Dino Grandi
Count Dino Grandi (1895-1988), born in Mordano (BO), Emilia. Joined the fascist squadristi at age 25.
One of 38 fascist delegates elected, along with Mussolini, in the Spring of 1921 to the Chamber of Deputies.
After the march on Rome in October of 1922, in which the fascists took power in Italy, Grandi became part of the new government as a member of the foreign office. He was later to become the Italian ambassador to Britain.
As World War II began to have its terrible effect on Italy, Grandi and other members of the fascist grand council met July 24 1943. Grandi put forth a proposal that the King, Victor Emmanuel III take personal command of the government. This would dismiss Mussolini as Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the military. The resolution passed by a vote of 19 to 7, with one abstention.
As the allies occupied Italy, an alternate fascist government was established in north Italy called the Italian Social Republic. It sentenced Grandi to death for treason in a trial that took place in Verona on January 8-10 1944. Grandi since August 1943 (six months before the trial) fled to Spain, Portugal and until the sixties he lived in Brazil.
Died in Bologna in 1988.
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