Table of contents:
- How Anzhelika Balabanova, a native of Chernigov, ended up in Rome
- How Balabanova introduced Mussolini to Marxism and what came of it
- Was there a romance between Russian "mentor" Balabanova and Italian "student" Benito Mussolini
- Why Angelica Balabanova called Mussolini a traitor and "the most despicable" person
Video: How the Russian socialist Balabanova raised the fascist dictator Mussolini and helped him in party work
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Who knows how Benito Mussolini's life would have turned out if his fate had not been linked with the socialist from Russia Angelica Balabanova. Thanks to her, the future Duce, who had slipped to the bottom of poverty by the time of the meeting, received a job and access to oratory to the stands. Unfortunately for the teacher, the student did not live up to expectations: instead of an ardent supporter of socialist ideas, he turned into a fascist dictator who believed that "the Italian nation is above all!"
How Anzhelika Balabanova, a native of Chernigov, ended up in Rome
Angelica Isaakovna was born into a family of a merchant of the first guild, who, although she had nine children (out of sixteen who survived), never experienced problems with money. Even after the early death of the head of the family, nothing has changed in this regard - the girl has been educated at home from private teachers for several years.
As a teenager, Angelica graduated from a girls' school in Kharkov, and soon after that she married Mikhail Balabanov. The girl's chosen one had the profession of an engineer, but he considered his main vocation to be revolutionary activity: he was a member of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (Mensheviks), in which he later became a noticeable person.
However, the marriage did not work out and after a short time Angelica, leaving her husband and breaking off relations with her own family, moved to Brussels to meet freedom and a new life. In 1897 she became a student at New University, after which she received her doctorate in philosophy and literature. This was followed by studies in Leipzig and Berlin, where the eminent Adolf Wagner, a German professor who authored the law on the constant increase in government spending, taught youth economics.
After Germany, Angelica moved to Italy to take courses with the philosopher and founder of Italian Marxism, Antonio Labriola. Carried away, not without the help of his lectures, the ideas of socialism, a progressive girl in 1900 joined the Italian Socialist Party. Carrying out party work, she was engaged in propaganda and gave educational lectures among the workers of Italy, Switzerland, and later other countries. It was during this period that fate brought her together with the future Italian Duce, leader of the National Fascist Party - Benito Mussolini.
How Balabanova introduced Mussolini to Marxism and what came of it
Angelica's first meeting with Mussolini took place in 1904: interrupted by odd jobs, the 21-year-old teacher became a participant in a rally in Lausanne, Switzerland, at which Balabanova was at that time. After meeting, the girl took an active part in the life of the young man she liked. To begin with, she helped Benito with work: knowing French and German, the young man began to translate texts. At the same time, Angelica raised his ideological and cultural level, bringing Marxist literature, books by Nietzsche and other philosophical thinkers for reading. Soon, the capable student showed excellent oratorical talents, which opened the way for him upstairs. Later, Balabanova explained close rapprochement with Mussolini by the influence of unknown "mystical forces", and said: "If this person showed his sincerity towards someone, then no doubt that someone was me."
Was there a romance between Russian "mentor" Balabanova and Italian "student" Benito Mussolini
There are no reliable facts about the carnal connection between the “mentor” and the “disciple” in history. But it is known for sure that Benito was a passionate lover of women and from an early youth visited brothels, having several priestesses of love per day. After an unsuccessful marriage, Angelica Isaakovna practically did not have a personal life - an unattractive, overweight woman did not enjoy special attention from men. Nevertheless, it is possible that her eloquence and intelligence could overshadow external data and cause sympathy of the opposite sex, especially with constant communication.
There is a version that the eldest daughter of Mussolini, Edda, was born in 1910 by Angelica Balabanova. After that, the child was first taken up by the Benito family, and later, after his marriage, the girl began to live with her father and stepmother. True, the now living relatives of the Duce fiercely refute such rumors and, remembering Balabanova, for some reason accuse her of adventurism.
Angelica Isaakovna herself had maintained all her life that they had only a working relationship with Mussolini and that there was never any romantic or intimate connection between them. Whatever it was, but after returning to Italy from Switzerland, the future dictator did not meet with his ideological teacher until 1912. Only that year they were again united by a common cause - Mussolini was promoted to editor-in-chief of the newspaper Avanti!, And the main mouthpiece of the Italian United Socialist Party, Balabanova, was appointed his deputy.
Despite this, the former spiritual closeness between Benito and Angelica never arose again. Moreover, she, knowing about the countless love affairs of the chief, disliked Mussolini, sincerely sympathizing with his wife.
Why Angelica Balabanova called Mussolini a traitor and "the most despicable" person
The end of World War I in 1918 was a watershed moment for 35-year-old Benito. Youthful ideals, along with socialist ideas, are a thing of the past, giving way to the propaganda of militant nationalism. Angelica Balabanova had already left abroad by that time - the year 1917 broke out, bringing radical changes to Russia, and she returned to her homeland to support the Bolsheviks.
Mussolini, thanks to the speeches of the fascists, in 1922 took the chair of the Prime Minister of Italy. Soon, the opposition and the independent press were banned in the country, and political opponents were imprisoned - from two to three thousand of them were shot. Trade unions that do not belong to the fascist party were outlawed, with the filing of the new government in the country, the secret police began to actively operate.
One can understand the feelings of Balabanova, who witnessed such a dramatic transformation of a once ideologically close person. Later, in her book "My Life is a Struggle", Angelica Isaakovna will call Mussolini a traitor and write that he was the most despicable of the people with whom she had a chance to communicate.
Of course, because of Mussolini's loving nature, women always surrounded him. But the most loving and devoted was one. Her name was Clarice Petacci, and she loved the dictator to the point of oblivion.
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