Alessandro Pavolini

Life, you are our friend. Death, our lover.

Alessandro Pavolini (September 27, 1903 – April 28, 1945) was an Italian politician, journalist, and essayist. He was notable for his involvement in the Italian fascist government, during World War II, and also for his cruelty against the opponents of fascism.

Quotes

• Nothing irritates us [Fascists] so much as to be taken for pillars of order. Nothing so exasperates us as the people who come to us through fear of Communism. Those good people [who are fearful of all social change] will have to realize, and we shall soon make them realize, that the weight of the social problem is now on our shoulders and that they would be wiser to fear us than to fear Communism.
  • Foreign Policy Congress in Milan, June 1938. Quoted in "The decline of the intellectual" - Page 189 - by Thomas Molnar - 1994.

• He will be immediately avenged!
  • About the assassination of Fascist Party leader Igino Ghisellini. Quoted in "Mussolini: The Last 600 Days of Il Duce - By Ray Moseley - Page 82 - 2004.

• Only the Duce must give them orders, have you forgotten that? You have forgotten finally too much. How disgusting.
  • To General Diamanti. Quoted in "Mussolini: The Last 600 Days of Il Duce - by Ray Moseley - Page 246 - 2004.

• Churchill must not forget that the Italians have nothing more to lose and they possess a courage of despair.
  • Quoted in "New Invasion Fear In Italy Reported" - "New York Times" article - June 3, 1943.

• All those traitors who were morally against fascism during the shameful forty-five days following July 25 must inexorably be wiped out.
  • Quoted in "Mussolini Orders Arrest Of Critics" - "New York Times" article - October 8, 1943.

• Lo squadrismo è stato la primavera della nostra vita, e chi è stato squadrista una volta lo è per sempre.
  • Translation: Fascism has been our life, and he who once was a fascist (squadrista), is always a fascist.
  • Quoted in "I gerarchi del fascismo" - By Marco Innocenti - Page 137 - November 14, 1943.

• Vita sei nostra amica, morte sei nostra amante.
  • Translation: Life, you are our friend. Death, our lover.
  • Quoted in "L'Italia del fascio" By Mario Isnenghi - Page 39.