Biography of Enrico Berlinguer

The story of Red Italy

25 May 1922 11 June 1984 Enrico Berlinguer was born in Sassari on May 25, 1922. He obtained his high school diploma and enrolled in the Faculty of law, University of Sassari, claiming all the exams and planning to graduate with a thesis entitled "legal philosophy: from Hegel to Cross". In October 1943 he joined the Italian Communist Party, becoming Secretary of the youth section of Sassari. At the beginning of 1944 Berlinguer was considered one of the leaders of the "bread riots" occurred in those days in Sassari: shuts down. Is acquitted and released from prison at the end of April. Shortly after he was appointed head of the Communist Youth Federation of Sassari. He then moved to Rome and became part of the National Secretariat of the Communist youth movement. In 1945, after the liberation is in Milan as head of Youth Committee of the Communist Party Central. Three years later, at the sixth Congress of the Communist Party, he was elected full member of the Central Committee and candidate Member of the party leadership. Later, in the National Congress of Italian Communist Youth Federation, was elected Secretary General: will retain office until 1956; also assumes the Presidency of the World Federation of democratic youth serving until 1952. In 1957 bride Letizia Lai, from whose marriage will be born four children (Bianca, mark, Maria and Laura); at this time back in Sardinia as Deputy Regional Secretary of the PCI. Will be regional Secretary of PCI of Lazio from 1966 to 1969. Elected Deputy, enters Parliament for the first time in 1968 and was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee; soon within the party arrives at the Office of Deputy National Secretary. The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party, held in Milan in March of 1972, Berlinguer was elected National Secretary. It's the June 7, 1984 when found in Padua: during a rally for the European elections a stroke hits him. He dies a few days later, on June 11.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.