Biography of Giuseppe Di Vittorio

Simple people's languages

11 August 1892
November 3, 1957
Politician and trade unionist, Giuseppe Di Vittorio 11 August 1892 was born in Cerignola day into a family of peasants, the largest social class of the time, in Puglia. Already in teens begins an intense political and Union activities; in 15 years is one of the promoters of the Socialist Youth Club of Cerignola, and in 1911 directed the Camera del Lavoro in Minervino Murge. Later Director of the Camera del Lavoro di Bari, where it will defend the headquarters of the Chamber of labour by defeating the squadristi fascists of Cameron. At the heart of the problems of work there was then in Italy the southern question. In 1912 Giuseppe Di Vittorio enters the Unione Sindacale Italiana, coming within one year in the National Committee. Entered as mentioned in the Trade Union struggle and politics at a young age, initially sided with the Socialists; Since 1924, three years after the split of Livorno (1921), passes as a member of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) and was immediately elected Deputy in the election of 1924.
Di Vittorio do you understand thanks to its simple and effective language by the working class, developing rapidly, as well as by farmers on the edge of economic, social and cultural life of Italy. In 1925 is sentenced to twelve years ' imprisonment by the Special Court fascist: manages to escape in France where he had represented the dissolved Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro, in the International Trade Union Confederation. From 1928 to 1930 stays in the Soviet Union, representing Italy in the newly formed Peasant International; He returned to Paris and join the management team of PCI. During the war in Ethiopia, at the direction of the Comintern (the international organization of Communist parties), send a three-man team to organize local guerillas against the fascist invasion: the three, Communists, will be called "the three Apostles" and among these is Ilium Barontini, very experienced in the type of mission request. Along with other antifascists Of Vittorio participates in the Spanish civil war (which will give beginning to the dictatorship of Francisco Franco); in 1937 he directed an anti-fascist newspaper in Paris. In 1941 was arrested by the fascist police and sent into internal exile at Ventotene.
Two years later he was freed by the partisans: for the last two years of the second world war he took part in the Resistance in the ranks of the Brigate Garibaldi. In 1945 he was elected Secretary of the CGIL, reconstituted only the year before thanks to the so-called "Pact of Rome". Union Unity lasted until 1948, when, on the occasion of the general strike for bombing of Palmiro Togliatti, the Catholic current separates to form its own syndicate, the ICFTU; similar action will be made by the Social Democrats that you'll group the UIL. In 1956 stir his stance against the Soviet intervention in Hungary, whose opinion differs from the official Communist Party. The fame and prestige of Giuseppe Di Vittorio win the working class and trade union movement worldwide, and in 1953 was elected President of the World Federation of trade unions. Vittorio will continue to lead the CGIL until his death on November 3, 1957 in Melbourne, following a meeting with some delegates.
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