ISTITUTO TECNICO STATALE “G. GARIBALDI”SETTORE ECONOMICO E TURISMO

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Racism and xenophobiaRacism and xenophobia in Italy in Italy

Progetto: ResponsibilityDir. Scol.: Prof.ssa Sara Ester Garamella

Docenti: M. Mondello, R. Galifi, P. Cordaro, F. Marino.Alunni: C. Giordano, R. Ingianni, N. La Grutta, F. Russo

Racism and xenophobia, in Italy, have always been present throughout the history of the country

In contemporary times, actions by the Lega Nord or events such as, just to name a few, the murder of Burkina Faso native Abdul

Salam Guibre on 20th September 2008,

the riot in Rosarno and the racist chants and behaviour towards football players like, for instance, Boateng and Balotelli, have

been criticised as racist and xenophobic

However, under Benito Mussolini ‘s fascist state, xenophobia and racism spread, both towards Jews and the natives in

Ethiopia and Libia ( Italian colonies at that time ) .

As Mussolini himself felt, “the white man has to subdue the black, brown and yellow races”

Mussolini’s twenty-year-long fascist dictatorship was responsible for about a million premature deaths, taking into considerations, apart from those who died during the Second

World War, those who died in the various wars engaged by the so-called “empire” ( to “restore order” in the colonies ) and those

who died because of the racial laws

In 1938, the National Socialist Office of Racil Politics (Germany)* and the Italian Office for the Study of Race met to develop a

scientific explanation to the policies of racism .

Out of this meeting came the “Manifesto of racial scientists” (signed, also, with regard to Italy, by two doctors, an

anthropologist , a zoologist and a statistician), a document which pretended to give a scientific basis and sought to justify

the racial policies held against all non-Aryan peoples.

*The historian Renzo De Felice says that the influence of the Nazis and of Germany was determinant but not direct .

“The Manifesto of racial scientists” in brief

1. Human races exist . This reality is represented in physical and psychological characteristics which are inherited .

2. There exist large races ( white or black ) and small races (Nordic or Mediterranean) . From a biological point of view,

these smaller groups constitute the true races .

3. The concept of race is purely biological . The Italians are different from the others not only because they have a different language and a different history, but because they are a different

race ( !!! ) .

4. The majority of the Italian population is Aryan in origin .

5. After the invasion of the Germanic Lombards, no other important movements of people influenced the race of the nation

6. There exists a pure Italian race of blood

7. It is time that the Italians proclaim themselves frankly racist

8. There is a clear distinction between the European/Western Mediterranean races and the Eastern Mediterranean/

African/Semitic and North African ones .

9. Jews don’t belong to the Italian race and cannot assimilate .

10. The pure European race would be altered by breeding with any other non European race.

Racial Laws

The Manifesto laid the foundations for Mussolini racial policies ( which, however, proved to be unpopular to most Italians ).

They included :

1. All those who had a parent, a grandparent or just a relative who was a Jew were defined Jews . In this way, they were

subject to all laws against Jews .

2. Stripping Jews of their Italian citizenship .

3. All Jews had to surrender their passports and have them stamped with a large red J so that all their movements could be

tracked .

4. Jews were banned from many jobs, including any position in the government, banking, finance and other “educate”

professions .

5. Jews were banned from all education institutions

6. Prohibiting marriage between Jews and non-Jews .

7. Prohibiting attendance of Jewish students at public elementary and secondary schools and universities

8. Jewish property was confiscated

9. A specific Jewish census in 1938 led to and facilitated the arrests of thousands from 1943 to 1944 .

10. After 1940, Jewish citizens were subjected to forced labour .

11. Jews were obliged to live only within the walls of the Jewish Quarters of the cities, the ghettoes which were guarded by

soldiers

Cartoons of propaganda after the racial laws in 1938

Jews are not allowed

• to serve ( join the Army )• to act as protectors

• to own companies related to national defence• to own estates and buildings• to have Aryan servants

Deportation of foreign Jews

It’s impossible for Jews to be

• both in military and civil administrative offices• in the Party

• in local authorities• in banks• in insurance companies

Jews banned from Italian schools

Matisse: la vitaMatisse: la vita

Henry MatisseHenry MatissePesci rossi e una sculturaPesci rossi e una scultura

1911 - 1911 - Museum of Modern Art, New YorkMuseum of Modern Art, New York

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