Never give up
27 June 1914 22 September 1988 Italian right-wing politician, Historian Giorgio Almirante was born in Salsomaggiore, in the province of Parma, on June 27, 1914. His father, actor, stage manager of Eleonora Duse and Ruggero Ruggeri and then silent film director, belonged to a family of actors and Patriots, with ascenders belonging to the higher nobility of Naples. The little Giorgio lived so her early years following the family from town to town, until the Almirante settled in Turin, where he undertook regular studies. Later, he moved with his family to Rome, where he enrolled in the University in the Faculty of arts. Parallel to his studies, he undertook a career as a reporter trainee at "The Tiber" fascist newspaper directed at the time by Telesio Interlandi. Remained there until July 1943, now thirty years old. After graduating in literature and a teaching certificate in classical subjects, after six years of apprenticeship, he was appointed by Idris editor-in-Chief and, soon after, also Secretary of the Editorial Board of the new magazine "defense of the race", initially directed by lying Interlandi. Grown in full during the Fascist era, like most of his peers played fascist youth organisations, but during the regime did not go beyond the position of trustee of the GUF of the Faculty of the University of Rome. Almost fifty years later, he admitted to being so racist and anti-Semite in good faith and for political reasons (like many Italian journalists then passed to fascism); the collaboration in the "defense of the race was" his whole life, the only experience that disavowed completely while retaining an excellent memory of Idris. In addition, it is known that Abbas, during the period of the Republic of Salò, saved him from deportation to Germany his Jewish friend and family of this, hiding in the guest quarters of the Ministry of popular culture in Salò. Meanwhile, World War II broke out, an event which will see Almirante involved body and soul. In fact, having been drafted as second lieutenant of infantry, he was sent to Sardinia to command a platoon to guard the coast, a task not exhilarating. Abbas, however, wished to take an active part in the operations of war; He then volunteered for the front in North Africa, and to this end he appoint a war correspondent. At the end of June reached Benghazi where he lived the alternating phases of war until the end of 1941, earning the Croix de guerre for bravery. Back then in Rome, resumed his post of editor-in-Chief of the Tiber. On the morning of July 26, 1943, however, Mussolini falls. As a politician now seems entirely finished. There are numerous defections among fascists, many of whom spend suddenly the Democratic front, which instead Almirante refuses. Therefore remains also his former Director suddenly, Idris, is arrested as "fascist". In early August Almirante answers a new call to arms, as a Lieutenant, presenting himself in Frosinone at his old Regiment of first appointment. There is surprised, 8 September, from the news of the Armistice; the next day, finding himself temporarily detached to command a company, is abandoned by superiors and subordinates and taken by the Germans, from which it gets though to surrender with the honor of arms and be left free; then reaches the Colonel commanding the now dissolved Regiment and, once a formal license, back to Rome on foot. After the speech of Mussolini at the Munich radio station that called for a pain relief of fascists and that of Marshal Graziani at the teatro Adriano in Rome, makes his choice of sides: he enlisted in the new Republican National Guard with the rank of capomanipolo. After a few days of work in Venice, Almirante switches to Salo registered where it performs various tasks: first head of Cabinet of the Minister of popular culture then yeoman of Mussolini. His work as a public servant is interrupted between November 1944 and January 1945 as a Lieutenant Commander from his participation, the Department of the Ministry of popular culture in anti-partisan campaign brigata nera autonoma ministeriale of Val d'Ossola, during which he and his men never have opportunity to participate in the fighting. On April 25, 1945 Almirante, who had followed Mussolini and the Minister Mezzasoma in Milan, goes into hiding, because of the disastrous fall of fascism. Remain in this condition for more than a year and a half. Come out of hiding in September 1946, he went to Rome and from there began an intense political activity, participating in the founding of a group of Veterans fascists Republicans, the "Italian Movement of social unity" (MIUS). The December 26, 1946, instead, Almirante participates in the inaugural meeting of the "Italian social movement (MSI), which takes place in Rome in the studio of the insurer Arturo Michelini. Contrary to popular belief, in fact, Almirante was not immediately Secretary of the MSI, which for several years it fell to Maitland. In 1948 Abbas leads, for elections of April 18, a tough election campaign the MSI received 2 percent of the vote and entered Parliament with six members, among them the same Almirante, and a Senator. Almirante in that first stage was the Republican ideal continuity with fascism. Was elected Secretary of the MSI after the first two national congresses of the Party (born June 1948; Rome, June-July 1949). In the course of subsequent legislatures of the Republic Almirante distinguished himself in battles of obstruction in Parliament like the one against the implementation of the regional order of the State. Other battles the protagonist, such as Scelba law on banning the reconstitution of the fascist party or against the reform majority election of De Gasperi, to defend the italianness of Trieste and the South Tyrolean Dolomites, against nationalization of electricity and against the reform of middle school. In 1969 he dies Michelini and, when faced with the problem of the succession at the helm of a party in serious crisis, (in the general elections of 1968 had fallen to 4.5 percent of the vote, his lowest ever except the outcome of 1948), the brains trust of the MSI National Secretary unanimously elects Almirante. The Secretariat unit right from the outset Almirante mira, treating for this purpose with the royalists and with center-right independents. In the regional elections of June 7, 1970 the MSI had a minor recovery, helped by the launch of some key words from the Secretary: "alternative to the system", "right", and so on. In addition, strong grip on the electorate had the idea of forming an "articulated Front anticommunist" with other political forces, who then in fact constituted the national right. The result of this operation of "maquillage," brings the party to excellent results in regional elections in Sicily and administrative regulations of June 13, 1971: the 16.3 percent of the votes in Sicily and 16.2 percent in Rome. On June 28, 1972 the Milan Prosecutor's Office asks the Chamber authorization to proceed against the National Secretary of the MSI for the crime of reconstitution of the dissolved fascist party, permission granted with 484 votes against 60; but the investigation into the alleged reconstitution of the PNF, transferred to the public prosecutor of Rome was never completed. In 1975-76 Almirante tries to revive his party with an initiative that was supposed to represent a new phase of the operation national right: the "constituent of the right to liberty," external organization and ally, founded on November 22, 1975. But in the elections of 20 June wears the split at its youth organisation, the youth front. Almirante Commissioner this organization, and the June 7, 1977 appoints himself the new Secretary of the face in the person of Gianfranco Fini, then 25-year-old, who already had earned his trust. 1978 regional elections and administrative damage though adverse results to the MSI-DN. During the election campaign, among other things, an exponent of national democracy accused him of aiding staff against an allegedly responsible for the massacre of Peteano (died in 1972); the prosecution, though denied by the National Democratic Senator on whose confidences should be based, led to a lengthy investigation, at the end of which Abbas was indicted with others but amnestied before the start of the process. This was the only involvement of Almirante in an inquiry into matters of terrorism; in another case he, having had news in July 1974 of the preparations for a bombing at a target railways, informed for the authorities. Started the ninth Legislature, became President of the Council Bettino Craxi, who seemed determined to "clear" the MSI-DN. But the party of Almirante remained essentially isolated right; and if an important occasion claimed de facto Government Craxi, allowing in February 1985 the enactment of the so-called second decree Berlusconi, did it for a convergence of interests with some forces of the majority (against the State television monopoly). In July 1984 Almirante announces its intention to leave the Secretariat for health reasons later this year, at the upcoming National Congress. But the party asks him almost unanimously to terminate this connection. Elder leader agrees to remain in Office for another two years. The 14th National Congress of the MSI-DN (Rome, November-December 1984) reelect him Secretary by acclamation, ignoring the opposing candidature of Tomaso Staiti. With these Assizes begins the final stage of the second voice Almirante, where all offices were entrusted to men of the old guard and all currents. Almirante, then, assumed personally political Director of century of Italy. On May 12, 1985 the MSI-DN won 6.5 percent of the vote in the regional elections (its all time high in these kinds of consultations) and brought to Bolzano, municipal elections, the last successful period almirantiano, becoming the first party in the capital of that province whose Italian style was always been defended by MSI. Another good result the MSI-DN obtained in regional elections in Sicily in June 1986. In August of the same year the Secretary Mission, taken ill, had to be hospitalized in the clinic of villa del Rosario. In the elections of June 14, 1987, at which Abbas led his last election campaign, the MSI-DN dropped to 5.9 percent of the votes, 35 seats in the House and 16 seats in the Senate: a failure which concluded a four-year period very positive, although detailed results confirmed the party's roots in every part of Italy. On 6 September, the feast of Tricolor Mirabello (Ferrara), Almirante introduced unofficially as just "Dolphin" the 35-year-old Fini, the youngest member of the MSI-DN. Almirante was holding to his successor was his man of trust; but the designated could have been even of his own generation, and in this case would have probably been the Deputy vicar Servello. The unexpected choice in favour of Fini was considered, during those months, a mere ploy by Abbas to continue to lead the party as President after retiring from the Secretariat; seven years later, however, doing so would prove in retrospect one of the happiest of the founder of the national right, having released the MSI-DN by the mortgage of a ruling group too old and therefore too tied to the past in order to leave the ghetto politician of the radical right. For obvious reasons the majority of older notables missini received with coldness or open hostility the candidacy of Fini, who met instead with several notables of the next generation. The party was torn by the preconvention phase toughest controversies of the last decade, controversies that do not spare the outgoing Secretary. However, Abbas was elected Chairman of the Party on January 24, 1988, by acclamation, by the majority of the new Central Committee, a position he held for just four months, the last of his life. On May 22, 1988, after months of suffering and Gtiorgio admissions Almirante goes out in the clinic of Villa del Rosario. Fini honored in its predecessor and teacher "a great Italian" and "the leader of the generation that never surrendered".