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The University of Siena and the Racial Laws: The Expulsion of Professor Guido Tedeschi*
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2014
Extract
A few years ago Giorgio Israel published a penetrating study on the relationship between Science and Race in Fascist Italy in which, referring to the anti-Jewish legislation adopted by the Fascist regime in 1938, he explained how academic culture not only lent scientific and doctrinal credence to racism through the works of outstanding intellectuals such as Nicola Pende, Sabato Visco, Giuseppe Maggiore and Giacomo Acerbo, but also took advantage of “the positions made available for an ‘indecent’ promotion”.
This historical image is completely at variance with the description given by journalist Indro Montanelli who denied that “academia of that period was heartened by the racial laws, considering them a way to get new posts and promotions”. He claimed that “the academic culture did not support those laws either doctrinally or scientifically” and considered Prof. Israel's arguments superficial and groundless.
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References
1 Giorgio Israel is Professor of History of Mathematics at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. He is a member of the Académie Internazionale d'Histoire des Sciences and of the Executive Committee of the International Commission on the History of Mathematics. Among his recent writings dedicated to this issue we can point out: Scienza e razza nell'Italia fascista (in collaboration with Nastasi, Piero), (Il Mulino, Bologna, 1998)Google Scholar; “Scienza e razzismo: il caso italiano”, in Prometeo (June 1999, no. 66, pp. 14–37)Google Scholar; “La matematica italiana, il fascismo e la politica razziale”, in Matematica e cultura 2000, edited by Emmer, M., (Springer–Verlag Italia, Milano, 2000) 21–48Google Scholar.
2 Letter from Professor Giorgio Israel to Nino Cordisco, Rome, 9th March 2000, kept by the author.
3 See Montanelli, I., “La cultura accademica del Ventennio, in La Stanza di Montanelli”, Corriere della Sera, 7th March 2000 (answer to Nino Cordisco)Google Scholar.
4 See de Felice, R., Storia degli ebrei italiani sotto il fascismo (Einaudi, Torino, 1961)Google Scholar.
5 Giorgio Alberto Chiurco's adopted city was Siena. He had embraced Fascism when he was very young, participating and heading some of the most violent Fascist expeditions in the province of Siena between 1919 and the year of the “March on Rome”. In fact he reconstructed in a very detailed way, for propagandistic purposes, the facts of those years in his four volume work Storia della rivoluzione fascista (Vallecchi, Firenze, 1925)Google Scholar, very highly regarded by Fascists and considered by them as the official reconstruction of the birth and achievement of Fascism.
6 See Israel, G. and Nastasi, P., Scienza e razza nell'Italia fascista (Il Mulino, Bologna, 1998)Google Scholar.
7 See Baldissara, L., “Politica demografica”, in de Bernardi, A. and Guarracino, S., Dizionario di storia, personaggi, cultura, economia, fonti e dibattito storiografico (Milano, 1998) 253Google Scholar.
8 It is important to point out that during the first decades of the twentieth century, most of the western countries — in order to face a general demographical decrease of the European nations, and considering the supposed decline of the anthropological qualities of Europeans in comparison with the other peoples — emphasized the study of eugenics and physical anthropology. See G. Israel, “Scienza e razzismo: il caso italiano”, supra n. 1.
9 The word “stock” is often present in the articles of the thirty's, including the period during which the racial laws were adopted. The same word was often used in the journals of the University Fascist Groups, that — under the permanent supervision of the National Directory of the PNF — contributed in a massive way to the anti-Semitic propaganda.
10 The fortnightly review, which gave much attention to anti-Semitic themes, dealing with the racial problems in the colonies affirming the superiority and the military virtues of the Italian “stock”, had initially a great success. In fact, the first printings had a circulation of 140,000 copies, then decreasing to 20,000 copies during the first half of 1940. See A. Micheletti, “La Difesa della razza”, in A. de Bernardi and S. Guarracino, supra n. 7, at 255-256.
11 For the preparation of the Manifesto, it seems that Mussolini had commissioned Guido Landra as early as October 1937; see De Felice, R., Mussolini il duce. Lo Stato totalitario 1936-1940 (Einaudi, Torino, 1981) 490Google Scholar.
12 Nicola Pende was Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Universities of Messina, Cagliari, Bari, Genova and Professor of Pathology and Director of the Institutes of Medical Pathology and Biotypology and Ortogenesis in Rome. See A. de Bernardi and S. Guarracino, “Il fascismo”, in Dizionario, supra n. 7, at 377 and 436.
13 See G. Israel, “Scienza e razzismo: il caso italiano” supra n. 1.
14 Inside the Gran Consiglio (the Great Council), on 6th October 1938, Mussolini affirmed about the Manifesto: “I, myself, practically dictated it”. See R. de Felice, Mussolini il duce. Lo Stato totalitario 1936-1940, supra n. 11, at 313, n. 138; R. de Felice, Storia degli ebrei italiani sotto il fascismo, supra n. 4, at 275 and passim.
15 For the complete text of the Manifesto see R. de Felice, Mussolini il duce. Lo Stato totalitario 1936-1940, supra n. 11, at 866-877; Sarfatti, M., Mussolini contro gli ebrei. Cronaca dell'elaborazione delle leggi del 1938 (Torino, 1994) 18–20Google Scholar.
16 See Turi, G., “Ruolo e destino degli intellettuali nella politica razziale del fascismo”, in La legislazione antiebraica in Italia e in Europa, Atti del convegno nel cinquantenario delle leggi razziali (Roma, 17-18 ottobre 1988) (Roma, 1989) 95–113Google Scholar.
17 The entire chronology of the anti-Semitic measures and their content can be found in M. Sarfatti, Mussolini controgli ebrei, supra n. 15, at 185-197, and in Sarfatti, M., Le leggi antiebraiche spiegate agli italiani di oggi, (Einaudi, Torino, 2002) 70–73Google Scholar.
18 See G. Turi, Ruolo e destino degli intellettuali nella politica razziale del fascismo, supra n. 16, at 96-97.
19 For the publications in the press about the expelled professors — whose number is still controversial — see Cannistraro, P. V., La fabbrica del consenso. Fascismo e Mass-Media (Laterza, Roma-Bari, 1975) 118–119Google Scholar; Finzi, Roberto, “Le leggi razziali e l'Università italiana”, in Ventura, Angelo, L'Università dalle leggi razziali alla Resistenza: giornata dell'Università italiana nel 50° anniversario della liberazione (CLEUP Editrice, Padova, 1996) 59–129Google Scholar; R. De Felice, Storia degli ebrei italiani sotto il fascismo, supra n. 4, at 333; Zangrandi, Ruggero, Il lungo viaggio attraverso il fascismo (Feltrinelli, Milano, 1962) 391–392Google Scholar.
20 See Cavaglion, A. and Romagnani, G., Le interdizioni del duce: a cinquant'anni dalle leggi razziali in Italia (1938-1998) (Torino, 1988) 247Google Scholar.
21 See A. Ventura, L'Università dalle leggi razziali, supra n. 19, at 35-57.
22 Rossi, E., Elogio alla galera. Lettere 1930-1943 (Bari, 1968) 444Google Scholar.
23 Much importance has been given to the academic debate of the last year concerning the attitude to professors during the twenty years of fascist rule. Many articles appeared in the national press, following the publication of Angelo Ventura's book, L'Università dalle leggi razziali alla Resistenza, supra n. 19. Among them: Gerbi, S., Le cattedre nere, in “Corriere della Sera”, 27th December 1995Google Scholar; Gerbi, S., E alla Statale l'uomo di Salò al posto dell'antifascista, in “Corriere della Sera”, 15th April 1996Google Scholar; Belardelli, G., 1938. Caccia alle cattedre degli ebrei, in “Corriere della Sera”, 10th September 1996Google Scholar; Belardelli, G., Università: ebrei espulsi anche nell'Italia libera, in “Corriere della Sera” 14th September 1996Google Scholar; Magris, C., Leggi razziali, il tradimento dell'accademia, in “Corriere della Sera”, 3rd November 1997Google Scholar.
24 In the article Come coprire i vuoti (How to fill the vacancies) which appeared in “Vita Universitaria” on 5th October 1938 we read: “Today it will not be easy to fill all the chairs with scientifically well prepared lecturers; and perhaps, in some subjects, it will not be possible for many years”.
25 See Senator Norberto Bobbio's letter to Nino Cordisco, Turin, 19th February 2000, kept by the author.
26 These events, and in particular those concerning Giovanni Gentile and his acquiescent behaviour towards the racial laws, are now widely discussed by historians, and this discussion has had repercussions on the debate of the proposal, advanced by the Academic Senate of the University of Pisa, to erect a memorial tablet in Gentile's honour. On this subject see: Conti, P., L'Enciclopedia riapre il caso Gentile, in “Corriere della Sera”, 2nd February 2000Google Scholar; Conti, P., Niente lapide a Gentile: l'Università di Pisa ci ripensa, in “Corriere della Sera”, 1st March 2000Google Scholar; Fertilio, D., E Gentile scrisse al filosofo Calogero: evitiamo gli autori filosemiti, in “Corriere della Sera”, 31st March 2000Google Scholar.
27 On this subject, it is interesting to analyse R. Zangrandi's article, expressing some opinions on the “Responsibilities of some intellectuals towards racism and war”, and condemning Indro Montanelli among others, who “… better than others, passed through the (Fascist) marsh without getting muddy”. See R. Zangrandi, Il lungo viaggio attraverso il fascismo, supra n. 19, at 395-421.
28 See the Academic Yearbooks (Annuari Accademici) for the Academic Years 1937-1940, in the Archives of the University of Siena (AUS).
29 Rector Francesco Spirito's inaugural address, 10th November 1940, AUS, Academic Yearbook 1940-1941, pp. 3-26.
30 See Programma degli insegnamenti della Facoltà di Giurisprudenza - Corso di laurea in Scienze Politiche (Syllabus of courses of the Faculty of Law -Political Sciences Course), in AUS, Academic Yearbook 1938-1939, pp. 126-29; see also Colombo, A. and Ornaghi, L., Le facoltà di scienze politiche di Pavia e delta Cattolica: i due casi di autonomia degli studi universitari, in AA.VV., Cultura e Società negli anni del fascismo (Cordani, Milano, 1987) 330–336Google Scholar.
31 A University Fascist Group existed in every Italian university, coordinated by a Political Secretary and under the strict dependence of the National Fascist Party. The activities of the GUF were very widespread — cultural, sports, cinematographic, gatherings, distribution of duplicated lecture notes, etc. with offices for each type of activity. A special section on “Races” also existed.
32 La Pagina del GUF was represented in La Rivoluzione Fascista (journal of the Provincial Fascist Federation) with a weekly column. Many anti-Semitic articles were published in the university journal, but also some criticism of these provisions. Many young people who at that time supported those defamatory laws, afterwards adopted decidedly opposite positions. Among the young people there was certainly an anti -Semitic component, but it should be mentioned — although not to justify them — that many of them tried to seize the occasion offered by the university press and by the racial themes to advance their careers and personal success.
33 G. Alberto Chiurco was one of the first who spoke about the moral and purity defence of the Italian race in the local Fascist press. (See Chirco, G. A., In marcia!, in “La Rivoluzione Fascista”, 15th July 1929)Google Scholar. Moreover he deepened the studies on the racial diversities, publishing a number of volumes on La sanità delle razze nell'impero italiano (The Health of the Races in the Italian Empire) in homage to the Duce. See the Index to volume II which he sent to Mussolini (without date), in ACS, SPD-CO, b. 1188, f. 509.609.
Chiurco was a keen supporter of Germany — to which he was also linked for personal reasons since his wife was German — and he held close relations with some German colleagues, so that in 1937 he gave a series of lectures about “The sanitarian conditions of the Abyssinians” at universities and medical associations in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and at the Institute of the Tropical Diseases in Hamburg. With regard to this see Prof. G.A. Chiurco's letter to Mussolini, 21st February 1937, in Archivio Centrale dello Stato (ACS) (State Central Archives), Segreteria Particolare del Duce (Duce's Particular Secretariat) — Carteggio Ordinario (Ordinary Correspondence) — (SPD-CO), b. 1188, f. 509.609.
34 See Pasquinucci, D., “Squadrismo e fascismo”, in La Storia di Siena, vol. III (Siena, 1997) 213Google Scholar.
35 Ibidem. See also Sarfatti, M., Gli ebrei nell'Italia fascista. Vicende, identità persecuzione (Einaudi, Torino, 2000) 243Google Scholar.
36 Norberto Bobbio himself, who arrived at the University of Siena immediately after Professor Tedeschi had left, recalls the kinship between the family Tedeschi and that of Giorgio Del Vecchio, Professor of Civil Law and Philosophy of Law at the University of Rome, as well as Rector of the same University during the years 1926 and 1927. See Senator Norberto Bobbio's letter to Nino Cordisco, Turin, 8th February 2000, kept by the author.
37 Emil Ludwig, famous Hebrew German journalist, met Mussolini in 1932, in the Room of the Globe at Venice Palace, and for twelve days, from 23rd March to 4th April, he asked the Duce a series of questions regarding all the principal political problems of that time. See Ludwig, E., Colloqui con Mussolini (Milano, 1950) 71–73Google Scholar.
38 Certificate of the University of Siena confirming the acceptance of Prof. Tedeschi's request, 7th January 1936, in Administrative Archives of the University of Siena (AAU), Fascicolo Personale (Personal dossier) n. 1231, “Tedeschi Guido”.
39 Statement of membership to the PNF, issued by the “Federazione dei Fasci di Combattimento” of Rome to ProfTedeschi, Guido, in ACS, Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione (Ministry of Public Education)Google Scholar — MPI — Direzione Generate (General Department) — Istruzione Superiore (Superior Education) – DG-IS, Div. I, III Versamento, b. 450, Fascicoli Personali (Personal dossiers), “Tedeschi Guido”.
40 See Prof. Elda Tedeschi's letter to Nino Cordisco, Jerusalem, 22nd February 2000, kept by the Author.
41 Prof. Tedeschi was a very prolific writer and researcher and published as many as 5-6 articles each year.
42 See Tedeschi, G., “Osservazioni e proposte sul progetto del III libro del codice civile”, in Studi Senesi, vol. L (Fascicolo 1, 1936) 65–99Google Scholar.
43 Notice of the Ministry of National Education to Prof. Guido Tedeschi, 12th December 1936, in AAU, Fascicolo Personale (Personal Dossier) n. 1231, “Tedeschi Guido”.
44 Record of the meeting of the Faculty of Law Council, 25th October 1937, in ivi.
45 Record of the meeting of the Faculty of Law Council, 10th February 1938, in ivi.
46 See Tedeschi, G., “Osservazioni e proposte sul progetto del II libro del codice civile”, in Studi Senesi, vol. L II, ff. 3-4, 1938, pp. 378–410Google Scholar.
47 See Elenco delle pubblicazioni degli Insegnanti, Liberi docenti, Aiuti ed Assistenti, in AU, ann. acc. 1936–1937, p. 153Google Scholar. Nevertheless it's must be underlined that in 1937 there were two different publications; Tedeschi, G., Matrimonio (Athenaeum, Roma, 1937)Google Scholar; Tedeschi, G. and Jemolo, A.C., Il matrimonio. I rapporti patrimoniali tra coniugi, UTET (Torino, 1937)Google Scholar. This last one was updated and published again in 1950.
48 See Martini, R., “Guido Tedeschi at Siena”, in Rabello, A.M., European Legal Traditions and Israel (Jerusalem, Nevo Publishing Ltd., 1994)Google Scholar.
49 Ministerial notice to Rector Alessandro Raselli, 14th October 1938, in AAU, Fascicolo Personale (Personal Dossier) n. 1231, “Tedeschi Guido”.
50 Rector Alessandro Raselli's letter to Prof. Guido Tedeschi, 18th October 1938, ibid.
51 Prof. Norberto Bobbio was assigned at the University of Siena in 1938, just after Prof. Tedeschi's leaving.
52 Prof. Elda Tedeschi's letter to Nino Cordisco, Jerusalem, 22nd February 2000, quoting Prof. Bobio, kept by the author.
53 Probably the only professor to refuse a chair which had become vacant because of the expulsion of a Jewish colleague was Professor Massimo Bontempelli. See R. Finzi, “Le leggi razziali e l'Università italiana”, supra n. 19.
54 The reasons which led the university professors to keep silence, and not only in Siena, of course, were various; some of them had accepted the racial laws for personal convictions or simply to take their revenge on some colleagues from the very beginning; there were also professors who wanted to profit by filling the chairs made vacant; others chose to be silent in order to keep their work; and there were those who remained completely indifferent towards this situation. Certainly this subject presents many questions without any answers.
63 Prof. Elda Tedeschi's letter to Nino Cordisco, Jerusalem, 5th November 2000, supra n. 61.
64 Ibidem.
65 Prof. Guido Tedeschi's letter to the Minister of Public Education, 15th July 1944, in ACS, MPI, DG-PS, Div. I, III Versamento, b. 450, Fascicoli Personali (Personal Dossiers), “Tedeschi Guido”.
66 Prof. Elda Tedeschi's letter to Nino Cordisco, Jerusalem, 22nd February 2000, supra n. 40.
67 Prof. Guido Tedeschi's appointment as Full Professor of Civil Law starting from 16th December 1939, 13th April 1946, in AAU, Fascicolo Personale (Personal Dossier) n. 1231, “Tedeschi Guido”.
68 This subject is analysed in A. Ventura, L'Università dalle leggi razziali alla resistenza, supra n. 19. See also Belardelli, G., “Università: ebrei espulsi anche nell'Italia libera”, in Corriere della Sera, 14th September 1996Google Scholar.
69 Rector Mario Bracci's letter to Prof. Guido Tedeschi, 30th January 1948, in AAU, Fascicolo Personale (Personal Dossier) n. 1231, “Tedeschi Guido”.
70 Prof. Guido Tedeschi's letter to the General Consul of Italy in Jerusalem, 17th July 1949, ibid.
71 The resolution of the Faculty of Law of the University of Siena is dated 23rd October 1948, ibid.
72 Prof. Guido Tedeschi's letter to the General Consul of Italy in Jerusalem, 17th July 1949, in AAU, Fascicolo Personale (Personal Dossier) n. 1231, “Tedeschi Guido”.
73 Telexpress of the Foreign Office to the Ministry of Public Education, 13th August 1949, ibid.
74 Note of the General Department of Superior Education to the Minister of Public Education, 8th September 1949, ibid.
75 Rector Mario Bracci's letter to Prof. Tedeschi, 3rd Novembre 1949, in AAU, Fascicolo Personale (Personal Dossier) n. 1231, “Tedeschi Guido”.
76 Prof. Elda Tedeschi's letter to Nino Cordisco, Jerusalem, 22nd February 2000, supra n. 40.
77 See Tedeschi, G., La tutela aquiliana del creditore contro i terzi (con speciale riguardo al diritto inglese), in “Studi Senesi”, LXVI–LXVII (III serie, III – IV), f. 5-6, 1954–1955, pp. 580–629Google Scholar.
78 See R. Martini, Guido Tedeschi at Siena, supra n. 48.
79 See Rabello, A. M., “Professor Gad (Guido) Tedeschi: In Memoriam”, in European Legal Traditions and Israel (Jerusalem, Nevo Publishing Ltd., 1994)Google Scholar.
80 Among his many publications are: Tedeschi, G., Il matrimonio – I rapporti patrimoniali tra coniugi, (UTET, Torino, 1950)Google Scholar; Tedeschi, G., Gli alimenti, (UTET, Torino, 1951 and 1969)Google Scholar; Tedeschi, G., Su alcune forme di interpretazione autoritativa della legge, (UTET, Torino, 1960)Google Scholar; Tedeschi, G., Il regime patrimoniale della famiglia, (UTET, Torino, 1963)Google Scholar; Tedeschi, G., Studies in Israel Private Law, (Israel, 1966)Google Scholar.
81 See Tedeschi, G., “Siamo noi Europei?”, in La Rassegna Mensile di Israel, XXI, 1955, p. 168Google Scholar.
82 See Rabello, A.M., Tedeschi, Gad (Guido), in “Encyclopaedia Judaica”, 1978 – Fourth printing (Keter Publishing House Jerusalem Ltd, Israel) 897–898Google Scholar.
83 A.M. Rabello, “Professor Gad (Guido) Tedeschi: In Memoriam”, supra n. 79.
84 Prof. Elda Tedeschi's letter to Nino Cordisco, Jerusalem, 22nd February 2000, supra n. 40.
85 A.M. Rabello, “Professor Gad (Guido) Tedeschi: In Memoriam”, supra n. 79.
86 Prof. Elda Tedeschi's letter to Nino Cordisco, Jerusalem, 22nd February 2000, supra n. 40.
87 This was the thought expressed by Prof. Paolo D'Ancona on 5th May 1939; See M. Sarfatti, Le leggi antiebraiche spiegate agli italiani di oggi, supra n. 17, at 1.A.