Description
The inscribed first edition of Vita di Arnaldo by Benito Mussolini, the biography of his late brother, Arnaldo Mussolini.
Octavo, 124pp, [20pp. appendix]. Original printed wraps, bound along the spine. Text in Italian. Light wear and soiling to wraps, text block stable. Includes frontispiece of “Arnaldo,” and eight facsimile plates.
Inscribed by Benito Mussolini on the title page: “25/12/42 / A Marco / [To Us – We will never forget – your friend] / Benito.”
A scarce wartime inscription from the Prime Minister of Italy.
Arnaldo Mussolini (1885-1931) was an Italian journalist, political organizer, and the younger brother and close confidant of Benito Mussolini. Arnaldo became a key figure in fascist propaganda and administration, serving as editor-in-chief of Il Popolo d’Italia, the regime’s principal newspaper, where he shaped messaging and helped consolidate support for fascism. Less overtly political than his brother, he acted as a mediator within the movement, managing party finances, cultivating industrial and Catholic backing, and maintaining internal discipline. Arnaldo’s sudden death in 1931 deprived the regime of an influential behind-the-scenes administrator and adviser during a critical period of consolidation.
