1 in 3 Italian Jews was a member of the Italian
Fascist Party
"In Italy, Jewish fascism was a real ideological
movement, a mass phenomenon as much as that was possible
in Italy's tiny Jewish population of 47,000. In
1938, at the beginning of the racial laws, more than
10,000 Jews - about one out of every three Jewish adults
- were members of the fascist party.
Unique among the countries of Europe, In Italy Jews
and fascism co-existed peacefully and often very
harmoniously for nearly twenty years. Before 1938,
Italian fascist ideology was free of the
antisemitism of German National Socialism. Mussolini
was in power for eleven years before Hitler became
chancellor of Germany in 1933. And even afterwards
relations between fascist Italy and Nazi Germany
were frequently tense. Mussolini publicly ridiculed
German racial theories and
welcome German Jewish refugees to Italy. In pointed
reference to Hitler, Il Duce
declared "National pride has no need of the delirium
of race." The Nazis, in turned
criticised Mussolini for practising "Kosher
fascism."
Benevolence and Betrayal: Five Italian Jewish
Families Under Fascism
by Alexander Stille, pg 22, please read for yourself
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