THE FASCIST STATE 1925 –1940: HISTORY A – LEVEL ROUTE 2G.1:
Hitler indoctrinated the youth as early as December 1921 with the Fascist Youth Front for
boys aged 14 – 17 yrs.
Ballila – 8 – 14yrs
Youth orgs. Were not well organised and alot of rivalry between groups.
By 1924 – only 3000 in fascist youth groups.
1926 – created the ONB by formal decree for boys aged 8 – 18 yrs. Compulsory and
emphasis on physical education.
1934 – Ballila restructured into 3 separate categories – Sons of the She Wolf – ages 6 – 8 yrs.
Ballila – 8 – 14 yrs. Avanguardisti – ages 14 – 18 yrs.
Girl version of Ballila – e.g daughters of the She Wolf ages 6 – 8yrs
Youth Organisations were under the control of the Ministry of National Education in 1929
and oversaw the creation of a strong nation that was loyal to fascism.
Youth orgs were part of the education system.
ONB was part of the formal education system and membership was compulsory for 6 – 11
yrs.
Membership to ONB was not compulsory before 11yrs before 1939, but it was harder to gain
further education and were barred from jobs in the future if they had no membership.
Not joining the ONB would show that you were an antifascist.
Membership to ONB gave you better job prospects and scholarships.
Youth programme for the boys: prepared them physically for a military life, military
exercises, told that the perfect Ballila was that they were loyal to Mussolini and willing to die
for his country.
Girls – health and fitness to bear healthy children – gymnastics.
Children were taught classical history, making links to Mussolini to Rome and Caesar. Taught
that fascism saved them from a communist revolution.
Antifascist teachers were removed from their posts and had to belong to the PNF to
continue teaching.
GUF led the Littorali, ran 1934 – 40 and ran debates around fascism and politics/ culture for
students.
1924 – 3000 mems in fascist youth orgs, before it was made compulsory 1937 – 7 million
mems.
Youth orgs were incentivising – enjoyable social occasions, outdoors and sport instead of
studying and classroom and employment restrictions for non-membership.
North/ South divide still in education. South do not get education after the compulsory age
of 11 because they are swept with the responsibility of agricultural work. More difficult for
them to get involved in youth orgs.
Girls were less likely to continue education after the compulsory age of 11. They found their
education dull, wanting more fun sporting activities as all they were taught was how to be
good mothers and bear children. This was found out after a survey was conducted in 1937
by the PNF.
Fascist youth groups were successful as during WW2 the most dedicated soldiers were the
product of the fascist youth orgs.
, Fascist youth groups were unsuccessful because much of the antifascist force came from the
youth who were the product of the fascist youth orgs. Raises the question how appreciated
the indoctrination was welcomed by the youth – hatred for it already.
OND – Opera Nationale Dopolavoro – 1925
In the Opera Nationale Dopolavoro – OND – organised recreational activities, plays,
concerts, cinema social and sport and a billiards hall.
The most popular aspect of the OND was the subsidised holidays and excursions – whole
family day out at virtually no cost.
By 1939 – 4 million workers had OND membership.
80% of the state were a part of it with 40 - 45% were industrial workers.
What was interesting about the OND was that it was ideologically free. All the sporting and
social activities, the subsidised holidays and excursions had no fascism message or backbone
that came with it.
The most popular aspect of the fascist regime was the OND, and this showed Mussolini to be
quite popular, and people favoured his leadership.
Some fascists were critical of the OND because it provided no real fascist education to
workers.
Mussolini responded saying that all these social activities and the OND were linked to the
PNF/ fascist state and that the mass support of the party was more important.
Censorship -----> 1923 + 1925 – decrees restricting the freedom of press.
End of 1926 – these decrees are formalised as laws and sanctioned by parliament if broken.
Regarding press laws, prefects could suspend publications and replace editors and
journalists who damage the reputation of the fascists.
Left wing newspapers were banned e.g - Avanti!
Journalists were forced to join the fascist union to self-censor their work and not intend to
damage the rep of Mussolini or the fascists party – PNF.
Mussolini’s press officer gave journalists instructions on what to write about Mussolini. No
reports on suicides, crime or traffic accidents – created a strong image of fascism where
there were no social problems.
Mussolini still faced opposition, newspaper wise, as Osservatore Romano was still popular
and in heavy circulation of 250,000. Fascist newspaper only accounted for 10% of all
newspaper sales.
Mussolini attempted to control newspapers by increasing subsidies for newspapers that
printed positive stories about Mussolini.
Fascist propaganda focused on uniting Italy, nationalistic, militarily strong, patriotic and
Rome’s history became very symbolic of Italian pride that Mussolini wanted to be reborn.
Cult of Ancient Rome was created for propaganda purposes. Ancient, classical building were
destroyed further to make it look better and show the impressiveness of the ruins.
In 1937, Mussolini held a celebration for the 2000 th anniversary of Augustus Caesar in Rome.
Mussolini intricately linked himself to the Rome by saying he was the heir of Augustus and
like him he was Italy’s greatness from the ruins of chaos and war.
Sport was seen as a keyway of showing their supremacy and dominance. Propaganda. Won
the world cup for football 1934 and 1938. Won the boxing championship from 1933 – 35 –
Primo Carnera.
Hitler indoctrinated the youth as early as December 1921 with the Fascist Youth Front for
boys aged 14 – 17 yrs.
Ballila – 8 – 14yrs
Youth orgs. Were not well organised and alot of rivalry between groups.
By 1924 – only 3000 in fascist youth groups.
1926 – created the ONB by formal decree for boys aged 8 – 18 yrs. Compulsory and
emphasis on physical education.
1934 – Ballila restructured into 3 separate categories – Sons of the She Wolf – ages 6 – 8 yrs.
Ballila – 8 – 14 yrs. Avanguardisti – ages 14 – 18 yrs.
Girl version of Ballila – e.g daughters of the She Wolf ages 6 – 8yrs
Youth Organisations were under the control of the Ministry of National Education in 1929
and oversaw the creation of a strong nation that was loyal to fascism.
Youth orgs were part of the education system.
ONB was part of the formal education system and membership was compulsory for 6 – 11
yrs.
Membership to ONB was not compulsory before 11yrs before 1939, but it was harder to gain
further education and were barred from jobs in the future if they had no membership.
Not joining the ONB would show that you were an antifascist.
Membership to ONB gave you better job prospects and scholarships.
Youth programme for the boys: prepared them physically for a military life, military
exercises, told that the perfect Ballila was that they were loyal to Mussolini and willing to die
for his country.
Girls – health and fitness to bear healthy children – gymnastics.
Children were taught classical history, making links to Mussolini to Rome and Caesar. Taught
that fascism saved them from a communist revolution.
Antifascist teachers were removed from their posts and had to belong to the PNF to
continue teaching.
GUF led the Littorali, ran 1934 – 40 and ran debates around fascism and politics/ culture for
students.
1924 – 3000 mems in fascist youth orgs, before it was made compulsory 1937 – 7 million
mems.
Youth orgs were incentivising – enjoyable social occasions, outdoors and sport instead of
studying and classroom and employment restrictions for non-membership.
North/ South divide still in education. South do not get education after the compulsory age
of 11 because they are swept with the responsibility of agricultural work. More difficult for
them to get involved in youth orgs.
Girls were less likely to continue education after the compulsory age of 11. They found their
education dull, wanting more fun sporting activities as all they were taught was how to be
good mothers and bear children. This was found out after a survey was conducted in 1937
by the PNF.
Fascist youth groups were successful as during WW2 the most dedicated soldiers were the
product of the fascist youth orgs.
, Fascist youth groups were unsuccessful because much of the antifascist force came from the
youth who were the product of the fascist youth orgs. Raises the question how appreciated
the indoctrination was welcomed by the youth – hatred for it already.
OND – Opera Nationale Dopolavoro – 1925
In the Opera Nationale Dopolavoro – OND – organised recreational activities, plays,
concerts, cinema social and sport and a billiards hall.
The most popular aspect of the OND was the subsidised holidays and excursions – whole
family day out at virtually no cost.
By 1939 – 4 million workers had OND membership.
80% of the state were a part of it with 40 - 45% were industrial workers.
What was interesting about the OND was that it was ideologically free. All the sporting and
social activities, the subsidised holidays and excursions had no fascism message or backbone
that came with it.
The most popular aspect of the fascist regime was the OND, and this showed Mussolini to be
quite popular, and people favoured his leadership.
Some fascists were critical of the OND because it provided no real fascist education to
workers.
Mussolini responded saying that all these social activities and the OND were linked to the
PNF/ fascist state and that the mass support of the party was more important.
Censorship -----> 1923 + 1925 – decrees restricting the freedom of press.
End of 1926 – these decrees are formalised as laws and sanctioned by parliament if broken.
Regarding press laws, prefects could suspend publications and replace editors and
journalists who damage the reputation of the fascists.
Left wing newspapers were banned e.g - Avanti!
Journalists were forced to join the fascist union to self-censor their work and not intend to
damage the rep of Mussolini or the fascists party – PNF.
Mussolini’s press officer gave journalists instructions on what to write about Mussolini. No
reports on suicides, crime or traffic accidents – created a strong image of fascism where
there were no social problems.
Mussolini still faced opposition, newspaper wise, as Osservatore Romano was still popular
and in heavy circulation of 250,000. Fascist newspaper only accounted for 10% of all
newspaper sales.
Mussolini attempted to control newspapers by increasing subsidies for newspapers that
printed positive stories about Mussolini.
Fascist propaganda focused on uniting Italy, nationalistic, militarily strong, patriotic and
Rome’s history became very symbolic of Italian pride that Mussolini wanted to be reborn.
Cult of Ancient Rome was created for propaganda purposes. Ancient, classical building were
destroyed further to make it look better and show the impressiveness of the ruins.
In 1937, Mussolini held a celebration for the 2000 th anniversary of Augustus Caesar in Rome.
Mussolini intricately linked himself to the Rome by saying he was the heir of Augustus and
like him he was Italy’s greatness from the ruins of chaos and war.
Sport was seen as a keyway of showing their supremacy and dominance. Propaganda. Won
the world cup for football 1934 and 1938. Won the boxing championship from 1933 – 35 –
Primo Carnera.
