Opera Nazionale Balilla
Youth organization | |
Legal status | Defunct, illegal |
---|---|
Region served | Kingdom of Italy |
Parent organization | National Fascist Party |
Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB) was an
It takes its name from
The Balilla creed: "I believe in Rome the eternal, the mother of my country, and in Italy, her eldest daughter, who was born in her virginal bosom by the grace of God; who suffered through the barbarian invasions, was crucified and buried, who descended to the grave, and was raised from the dead in the nineteenth century, who ascended into heaven in her glory in 1918 and 1922 and who is seated on the right hand of her mother Rome; who for this reason shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the genius of Mussolini, in our Holy Father Fascism, in the communion of the martyrs, in the converison of Italians and in the resurrection of the Empire."[1]
Origins
- Balilla (boys) and Piccole Italiane (girls) - ages 8 to 14
- Avanguardisti and Giovani Italiane - 14 to 18
In time, a section named Figli della Lupa ("Children of the She-Wolf", alluding to the myth of Romulus and Remus; ages 6 to 8) was added. (note: Balilla and Avanguardisti were both substructures of the Opera Nazionale Balilla; the latter was not a separate organization.[2]
Between the ages of 18 and 21, young men and women would join additional groups of the ONB - Fasci Giovanili di Combattimento (see
The Opera Nazionale Balilla was established by law as an institution under the control of the Ministry of National Education in 1926.[3] Initially, membership was voluntary, but it was later made compulsory for boys between the ages of 6 and 18 and girls between the ages of 8 and 14.[3] In 1936, a pre-Balilla kindergarten was established for children under the age of 6.[3] ONB members were required to study military science and Italian history.[3]
While the National Balilla Institution was founded as an Ente Morale, in 1929 it was placed under the power of the Ministry of National Education, with the Head of the Government's related power devolving to the Minister of National Education.[4] In 1935 a veteran National Fascist Party politician Araldo di Crollalanza was named the president of ONB.[5]
Character
The organization surpassed its purpose as a cultural institution that was intended to serve as the ideological counterpart of school, and served as a
Moreover, the ONB took charge of all activities initiated by schools, and pressured teachers to enlist all students. Aside from the usual "Fascist Saturdays", children would spend their summers in camps (which included the national-level Campi Dux, reunions of Balilla and Avanguardisti).
Male children enrolled wore a
Balilla units were also established in Malta, then a British colony, by Maltese nationalists. These were disbanded with the advent of the Second World War.[citation needed]
Casa del Balilla
The local headquarters of the Balilla groups were called Casa del Balilla. Many of them were purpose-built in the Italian rationalist style.
See also
- Hitler Youth
- Levente Associations
- National Youth Organisation (Greece)
- Fascist Male Academy of Physical Education
References
- ^ Quoted in R. Wolfson, Years of Change (London 1978), Ch. 11.
- ^ The "Balilla" organization for the physical and moral training of the young, article 5, law of 3 April 1926, No. 2247)
- ^ ISSN 0003-0554.
- ^ Abstracts from the Royal-Decree-Law of November 14, 1929, No. 1992
- ^ "Araldo di Crollalanza nel ricordo della bella politica". Secolo d'Italia. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ "fucile 91 balilla". il91.it.
External sources
Bibliography
- Carlo Galeotti, Achille Starace e il vademecum dello stile fascista, Rubbettino, 2000 ISBN 88-7284-904-7
- Carlo Galeotti - Benito Mussolini ama molto i bambini..., Galeotti editore, 2022
- Giorgio Vecchiato, Con romana volontà, Marsilio, 2005
- Carlo Galeotti, Saluto al Duce!, Gremese, 2001.
- Carlo Galeotti, Credere obbedire combattere, Stampa alternativa, 1996.
- P. Cavaleri, Eravamo tutti Balilla, Mursia, Milano ISBN 978-88-425-3594-2
- Mariella Colin, I bambini di Mussolini. Letteratura, libri, letture per l'infanzia sotto il fascismo, Editore La Scuola (collana Saggi), 2012 ISBN 978-88-350-3062-1