FASCISTS SHOT

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22244, 13 January 1944, Page 3

FASCISTS SHOT

EXECUTED BY GERMANS

CIANO DENIES TREASON SURPRISE «N LONDON (United Press Assn.—Elor. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Jan. 11 The executions by shooting were carried out this morning of Count Ciano, Mussolini’s son-in-law and former Foreign Minister; Marshal ae Bono, former Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Army; Giovanni Marinelli, former director of the Fascist Party; Pareschi, ex-Minister of Agriculture: and Gotardi, former trade union chief. This is reported by the German news agency. The summary execution of Ciano after a brief trial by the Fascist Court at Verona, Northern Italy, came as a surprise in London, where the tragic close of the career of this once spectacular Foreign Minister is regarded as one of the historically outstanding events of the war. The Court sat for four hours behind closed doors before pronouncing sentence. Details of the trial and executions are very sparse. They come mostly from the Rome radio, which stated that the death sentence was carried out by shooting again# five of the 18 Fascists sentenced to death at 9.20 a.m. today. Statement by Ciano “The five received religious assistance from the prison chaplain and a Franciscan friar,” said the radio. “Ciano, before being sentenced, said: ‘I may have made a mistake, but do not accuse me* of treason.’ “The trial, which opened on January 8, lasted three days. The indicted 19 Fascists were accused of treason, aiding the ‘enemy, betraying the ideals of Fascism, attempting to jeopardise the operations of the country’s armed forces, the country’s resistance and independence. Aldo | Vecchini presided over the Court, which was composed of seven members.” Another Rome radio broadcast stated that Carlo Scoria, former secretary of the Fascist Party, was one of the witnesses. The radio added that Ciano also said to the Court that he would never have signed the decree calling for Mussolini’s resignation had he foreseen the consequences. Ciano added that he asked Marshal Badoglio for a passport for himself and family. Marshal Badoglio replied that King Victor Emmanuel had instructed him that Ciano should remain at his post as Minister to the Holy See, where he would be safe. Asked why he had not told Mus?o- ---' lini how things were, Ciano answered that, since he was no longer Foreign Minister, he was no '-longer in a position easily to approach the head of the Government. Still a Fascist Marshal de Bono, according to the Rome radio, declared to the Court that he knew nothing about politics and did not grasp the significance of i Count Grandi’s order calling the last meeting of the Fascist Grand Council. De Bono also denied that he maintained contact with the King. Cianetti proclaimed that he was still a Fascist. He agreed to Count Grandi’s order because he thought such a move would shift the responsibility for the war from the Duce to the King. The Attorney-General exhorted the Court to pass sentences which would re-establish the moral order broken by the action of the Fascist Grand Council. The German news agency stated that, although the Attorney-General demanded the death sentence against the 19 accused, 13 of them were charged -in absentia. Only 18 were 1 actually sentenced to death, as the 19th, Cianetti, ex-Minister of Fascist : Corporations, was sentenced to 30 years’ penal servitude. Attempts to Save Ciano Reports from the frontier correspondents of the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Express say that many influential persons intervened in an attempt to save Ciano. Even Germans are stated to have made representations. Ciano’s wife, Edda, and their three children were in Verona during the trial. She appealed to Mussolini (her father) for a postponement of the ! trial, but Mussolini is reported to j have replied that the matter was opt of his hands. It is recalled that at the meeting j of the Fascist Grand Council which put Mussolini out of office, de Bono : pulied out a revolver and waved it | at Mussolini. Ciano did not take i part in the discussion, but was one j of those who voted against Musso- i lini. Mussolini, at one stage of the meeting, pointed to Ciano and shout- i ed: “From, the moment this man enI tered my house he has betrayed me.” ' As he left the meeting, Ciano is reI ported to have commented: “He has j at last got what he deserved.” Display of Revenge ! The so-called trial and swift sequel add a fitting footnote to the demise ox the Fascist regime, says the Times ii> an editorial article Tne Verona tribunal’s death sentences i are less an act of retribution than a display of revenge by an i embittered and disappointed faction.’ Even so, I it is mainly a German revenge. If j personal malice had not moved the j Germans to this act, it would have • been difficult to understand why I Nazism at the moment should have j chosen the narrow field in which it j might have hoped for such support I as the remnants of Fascism could give.