Aldo Oviglio (7 December 1873–19 August 1942) was an Italian lawyer and politician, who served as the first

minister of justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

in the

Mussolini government The Mussolini government was the longest-lasting government in the history of Italy. The Cabinet administered the country from 31 October 1922 to 25 July 1943, for a total of 7,572 days, or 20 years, 8 months and 25 days. On taking office, the ...

between October 1922 and January 1925. Born in

Rimini Rimini ( , ; or ; ) is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. Sprawling along the Adriatic Sea, Rimini is situated at a strategically-important north-south passage along the coast at the southern tip of the Po Valley. It is ...

and raised also in

Pesaro Pesaro (; ) is a (municipality) in the Italy, Italian region of Marche, capital of the province of Pesaro and Urbino, on the Adriatic Sea. According to the 2011 census, its population was 95,011, making it the second most populous city in the ...

and

Rovigo Rovigo (, ; ) is a city and communes of Italy, commune in the region of Veneto, Northeast Italy, the capital of the province of Rovigo, eponymous province. Geography Rovigo stands on the low ground known as Polesine, by rail southwest of Veni ...

, Oviglio moved to

Bologna Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...

for his university education in 1892. He joined the

Italian Radical Party The Italian Radical Party (), also known as the Historical Radical Party (''Partito Radicale storico''), was a political party in Italy. Heir of the Historical Far Left and representative of Italy's political left in its beginning, with the ...

, and served several terms in Bologna's municipal and provincial councils. On 21 November 1920, Oviglio joined the

National Fascist Party The National Fascist Party (, PNF) was a political party in Italy, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of Italian fascism and as a reorganisation of the previous Italian Fasces of Combat. The party ruled the Kingdom of It ...

. He was elected to the

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...

in the 1921 general election, and appointed minister of justice on 31 October 1922. He resigned from office after the assassination of

Giacomo Matteotti Giacomo Matteotti (; 22 May 1885 – 10 June 1924) was an Italian socialist politician and secretary of the Unitary Socialist Party (PSU). He was elected deputy of the Chamber of Deputies three times, in 1919, 1921 and in 1924. On 30 May 19 ...

, and was appointed a

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

on 24 January 1929.

Early life and education

Oviglio was born in Rimini on 7 December 1873 to parents Francesco and Ida Malvolti. During his secondary education, his family moved to Pesaro, and then to Rovigo. At this time, he began contributing columns in the democratic newspaper ''L'Adigetto'', expressing opposition to , a local newspaper edited by whom Bergamini duelled on 7 December 1894. Oviglio attended the

University of Padua The University of Padua (, UNIPD) is an Italian public research university in Padua, Italy. It was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from the University of Bologna, who previously settled in Vicenza; thus, it is the second-oldest ...

. In 1892, he enrolled at the

University of Bologna The University of Bologna (, abbreviated Unibo) is a Public university, public research university in Bologna, Italy. Teaching began around 1088, with the university becoming organised as guilds of students () by the late 12th century. It is the ...

from which he graduated with a law degree.

Political career

Bolognese councillor

Oviglio served as a councillor of Bologna's provincial council between 8 August 1910 and 14 December 1913. During this time, he cofounded ''Giornale del Mattino'', a short-lived left-wing Bolognese newspaper first issued on 11 December 1910. He contested the 1913 general election for the

Vergato Vergato ( Medial Mountain Bolognese: or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southwest of Bologna. Vergato borders the following municipalities: Castel d'Aiano ...

constituency, but was not elected. ''Giornale del Mattino'''s contributors supported Italy's participation in the

First World War 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 ...

, criticising the antimilitarism of the

Italian Socialist Party The Italian Socialist Party (, PSI) was a Social democracy, social democratic and Democratic socialism, democratic socialist political party in Italy, whose history stretched for longer than a century, making it one of the longest-living parti ...

. Oviglio, whose son died during the war, began to approach nationalist politicians. In October 1920, he joined an electoral committee dedicated to liberal conservatism, and was elected to Bologna's municipal and provincial councils at the end of end of that month. On 21 November 1920, a fascist attack on the

Palazzo d'Accursio 260px, Palazzo d'Accursio. Palazzo d'Accursio (or Palazzo Comunale) is a palace once formulated to house major administrative offices of the city of Bologna, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is located on the Piazza Maggiore, and is the city's ...

, the seat of Bologna's municipal government, killed ten socialists and a liberal-conservative councillor. On the same day, Oviglio joined the National Fascist Party.

Minister of Justice

Oviglio was elected to the

in the 1921 general election for the National Bloc with 23,981 votes, ranking first in the party's Bologna list, ahead of Benito Mussolini,

Leandro Arpinati Leandro Arpinati (29 February 1892 – 22 April 1945) was an Italian politician. Biography Arpinati was born at Civitella di Romagna. Before World War I, he was originally an individualist-anarchist and, together with his friend Benito Mussolini ...

and

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 ...

. Oviglio served in the 26th and 27th legislatures. On 31 October 1922, Oviglio was appointed to Mussolini's first cabinet as minister of Justice. His reforms included instituting a single

supreme court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

, reforming legal codes, and slimming down Italy's judicial bureaucracy. In December 1922, he freed incarcerated

squadristi The Voluntary Militia for National Security (, MVSN), commonly called the Blackshirts (, CCNN, singular: ) or (singular: ), was originally the paramilitary wing of the National Fascist Party, known as the Squadrismo, and after 1923 an all-vo ...

, and on 3 May 1923, a legislative decree dismissed the chief judge and general attorney of the supreme court. In March 1923, Oviglio was made an Honorary Corporal of the Milita. Oviglio was a 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 ...

from April 1923 to December 1924, and again President of Bologna's provincial council from March 1923 to October 1928.

Later political life

Oviglio's term as minister of justice ended on 5 January 1925 when he resigned from the office due to the assassination of

. Oviglio was expelled from the National Fascist Party in August 1925, after speaking against a government proposal that would have undermined judicial independence. He was readmitted the party in August 1928, and was appointed a senator on 24 January 1929.

Personal life and death

Oviglio was married to Ida Marzolini. Their son, Galeazzo, was a sublieutenant in the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment during

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 ...

, and died after sustaining injuries in the Battle of Montello. In September 1909, Oviglio joined a

masonic lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...

in Bologna, and was elevated to the third degree within a month. Italy's masonic lodges were dissolved after a legislative decree in November 1925. Oviglio died in Ronerio, near Bologna, on 19 August 1942. He was buried with his son in the cemetery of Certosa.

Awards

Oviglio was the recipient of the following: * Grande ufficiale OCI Kingdom BAR

Grand Officer of the

Order of the Crown of Italy The Order of the Crown of Italy ( or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate Italian unification, the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for ...

(17 December 1922) *Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown of Italy (30 December 1923) * Grande ufficiale SSML Regno BAR

Grand Officer of the

Order of Saints Maurizio and Lazzaro The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, an ...

(7 June 1923)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Oviglio, Aldo 20th-century Italian journalists 20th-century Italian lawyers 1873 births 1942 deaths Members of the Grand Council of Fascism Italian male journalists Ministers of justice of Italy National Fascist Party politicians People from Rimini Politicians from Bologna University of Bologna alumni Italian Freemasons Italian Radical Party politicians Italian newspaper founders Members of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy Deputies of Legislature XXVI of the Kingdom of Italy Deputies of Legislature XXVII of the Kingdom of Italy Grand Officers of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus