172 Prächtiger Geschenkdolch der Legionari di Tripolitania an Marschall Emilio de Bono, 1928-
Der Griff in handgetriebenem Silber, mit Abschluß als in Gold aufgelegtem Adlerkopf. Parierstange mit muschelförmigem Dekor. In der Mitte das Wappen des Königreichs Italien, umgeben von den Liebesknoten des Hauses savoyen. Auf der Rückseite Widmungsschild mit der Dedikation: "A S.E. EMILIO DE BONO".
Die Klinge mit beidseitig geätzten Fasci innerhalb einer aufgesetzten, aus Gold gefertigten Manschette (seitlich Goldpunze). Mit Inschrift: " I. LEGIONARI DI TRIPOLITANA" und rückseitig: "TRIPOLI A. VI. E.F. 1928".
Schöner, beeindruckender Dolch von hoher kunsthandwerklicher Qualität und großer Seltenheit.
Länge: 45 cm.
Emilio De Bono (19 March 1866 – 11 January 1944) was an Italian general, fascist activist, marshal, war criminal, and member of the Fascist Grand Council (Gran Consiglio del Fascismo). De Bono fought in the Italo-Turkish War, the First World War and the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. He was one of the key figures behind Italy's anti-partisan policies in Libya, such as the use of poison gas and concentration camps, which resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians and have been described as genocidal.
After voting for the ousting of Benito Mussolini, De Bono and five others were arrested and tried for treason at the Verona trial. All of the men were found guilty, with De Bono and four others being executed by firing squad the following day.
Early life and career
De Bono was born in Cassano d'Adda, a son of Giovanni de Bono and descendant of the Counts of Barlassina, and Elisa Bazzi. His family "suffered under the Austrian yoke".He entered the Royal Italian Army (Regio Esercito) in 1884 as a second lieutenant, fought in the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1887-1889, and had worked his way up to the General Staff by the start of the Italo-Turkish War in 1911. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Savoy for his conduct during the war.
De Bono then fought in the First World War in which he distinguished himself against Austria-Hungary on the Karst Plateau in 1915 (as Colonel in the Bersaglieri corps), in the capture of Gorizia in 1916 (as commander of the "Trapani" Infantry Brigade), in the Second Battle of the Piave River in June 1918 and in the battle of Monte Grappa in October 1918 (as commander of the IX Army Corps). He was also the author of a popular patriotic song, Monte Grappa tu sei la mia patria ("Mount Grappa, you are my Fatherland"). During the war he was awarded three Silver Medals of Military Valour; in 1920, he was discharged with the rank of Major General.
Fascist support
Main articles: March on Rome, Italian Colonial Empire, and Tripoli Grand Prix
In the early 1920s, De Bono helped organise the National Fascist Party. In 1922, as one of the four Quadrumvirs, he organised and staged the March on Rome. The event signalled the start of the fascist regime in Italy.
After the march, De Bono served as Chief of Police and Commander of the Fascist Militia.
In 1925, De Bono was tried for his role in the 1924 death of the leftist politician Giacomo Matteotti. De Bono refused to implicate his superiors and was unexpectedly acquitted in 1925. Later that year, De Bono was appointed governor of Tripolitania, in Libya. De Bono was one of the key figures behind Italy's anti-partisan policies in Libya, such as poison gas and concentration camps, which resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians and have been described as genocidal.
In 1929, De Bono was appointed Minister of Colonial Affairs, also referred to as the Minister of Colonies. In 1932, King Victor Emmanuel III and De Bono visited Eritrea.
Second Italo-Ethiopian War
Main article: De Bono's invasion of Abyssinia
In November 1932, at Benito Mussolini's request, De Bono wrote a plan for an invasion of Ethiopia. The plan outlined a traditional mode of penetration: a relatively small force would move gradually southward from Eritrea, establish strong bases and then advance against increasingly weak and disorganised opponents. The invasion that De Bono envisioned would be cheap, easy, safe and slow.
Mussolini separately involved the Army in planning, and over the next two years, the army developed its own massive campaign, which would involve five to six times the number of troops as required by De Bono. In 1934, Mussolini pulled the uncoordinated plans together into one that emphasised the military's idea of full-scale war.
In 1935, De Bono became Supreme Commander of the Italian operation against Ethiopia during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. De Bono was appointed because Mussolini wanted the victory in Ethiopia to be not just an Italian victory but also a fascist victory, hence the appointment of a well-known fascist general. In addition, he was Commander-in-Chief of the forces invading from Italian-held Eritrea on what was known as the "northern front". De Bono had under his direct command a force of nine army divisions in three corps: the Italian I Corps, the Italian II Corps and the Eritrean Corps.
On 3 October, forces under De Bono's command crossed into Ethiopia from Eritrea. On 6 October, his forces took Adowa, officially avenging the humiliating 1896 Italian defeat. Soon afterwards, De Bono entered the historically significant city of Axum and rode a white horse. After those initial triumphs, however, De Bono's advance slowed.
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