Did Fascist Italy have the same regieme of anti-semetic racial purity as the Nazi Germans did?

Question

I cannot remember hearing much about Italians sending Jews to death-camps, or purges or ghettos in Italian controlled areas.

Answer 1

Hi Jade,

The Italians did not have the same program. And to understand why, you have to understand one of the underlying differences between Fascism and Nazism. This may seem like an arcane point of ideology; but on this arcane point, the answer to your question depends.

For true fascists, the single most impotant element is "The State." Mussolini believed that the Italian nation was created by the Italian state. In other words, the idea of "Italian-ness" was a consciously created identity, manufactured and maintained by governmental actions. That's why the fascists organized the society around state sponsored guilds and other organizations whose purpose was to mobilize the people and re-direct their energies to the achievement of state goals.

For Mussolini, then, Jews were no more or less Italian than anyone else. Italian-ness was manufactured by the state.

So the bottom line for the fascists was that "The State Creates The Nation." For Nazis, the reverse was true.

Hitler and the Nazis believed in the Aryan Race. For Hitler, there was a Germanic People who preceeded the creation of the government. And he saw his mission in life to purify that nation.

He thus saw the German State as merely the logical outgrowth and manifestation of the pre-existing German People, and whose only function was to protect and safeguard the integrity of that pre-existing people. Hitler saw the Jews as a contaminating race, and hence his anti-semitism. Bottom line for the Nazis was that "The Nation Creates The State."

In fact, Mussolini thought Hitler quite mad for being anti-semitic. Hope this helps. Cheers, mate.

Answer 2

No, actually Mussolini had severe arguments with Hitler over his Italian Jews. He actually treated them much nicer, and the holocaust didn't reach Italy until his government collapsed and the Nazi's starting running the country. In fact, the 50,000 Jews in Rome actually felt well treated until he was deposed from power, when Hitler ordered them all deported to the concentration camps, that was when the Pope stepped in and finally interfered with the transportation, and he has been mentioned as a Saint for doing it.

Answer 3

No, Italy had an even smaller population of Jews then Germany, and though it was not by any means an open and accepting society, prejudice against Jews did not go as far as it did in Germany, though when push came to shove, they did appease the Germans on this if they felt they had to to curry favor.

Answer 4

Not until 1938 after pressure from Nazi Germany.

Answer 5

In 1938 Mussolini issued the racial laws which essentially retread the ones promulgated in Germany, to please Hitler. The Hebrews were delivered in the hands of Germans and taken to the imprisonment fields. And one big pain for all Italians who historically have never been racists.

Answer 6

No, they didn't. Read Jack's answer- he's got it right.

Answer 7

no

Answer 8

YES, ALMOST THE SAME.