Who was Giacomo Matteotti, killed 100 years ago by fascists

«Kill me too, but you will never kill the idea that is in me». These were the last words of Giacomo Matteotti, secretary of the Unitarian Socialist Party, which today marks the centenary of his death on 10 June 1924.

While he was on his way to the Chamber, he was kidnapped and loaded aboard a black Lancia Trikappa on the Tiber river Arnaldo da Brescia: Amerigo Durini’s fascist squad was waiting to kill him. But his words, of great awareness, remained a testimony of courage and unshakable determination in the fight against fascism, in one of the darkest moments in Italian history.

Born on 22 May 1885 in Fratta Polesine, in the province of Rovigo, he graduated in law at the University of Bologna, where he developed a profound social and political conscience. From a young age, he showed a strong interest in social issues, joining the Italian Socialist Party.

His political activity began in Rovigo, where he distinguished himself for his commitment to defending the rights of agricultural workers and for the fight against social injustices. His campaigns for farmers in the Polesine not only improved local living conditions, but also laid the foundations for his national notoriety. It was during this period that Matteotti began to talk about the need for a policy based on ethics and integritya concept that would define his entire career.

With the rise of fascism in the 1920s, Matteotti vigorously opposed the growing violence and repression of Benito Mussolini’s regime. Elected MP in 1919, he quickly became one of fascism’s most vocal critics, publicly denouncing human rights violations and electoral irregularities. His courage against the regime made him a prominent figure, but also a dangerous target.

But Matteotti did not limit himself to denouncing the violence and fraud: he also developed one detailed criticism of the economic policies of fascism, underlining how these favored industrial and agrarian elites to the detriment of workers. This analysis, based on concrete data and careful observation of social changes, contributed to making him a particularly formidable opponent for the regime.

The speech of May 30, 1924

On May 30, 1924, Matteotti gave a memorable speech to the Chamber of Deputies, in which he denounced the violence and electoral fraud carried out by the fascists during the political elections of the previous April. His words, known as the “speech of truth”, represented a direct indictment against Mussolini and his government. During his speech, Matteotti not only openly accused the regime of electoral fraud, but also provided detailed evidence and testimonies that exposed violent and intimidating practices used by fascists to manipulate election results. «No Italian voter found himself free to decide with his will. I gave my speech. Now you prepare the funeral speech for me» said Matteotti. This speech was not just an act of denunciation, but an appeal to the conscience of the nation and the international community, an invitation not to turn a blind eye to injustice and corruption.

The murder

A few days after the speech, on 10 June 1924, Giacomo Matteotti was kidnapped in Rome by a group of fascist squadristi. His body was found only two months later, on August 16, in the countryside of Riano, a municipality in the province of Rome, in a state of decomposition: the autopsy revealed that he had been brutally murdered. His death profoundly shocked Italian and international public opinion, highlighting the brutality of the fascist regime.

The political crisis

Matteotti’s murder caused a major political crisis: for weeks, Italy was crossed by protests and demonstrations against the regime. The opposition began the Aventine Secessionan act of protest against the Mussolini government: the Aventinians decided to abstain from parliamentary activities until those responsible for the assassination of the socialist deputy had been identified and tried. Mussolini found himself facing growing oppositionbut, with propaganda and repression, he managed to consolidate his power, transforming Italy into a totalitarian state.

Matteotti’s sacrifice, however, left an indelible mark in the collective memory of the country: he became a symbol of resistance against tyranny and his memory continues to inspire struggles for freedom and justice. Schools, streets and squares bear his name, and his example has inspired generations of politicians and activists to fight for democratic principles and human rights, even at the cost of their own lives.