Rodolfo Graziani

Italy state institutions Fascists and Nazis Counter-revolutionary forces Italy Italy 1882–1955 ○ Natural causes

Marshal called the Butcher of Fezzan and of Ethiopia who became defence minister of the Italian Social Republic

Born in Filettino, Lazio, he joined the army in 1903 and served in Eritrea. Fighting in Libya from 1921, he became governor of Cyrenaica in 1930 and earned the name Butcher of Fezzan for concentration camps that killed many civilians. Governor of Somaliland in 1935, he led the southern front against Ethiopia, became viceroy of Ethiopia and marshal in 1936, and after an attempt on his life in February 1937 ordered the Yekatit 12 massacre in Addis Ababa. Given command in North Africa in 1940, he resigned after the British offensive routed his army. The only marshal to stay loyal to Mussolini in 1943, he became defence minister of the Italian Social Republic. Sentenced in 1950 to 19 years for collaboration, he was freed after four months and became honorary president of the neo-fascist MSI.

Activities and affiliations