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Alberto Acquacalda (1 August 1898 – 11 August 1921) was an Italian anarchist and communist. He was a member of the anti-fascist militant group Arditi del Popolo. He was assassinated by fascist blackshirts at the age of 23.

Biography

Ideologically he was educated on Giuseppe Mazzini's ideas and was a "left interventionist". From some notes of the Province of Ravenna (he was filed on 2 August 1921) he was an honest person, well regarded both by the public and within his family. Of higher culture, having attended a technical institute, and being able to advocate for his ideology, he was well known for socializing with anarchists and communists. During Biennio Rosso, he carried out a revolutionary "active propaganda" in the Ravenna area and in January 1921 he joined the Communist Party of Italy. It is specified, again in the filing, that from then on he participated in all party initiatives, demonstrating his organizational and leadership skills. He was appointed instructor and team leader of the Arditi del Popolo of Ravenna.

Murder

In March 1921 he led Arditi del Popolo in their campaign to face the squadrist offensive in Romagna. Acquacalda died the day after the assassination of Supremo Randi and the fascist establishment in the city of Lugo. He went to the occupied Lugo together with other members of Arditi del Popolo and were forced to stop due to a car breakdown. While being stopped they were recognized by fascists perhaps due to information about their arrival in Lugo having been transmitted to local fascists. They were attacked by blackshirts with sticks, knives and guns and being heavily outnumbered, Acquacalda and his three companions (one of which was Rodolfo Salvagiani) were all wounded. Acquacalda received two stabs and five pistol shots and died at night in Lugo hospital.

See also

• Pietro Ferrero, another Italian anarchist murdered by fascists in 1922

References

1. ^ "Vittime del fascismo in provincia di Ravenna 1921-1923". Istituto Storico della Resistenza e dell'Età Contemporanea (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-08-21.
2. "Acquacalda Alberto". dati.acs.beniculturali.it. Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
3. ^ Istituto storico provinciale della resistenza della provincia di Forlí-Cesena. "Titolo del fascicolo: Vittime del fascismo in Romagna, 1921-1922". Fondo: Sozzi Gastone. Busta 11, Fasc. 11.

Further reading

• Albonetti, Claudio (1973). Le Vittime del fascismo in Romagna 1921-1923: Con un'appendice dal 1924 al 1927 (in Italian). Forli: Brigliadori. OCLC 1106736409.
• Francescangeli, Eros (2000). Arditi del popolo - Argo Secondari e la prima organizzazione antifascista (1917-1922) (in Italian). Rome: Odradek Edizioni [it]. ISBN 88-86973-15-2. OCLC 1022580295.

• 1898 births
• 1921 deaths
• Assassinated anarchists
• Italian anarchists
• Italian anti-fascists
• Italian Communist Party politicians
• People from Ravenna