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Leopoldo "Leo" Longanesi (30 August 1905 27 September 1957) was an Italian journalist, publicist, screenplayer, playwright, writer, and publisher. Longanesi is mostly known in his country for his satirical works on Italian society and people. He also founded the eponymous publishing house in Milan in 1946 and was a mentor-like figure for
Indro Montanelli Indro Alessandro Raffaello Schizogene Montanelli (; 22 April 1909 – 22 July 2001) was an Italian journalist, historian, and writer. He was one of the fifty World Press Freedom Heroes according to the International Press Institute. A volunteer ...
(a journalist and historian, and the founder of , one of Italy's biggest newspapers). Between 1927 and 1950, Longanesi published several magazines, including (1926), (1937), and (1950), the last of which is a cultural and satirical weekly paper with
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
orientation. Longanesi described himself as a "cultural anarchist", or "conservative anarchist", and he headed a popular
right-wing Right-wing politics is the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position based on natural law, economics, authority, property ...
group, which embraced
conservatism Conservatism is a Philosophy of culture, cultural, Social philosophy, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, Convention (norm), customs, and Value (ethics and social science ...
, agrarian virtues,
anti-democracy Democracy, its functions, and its development have been criticized throughout history. Some critics call upon the constitutional regime to be true to its own highest principles; others reject the values promoted by constitutional democracy. ...
, and nostalgic post-fascism after
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 ...
, even if during the ''
regime In politics, a regime (also spelled régime) is a system of government that determines access to public office, and the extent of power held by officials. The two broad categories of regimes are democratic and autocratic. A key similarity acros ...
'' he himself had mocked it very often and continued to remain apart from neo-Fascist movements. Longanesi was an elegant and refined cartoonist who wrote several books of memoirs, characterised by a ruthless streak such as , , and


Biography


Early life and career

Born in
Bagnacavallo Bagnacavallo () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The Renaissance painter Bartolomeo Ramenghi bore the nickname of his native city. Main sights *''Castellaccio'' (15th century) * Giardino dei Semplici ...
, Longanesi was the son of Paolo Longanesi, director of a gunpowder factory in
Lugo Lugo (, ) is a city in northwestern Spain in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia. It is the capital of the Lugo (province), province of Lugo. The municipality had a population of 100,060 in 2024, ...
, and Angela Marangoni, who came from a local, wealthy landowner family. In 1911, when Leo was six, the Longanesi family 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 ...
, where, in keeping with the family's affluence, Leo attended the most prestigious school and learned French at Galvani High School. In 1920, Leo wrote his first printed sheet, ''Il Marchese'', at the age of 15. He then wrote in the monthly magazines of ''Zibaldone dei giovani'' (1921), ''Il Toro'' (1923), and ''Il Dominio'' (1924), his youth and writing style catching attention. After high school, Longanesi earned a bachelor's degree in law 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 ...
. After university, Longanesi developed his social circles by joining the city's worldly elite, literary cafés, and nighthawk pubs. He became friends with leading intellectuals like Galvano Della Volpe,
Giorgio Morandi Giorgio Morandi (July 20, 1890 – June 18, 1964) was an Italian painter and printmaker widely known for his subtly muted still-life paintings of ceramic vessels, flowers, and landscapes—their quiet, meditative quality reflecting the artist's ...
and Vincenzo Cardarelli, and with young rising politicians like Leandro Arpinati,
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 ...
and
Italo Balbo Italo Balbo (6 June 1896 – 28 June 1940) was an Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Italian fascist politician and Blackshirts' leader who served as Italy's Marshal of the Air Force, Governor-General of Italian Libya and Commander-in-Chief of Italian ...
. During this time, Longanesi developed his interest in politics and began collaborating with ''L'Assalto'' (), a Fascist newspaper in Bologna, in 1924. In the same year, he met Mino Maccari, a famous painter, who introduced him to Rome's socialite circles. With Maccari and popular writer
Curzio Malaparte Curzio Malaparte (; born Kurt Erich Suckert; 9 June 1898 – 19 July 1957) was an Italian writer, filmmaker, war correspondent and diplomat. Malaparte is best known outside Italy due to his works '' Kaputt'' (1944) and '' The Skin'' (1949). The ...
, Longanesi began a cultural movement called ''Strapaese'' (literally "great country"), which believed
Italian Fascism Italian fascism (), also called classical fascism and Fascism, is the original fascist ideology, which Giovanni Gentile and Benito Mussolini developed in Italy. The ideology of Italian fascism is associated with a series of political parties le ...
to be the bearer of rural traditions and patriotic virtues. Living between Rome and Bologna, Longanesi worked with the magazine '' Il Selvaggio'' () from 1925 to 1929, and created a weekly magazine '' L'Italiano'' () from 1926 to 1942, headquartered first in Bologna and then in Rome, with Maccari, American playwright Henry Furst, and writer Giovanni Comisso, former legionnaire of
Fiume Rijeka (; Fiume ( �fjuːme in Italian and in Fiuman Venetian) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and in 2021 had a po ...
with Gabriele D'Annunzio. At this time,
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 ...
was establishing his police state, banning opposition parties, and imposing a
cult of personality A cult of personality, or a cult of the leader,Cas Mudde, Mudde, Cas and Kaltwasser, Cristóbal Rovira (2017) ''Populism: A Very Short Introduction''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 63. is the result of an effort which is made to create ...
based on his figure (the ''
Duce ( , ) is an Italian title, derived from the Latin word , 'leader', and a cognate of ''duke''. National Fascist Party leader Benito Mussolini was identified by Fascists as ('The Leader') of the movement since the birth of the in 1919. In 192 ...
'') and 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 ...
, the only legal party. Longanesi and his collaborators grew close to the new regime, and started a cultural debate on the relationship between arts and fascism. In 1926, Longanesi wrote his first great work, the "Vade-mecum of the perfect Fascist". The book expresses, with the motto "''Mussolini ha sempre ragione''" (), a mix of adoration and caricature of Mussolini's dictatorship. During Mussolini's dictatorship (from 1926 to 1943), Longanesi was both loyal and critical to Fascism, and was ironic about the
Battle for Grain The Battle for Grain (), also known as the Battle for Wheat, was a propaganda campaign launched in 1925 during the Fascist Italy (1922–1943), fascist regime of Italy by Benito Mussolini, with the aim of gaining self-sufficiency in wheat produc ...
(marshes' recovery policy), the mystification of the
Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...
, and imperialist dreams of Africa.


Under Fascism

In 1927, Longanesi created his first publishing house ''L'Italiano'' Editions (property of ''L'Italiano'' magazine), and published works of Fascist writers who were critical of the regime, such as Malaparte, Riccardo Bacchelli, Vincenzo Cardarelli, and Antonio Baldini, and Telesio Interlandi, who later became a major supporter of the
racial laws Anti-Jewish laws have been a common occurrence throughout the history of antisemitism and Jewish history. Examples of such laws include special Jewish quotas, Jewish taxes and Jewish "disabilities". During the 1930s and early 1940s, some law ...
(1938) against the
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
. The following year, Longanesi purchased the publishing house from Malaparte and later acquired the magazine '' La Voce'' (), which was founded by conservative journalist Giuseppe Prezzolini in 1919. In 1929, Longanesi ran as a candidate for the
general election A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from By-election, by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. Gener ...
(which presented only the Fascist Party), but was not elected. In July that year, Longanesi was hired to direct ''L'Assalto'', which he managed until he resigned in 1931. His dismissal was because of a strong and irreverent piece on Senator Giuseppe Tanari, financer of the ''
squadrismo () was the movement of (English: ''action squads''), the fascist militias that were organised outside the authority of the Italian state and led by local leaders called ''ras'' (a title given to Abyssinian headmen). The militia originally cons ...
'' (literally "squadronism"), a radical tendency inside Fascism, members of which attacked, assaulted, and sometimes killed political dissidents. Longanesi was prompted to write the article by an incident in May 1931, when he attended a performance of conductor
Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orche ...
at the Bologna Communal Theatre, also attended by
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 ...
, Mussolini's son-in-law, and Arpinati, Longanesi's old friend. At the end of the piece, Ciano and Arpinati called on Toscanini to play ''
Giovinezza "" (; ) was the official hymn of the Italian National Fascist Party, Fascist Italy, regime, and army, and was an unofficial national anthem of the Kingdom of Italy between 1924 and 1943.Farrell, Nicholas. 2005. ''Mussolini: a New Life''. Sterlin ...
'' (), a popular song among the Fascists. When Toscanini refused the request, Ciano and Arpinati left the theatre disappointed, and radical Fascists assaulted Toscanini afterwards for his dissent. Longanesi was erroneously believed to be the first one to slap him, as there was an article against the conductor's refusal the following day. In May 1932, Longanesi moved with his parents and grandparents to Rome and bought an elegant house in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. He also moved ''L'Italiano'' and ''Il Selvaggio'' to the capital. Both magazines were in decline and Longanesi directed them almost alone. Despite his criticisms, Longanesi was chosen by the regime to organize a literary exhibition on Mussolini for the 10th anniversary of the
March on Rome The March on Rome () was an organized mass demonstration in October 1922 which resulted in Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party (, PNF) ascending to power in the Kingdom of Italy. In late October 1922, Fascist Party leaders planned a march ...
, which opened on 28 October 1932. After the start of the
Second Italo-Ethiopian War The Second Italo-Ethiopian War, also referred to as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, was a war of aggression waged by Fascist Italy, Italy against Ethiopian Empire, Ethiopia, which lasted from October 1935 to February 1937. In Ethiopia it is oft ...
in 1935, Longanesi became the chief of propaganda. Longanesi requested to direct a big newspaper in return for his services to Fascism, but was refused by the regime, which feared that new magazines and papers, especially under direction of critics of the dictatorship, would undermine the Fascists' strict control over the press. However, Longanesi's connection with Mussolini's son Vittorio allowed him to work for ''Cinema'', a magazine of film criticism, in September 1936. He was fired a month later for an unpleasant photographic piece on the regime. On 3 April 1937, Longanesi created a new magazine, '' Omnibus'', an illustrated news magazine on literature and arts, later described as the "father of Italian magazines", especially for his use of photographs and images. The magazine was published by
Angelo Rizzoli Angelo Rizzoli, OML (; 31 October 1889 – 24 September 1970) was an Italian publisher and film producer. Early life Rizzoli was born in Milan on 31 October 1889. Orphaned at a young age and raised in poverty, he rose to prosperity. He appren ...
(save for the first six months by Arnoldo
Mondadori Arnoldo Mondadori Editore () is the biggest publishing company in Italy. History The company was founded in 1907 in Ostiglia by 18-year-old Arnoldo Mondadori who began his publishing career with the publication of the magazine ''Luce!''. In 19 ...
), and presented notable and rising journalists and artists like
Indro Montanelli Indro Alessandro Raffaello Schizogene Montanelli (; 22 April 1909 – 22 July 2001) was an Italian journalist, historian, and writer. He was one of the fifty World Press Freedom Heroes according to the International Press Institute. A volunteer ...
,
Alberto Moravia Alberto Pincherle (; 28 November 1907 – 26 September 1990), known by his pseudonym Alberto Moravia ( , ), was an Italian novelist and journalist. His novels explored matters of modern sexuality, social alienation and existentialism. Moravia i ...
,
Vitaliano Brancati Vitaliano Brancati (; 24 July 1907 – 25 September 1954) was an Italian novelist, dramatist, poet and screenwriter. Biography Born in Pachino, Syracuse, Brancati studied in Catania, where he graduated in letters and where he spent most of h ...
,
Ennio Flaiano Ennio Flaiano (5 March 1910 – 20 November 1972) was an Italian screenwriter, playwright, novelist, journalist, and drama critic. Best known for his work with Federico Fellini, Flaiano co-wrote ten screenplays with the Italian director, includi ...
,
Mario Soldati Mario Soldati (17 November 1906 – 19 June 1999) was an Italian writer and film director. In 1954, he won the Strega Prize for ''Lettere da Capri.'' He directed several works adapted from novels, and worked with leading Italian actresses, s ...
, Mario Pannunzio,
Arrigo Benedetti Arrigo Benedetti (June 1, 1910 – October 26, 1976) was an Italian journalist and writer. He was also the editor of important news magazines: (1939–1941), '' L'Europeo'' (1945–54), (1955–63), and '' Il Mondo'' (1969–72). Born as Giuli ...
, and Alberto Savinio. Despite the magazine's immediate success, ''Omnibus'' was forced to close on 2 February 1939 by the
Ministry of Popular Culture The Ministry of Popular Culture (, commonly abbreviated to MinCulPop) was a ministry of the Italian government from 1937 to 1944. History It was established by the Fascist government in 1922 as the ''Press Office of the Presidency of the Counci ...
(Minculpop), apparently without reason but probably for collaborations to the magazine by Jewish intellectuals like Moravia and anti-fascists like Pannunzio. However, Longanesi was appointed as its technical-artistic consultant by Minculpop itself in 1940. At the same time, he was also chosen by Rizzoli to direct a book series, ''Il sofà delle Muse'' (), and published successful works like '' The Tartar Steppe'' (1940), ''Don Giovanni in Sicily'' (1941) and ''The Truth about the Motta Affair'' (1937, reedited in 1941).


Second World War

On 10 June 1940, Italy declared war against
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and the United Kingdom, in alliance with
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
and other Fascist-inspired nations of the
Axis Powers The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis and also Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis, was the military coalition which initiated World War II and fought against the Allies of World War II, Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Ge ...
. Despite initial popular enthusiasm for the Italian entrance into the
Second World War 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 ...
, Longanesi was skeptical, thinking that it would be the ruin of Italy. Despite his personal beliefs, and remaining faithful to his controversial and eclectic nature, Longanesi chose to stay loyal to the Fascist regime, worked for ''Primato'' magazine, directed by former Public Education Minister
Giuseppe Bottai Giuseppe Bottai (3 September 1895 – 9 January 1959) was an Italian journalist and member of the National Fascist Party of Benito Mussolini. Early life Born in Rome, Bottai was son of Luigi Bottai, a wine dealer with republican sympathies, and ...
, and invented war slogans like "''Taci! Il nemico ti ascolta''" (), "''La patria si serve anche facendo la sentinella ad un bidone di benzina''" () and "''Una pistola puntata contro l'Italia''" (). After the losing the
Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (), also called the Italo-Greek War, Italian campaign in Greece, Italian invasion of Greece, and War of '40 in Greece, took place between Italy and Greece from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. This conflict began the Balk ...
in 1941 and the
Tunisian Campaign The Tunisian campaign (also known as the battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. Th ...
in 1942, Italy fell into crisis and became more subjected to Germany. On 25 July 1943, a
coup d'état A coup d'état (; ; ), or simply a coup , is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to powe ...
took place against Mussolini to overthrow the Fascist regime. Longanesi, Pannunzio and Benedetti wrote a piece celebrating the apparent return of freedom and hope for Italy's retreat from war. The new Prime Minister
Pietro Badoglio Pietro Badoglio, 1st Duke of Addis Abeba, 1st Marquess of Sabotino ( , ; 28 September 1871 – 1 November 1956), was an Italian general during both World Wars and the first viceroy of Italian East Africa. With the fall of the Fascist regim ...
, however, secretly signed 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 ...
with Allied Powers on 3 September 1943, while all of Italy was directly under German military influence. On 8 September, with a proclamation, Pietro Badoglio announced the switching allegiances from the Axis to the Allies, after which he fled to
Brindisi Brindisi ( ; ) is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Historically, the city has played an essential role in trade and culture due to its strategic position ...
with the
royal family A royal family is the immediate family of monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term papal family describes the family of a pope, while th ...
and the government, leaving military and public authorities without orders. Italy separated into a German-occupied north and an Allied-occupied south. On 16 September, Longanesi fled to the south of Rome with his friends Mario Soldati, Steno, and
Riccardo Freda Riccardo Freda (24 February 1909 – 20 December 1999) was an Italian film director. He worked in a variety of genres, including sword-and-sandal, horror film, horror, ''giallo'' and spy films. Freda began directing ''I Vampiri'' in 1956. The f ...
, and arrived at
Vinchiaturo Vinchiaturo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Campobasso in the Italy, Italian region Molise, located about southwest of Campobasso with a population of 3368 people (31-12-2022). History The name of the town derives from the Lat ...
on 29 September. On 1 October, Longanesi moved to
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, where, along with Steno and Soldati, he collaborated with Allied authorities on an anti-fascist propaganda FM radio named White Star. However, Longanesi quickly grew critical of the new anti-fascist political class, which he found composed of old opportunists and new ambitious figures united in a climate of political chameleonism. On 5 June 1944, Rome was finally liberated, and Longanesi returned to the capital on 1 July, writing the comedy ''Il suo cavallo'' (), a mockery of Mussolini, similar to Shakespeare's
Richard III Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...
.


Post-war, political activism and death

In January 1946, Longanesi moved to
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
with his family, while his parents moved to
Imola Imola (; or ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, located on the river Santerno, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The city is traditionally considered the western entrance to the historical region Romagna ...
. Shortly after, Longanesi accepted an offer from industrialist Giovanni Monti and founded the publishing house Longanesi & Co. on 1 February 1946 and simultaneously published ''Il Libraio'' (), a bibliographic magazine, from 1946 to 1949. Politically, Longanesi became a prominent opponent of the new republican democracy that replaced Fascism, stating that, In his pieces, he pokes fun both at anti-fascists ("There is who believe to be an anti-fascist only because Fascism never noticed him") and ex-fascists reused in the new system ("There is a question we must never say, 'Where we have met before?'"). Longanesi was also a staunch
anti-communist Anti-communism is political and ideological opposition to communist beliefs, groups, and individuals. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, when th ...
. During the 1948 election, fearing a victory of the Soviet-sponsored Popular Democratic Front, Longanesi and Montanelli campaigned for the "less worse"
Christian Democracy Christian democracy is an ideology inspired by Christian social teaching to respond to the challenges of contemporary society and politics. Christian democracy has drawn mainly from Catholic social teaching and neo-scholasticism, as well ...
(DC), printing and publishing pamphlets, fliers, posters and hosting ''Radio Garibaldi'', an illegal FM transmission in Milan. After the defeat of the Front, Longanesi left ''Il Libraio'', and in 1950 founded the magazine ''
Il Borghese ''Il Borghese'' is a monthly cultural and political magazine with a right-wing stance published in Rome, Italy. The magazine has been in circulation since 1950 and is named after the conservative Borghese family. and published until 1993. The n ...
'', collaborating with Montanelli, Giovanni Ansaldo, Giuseppe Prezzolini,
Giovanni Spadolini Giovanni Spadolini (; 21 June 1925 – 4 August 1994) was an Italian politician and statesman, who served as the 44th prime minister of Italy. He had been a leading figure in the Republican Party and the first head of a government to not be ...
, Alberto Savinio, Mario Tedeschi, Ennio Flaiano, Colette Rosselli, Irene Brin,
Goffredo Parise Goffredo Parise (8 December 1929 in Vicenza – 31 August 1986 in Treviso) was an Italian writer, journalist, and screenwriter. He won the Viareggio Prize in 1965 for his novel ''Il padrone'' ''(The Boss)'' and the Strega Prize in 1982 for ''S ...
, Mario Missiroli and Piero Buscaroli. In Longanesi's view, ''Il Borghese'' should be an expression of a new right-wing anti-communist movement, who he named "Brothers of Italy's League", and organized political circles in several cities. The movement grew rapidly, attracting both unsatisfied voters and those who had been excluded from the 1950s
economic miracle Economic miracle is an informal economic term for a period of dramatic economic development that is entirely unexpected or unexpectedly strong. Economic miracles have occurred in the recent histories of a number of countries, often those undergoi ...
, especially farmers. Longanesi and his followers feared that the new
media culture In cultural studies, media culture refers to the current Western capitalist society that emerged and developed during the 20th century under the influence of mass media.Thomas (2012p.30quotation: The term highlights the extensive impact and inte ...
and
consumerism Consumerism is a socio-cultural and economic phenomenon that is typical of industrialized societies. It is characterized by the continuous acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing quantities. In contemporary consumer society, the ...
would destroy traditions, disfigure the Italian landscape and brutalize culture. They also criticized the nullification of classes. Longanesi was harshly critical of the government, calling it unable to balance old traditions and modernity, and of the democratic policy of
universal suffrage Universal suffrage or universal franchise ensures the right to vote for as many people bound by a government's laws as possible, as supported by the " one person, one vote" principle. For many, the term universal suffrage assumes the exclusion ...
, stating: In the early 1950s, Longanesi tried to transform his movement into a large right-wing party, formed by former Fascists, monarchists, Catholics, liberals and conservatives. He also visited
Achille Lauro Achille Lauro (; 16 June 1887 – 15 November 1982) was an Italian businessman and politician. He is widely considered one of the main precursors of modern populism in Italian politics. He was nicknamed by his supporters ''Il Comandante'' ("Th ...
, mayor of Naples and advocate of the
Monarchist National Party The Monarchist National Party (, PNM) was a list of political parties in Italy, political party in Italy founded in 1946. It was a right-wing competitor to Christian Democracy (Italy), Christian Democracy and was especially strong in Southern Ital ...
, to convince him to join and finance the movement, but Lauro's refusal and Longanesi's lack of political ambition lead the project to fail. However, Longanesi still supported the idea of a national party, and in 1955 he organized a conference titled "What is the right
wing A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
in Italy?". His criticisms both of government and of neo-fascists led to his isolation. In 1956, Monti proposed separation between ''Il Borghese'' and Longanesi & Co., and Longanesi's refusal was used to justify ousting him from the administration council. Due to an unknown connection in
Confindustria The General Confederation of Italian Industry (), commonly known as Confindustria, is the Italy, Italian small, medium, and big enterprises federation, acting as a private and autonomous chamber of commerce, founded in 1910. The association netwo ...
, as reported by Ansaldo, Longanesi was able to maintain ''Il Borghese'' by himself, paying 5,000,000. Ansaldo later always claimed that Monti's operation was forced by governing pressures, especially from President
Giovanni Gronchi Giovanni Gronchi, (; 10 September 1887 – 17 October 1978) was an Italian politician from Christian Democracy who served as President of Italy from 1955 to 1962 and was marked by a controversial and failed attempt to bring about an "opening t ...
, a left-leaning Christian Democrat who personally disliked Longanesi and ''Il Borghese'', and hoped that without money it would be closed and Longanesi ruined. On 27 September 1957, Longanesi suffered a heart attack while in his office. It was reported that his last words were: "That is, exactly as I always hoped: quickly and among my things". He died soon after being transported to a clinic. His death was grieved by his few living friends, including Benedetti; Montanelli, future founder of ''
Il Giornale (), known from its founding in 1974 until 1983 as (), is an Italian-language daily newspaper published in Milan with an average circulation of 28,933 in May 2023. In 2006, it was considered one of Italy's main national newspapers. History an ...
;'' and Spadolini, future first non-Christian Democrat Prime Minister of the Italian Republic.


Personal life

On 18 February 1939, shortly after the closure of ''Omnibus'', Longanesi married Maria Spadini, daughter of Armando Spadini, whom he knew through Vincenzo Cardarelli, former ''L'Italiano'' journalist. In their marriage Longanesi had three children: Virginia (born 19 December 1939), Caterina (born 25 December 1941) and Paolo (born 6 April 1945). While at home, Longanesi explored his passion for painting, causing some arguments with his wife for his
surrealistic Surrealism is an art movement, art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike s ...
works. He believed in traditional and superstitious cures, such as using rabbit skin to treat
sciatica Sciatica is pain going down the leg from the lower back. This pain may go down the back, outside, or front of the leg. Onset is often sudden following activities such as heavy lifting, though gradual onset may also occur. The pain is often desc ...
.


Works


Books

*''Vade-mecum del perfetto fascista seguito da dieci assiomi per il milite ovvero Avvisi ideali'' (1926) *''Cinque anni di rivoluzione'' (1927) *''L'Almanacco di Strapaese'', with Gino Maccari (1928) *''Vecchio Sport (extract) (1935) *''Piccolo dizionario borghese'', with Vitaliano Brancati (1941) *''Parliamo dell'elefante: frammenti di un diario'' (1947) *''In piedi e seduti (1919–1943)'' (1948) *''Il mondo cambia. Storia di cinquant'anni'' (1949) *''Una vita. Romanzo'' (1949) *''Il destino ha cambiato cavallo'' (1951) *''Un morto fra noi'' (1952) *''Ci salveranno le vecchie zie?'' (1953) *''L'onesto Signor Bianchi'' (1953) *''Lettera alla figlia del tipografo'' (1957) *''La sua signora. Taccuino di Leo Longanesi'' (1957) *''Me ne vado. Ottantun incisioni in legno'' (1957) *''L'italiano in guerra, 1915–1918'' (1965, posthumous) *''I Borghesi Stanchi'' (1973, posthumous) *''Il Generale Stivalone'' (2007, posthumous) *''Faust a Bologna'' (2013, posthumous) *''Morte dell'Imperatore'' (2016, posthumous)


Stage

*''Due Servi'', with Mino Maccari (1924) *''Una conferenza'' (1942) *''Il commendatore'' (1942) *''Il suo cavallo'' (1944) *''La colpa è dell'anticamera'' (1946)


Film

* '' Heartbeat'', with
Mario Camerini Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Camerini began his career in the film industry in 1920, working for his cousin the director Augusto Genina. Camerini went on to direct his own fi ...
and Ivo Perilli (1939) *''Dieci minuti di vita'', with Steno and
Ennio Flaiano Ennio Flaiano (5 March 1910 – 20 November 1972) was an Italian screenwriter, playwright, novelist, journalist, and drama critic. Best known for his work with Federico Fellini, Flaiano co-wrote ten screenplays with the Italian director, includi ...
(uncompleted, 1943) *'' Quartieri alti'', with Steno,
Renato Castellani Renato Castellani (4 September 1913 – 28 December 1985) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Early life Son of a representative of Kodak, he was born in Varigotti, at the time a hamlet of Final Pia, which became Finale Ligure ( ...
,
Mario Soldati Mario Soldati (17 November 1906 – 19 June 1999) was an Italian writer and film director. In 1954, he won the Strega Prize for ''Lettere da Capri.'' He directed several works adapted from novels, and worked with leading Italian actresses, s ...
and
Ercole Patti Ercole Patti (16 February 1903 – 15 November 1976) was an Italian dramatist, journalist, novelist, and screenwriter. Biography Born in Catania into an upper-middle-class family and the nephew of writer Giuseppe Villaroel, Patti started worki ...
(1945)


Drawings

*A gun aimed on Italy *Literary graphic (1) *Literary graphic (2)


Commercials

*Supercortemaggiore (
Agip Agip S.p.A., acronym for Azienda generale italiana petroli, was an Italian automotive gasoline, Diesel fuel, diesel, Liquefied petroleum gas, LPG, lubricants, fuel oil, and bitumen retailer established in 1926 and Subsidiary company, subsidiary ...
) *Agipgas (Agip) *Vespa (
Vespa Vespa () is an Italian brand of scooters and mopeds manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian. The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A. of Pontedera, Italy, to a ...
) *Moto Guzzi (
Moto Guzzi Moto Guzzi () is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer and the oldest European manufacturer in continuous motorcycle production. Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its historic role in Italy's motorcyclin ...
) *Adolph's (Adolph's)


Bibliography

* * * * * * * *


References


Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Longanesi, Leo 1905 births 1957 deaths People from Imola Italian male journalists 20th-century Italian writers 20th-century Italian male writers Italian memoirists Conservatism in Italy Italian magazine editors Italian publishers (people) Italian anti-communists 20th-century memoirists Italian magazine founders People from Bagnacavallo Italian satirists