Cesare Maria De Vecchi

National Fascist Party (PNF) Fascists and Nazis Monarchy and royalism

1884–1959 ○ Natural causes

Monarchist Fascist, Turin squad leader and quadrumvir who governed Somaliland and served as education minister

Born in Casale Monferrato, he practised law in Turin and fought in the First World War as a captain. In the National Fascist Party he represented the monarchist, moderate wing while heading the Turin squads, and entered the Chamber in 1921. As a quadrumvir he organised the March on Rome in 1922 and in December inspired the Turin massacre. Governor of Italian Somaliland from 1923 to 1928, he waged a scorched-earth campaign. He became the first ambassador to the Holy See after the Lateran Treaty, centralised the schools as education minister in 1935 to 1936 and enforced the racial laws as governor of the Aegean Islands. Having voted to oust Mussolini in 1943, he was sentenced to death in absentia at Verona; after the war he backed the neo-fascist MSI and died in Rome in 1959.

Also known as: Cesare Maria De Vecchi di Val Cismon

Activities and affiliations

1919–1922

Fascist squads (squadristi)Head of the Turin squads
Military command
1921–1943

National Fascist Party (PNF)Main
Political and party leadership
1921–

Italy state institutions
Legislature and state representation
1922–1923

Blackshirts (MVSN)Commandant-General of the Milizia
Military command
1923–1941

Italy state institutionsGovernor of Somaliland and the Aegean
Government and administration
1935–1936

Italy state institutionsMinister of Education
Education

Related historical events

1919–1926The March on RomeQuadrumvir, leader of the Turin squadsRepresenting the party's monarchist and moderate wing, he led the Turin squads and organised the March on Rome as a Quadrumvir; in December 1922 he inspired Brandimarte's squads to the Turin massacre.