945 to 1953. De Gas ...

between 31 May 1947 and 23 May 1948. He also served in the same post in the cabinet headed again by Alcide De Gasperi from 16 July to 16 August 1953. He was the

minister of public works This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...

in the cabinet led by

Giuseppe Pella Giuseppe Pella (18 April 1902 – 31 May 1981) was an Italian Christian Democratic politician who served as the 31st prime minister of Italy from 1953 to 1954. He was also Minister of Treasury, Budget and of Foreign Affairs during the 1950s a ...

(17 August 1953–17 January 1954) and in the first cabinet of Amintore Fanfani (18 January–9 February 1954). Then he served in the municipal and provincial council of

Polesine Polesine (; vec, label=unified Venetian script, Połéxine ) is a geographic and historic area in the north-east of Italy whose limits varied through centuries; it had also been known as Polesine of Rovigo for some time. Nowadays it corresponds w ...

Personal life and death

Merlin married Maria Vittoria Lorenzoni with whom he had four children. He died of a heart attack in Padua on 22 May 1964.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Merlin, Umberto 20th-century Italian lawyers 1885 births 1964 deaths Christian Democracy (Italy) politicians Deputies of Legislature I of Italy Italian military personnel of World War I Italian Ministers of Public Works Italian People's Party (1919) politicians Italian political party founders Senators of Legislature I of Italy Senators of Legislature II of Italy Senators of Legislature III of Italy Senators of Legislature IV of Italy People from Rovigo Transport ministers of Italy University of Padua alumni