Berliner Zinnfiguren/Books & Media/Books/1933-1945 (WW II)/Italy products

Mesturini, Franco/Sparacino, Fausto/Taylor, Hugh P./Valzelli, Mario: Figli della Lupa, Nipoti dell’Aquila. Memorabilia e collectibles della gioventù littoria. Volume 3 68,95 €

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:40:05 +0200

The third volume of the "Figli della Lupa, Nipoti dellAquila" trilogy concludes the "paper" aspect of this collection with a comprehensive presentation of over 1,500 propaganda postcards. The second part of the volume features a wide selection of more than 1,000 official and unofficial insignia, badges, crosses, and medals created for young people enrolled in various organizations of the National Fascist Party.

Rossi, Elena A./Giusti, Maria T.: Una guerra a parte 22,95 €

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:30:07 +0200

In 1939, Italy invaded Albania and subsequently attempted to conquer Greece in 1940a goal achieved with decisive German support. Yugoslavia followed next. Between 1940 and 1943, Italy occupiedeither wholly or in partSlovenia, Croatia, Dalmatia, Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Ionian Islands, and Greece. By the time of the armistice on September 8, 1943, approximately 40 percent of the Italian armynearly half a million menwas stationed in the Balkans. Drawing on extensive original research, this volume provides the first detailed, region-by-region account of the entire course of Italys involvement in the Balkans: the occupation, the fight against partisans, the crisis of September 8 and the ensuing chaotic repatriation efforts, capture by German forces, choices between collaboration and resistance, participation in the Yugoslav partisan struggle (such as the Garibaldi Division), and the complex issues surrounding the repatriation of soldiers held in Yugoslav captivity.

Carnier, Pier A.: Lo sterminio mancato 26,95 €

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:40:06 +0200

One of the most complex chapters of the Second World War unfolded in Italyspecifically, along its eastern border. A drama played out here that was witnessed by many but documented by few: the German leaderships attempt to establish yet another region of the "Greater Reich" in these territories. The landscape was defined by clashes between various ethnic groups and partisan resistance; by the Yugoslav plan to annex Trieste, the Julian hinterland, and the area around Gorizia; and by the desperate resistance of collaborationist unitsalongside fleeing Chetniks, Ustae, and Domobrancias they made their way toward Austria. This work is the product of years of research conducted in Italy, Austria, Germany, Yugoslavia, and even overseas; it assembles the pieces of an incredibly complex mosaic to paint a comprehensive picture of events during the war and the immediate postwar period, with a particular focus on Germanys plans for its "New Order."

Fassari, Giuseppe: Liberators 39,95 €

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:00:08 +0200

Between September 1943 and the summer of 1947, Italy experienced years of apparent "liberation" marked by widespread violence across the country, corruption and mismanagement by the Allied Military Government (AMGOT), and the resulting impact on the civilian population. Hunger, disease, black-market activities, and aerial bombardments of Italian cities all contributed to the situation. Allied troops were responsible for thousands of crimes against innocent civilians within a climate of impunity that guaranteed them absolute control over the territory. Official estimates suggest that a total of over 23,000 Italians suffered accidents, physical and psychological violence, assaults, murders, and rapes at the hands of foreign occupation forces. In addition to the notorious *Marocchinate* (atrocities) committed by the *Goumiers* of the French Expeditionary Corps, hundreds of rapes and murders of civilians were perpetrated by American and British soldiers. Brazilian, Indian, Canadian, Polish, Greek, and New Zealand contingents were also responsible for acts of violence, including rape, murder, physical injury, assault, theft, and numerous traffic accidents.

Longo, Luigi E.: I reparti speciali italiani nella Seconda Guerra Mondiale 1940-1943 24,95 €

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 08:15:07 +0200

This volume was one of the first works dedicated to the so-called Italian special forces of the Second World War. It examines, in particular, the following units: the 10th MAS Flotilla, the 10th Arditi Regiment, Air Force special units, the "Monte Cervino" Alpine Ski Battalion, the Carabinieri Paratrooper Battalion, and the "N", "P", and "G" special units of the "San Marco" Regiment. For each unit, the composition, operational history, and military actions are described.

Rossi, Elena Aga: Roma tradita 25,95 €

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 09:35:08 +0200

Despite extensive historiographical publications regarding September 8, 1943, key questions remain unanswered: Why was Rome not defended? Why did Badoglio refuse to order an attack on the German forces after the armistice was announced? The release of documents from the parliamentary commission of inquiry gave scholars access to thousands of pages of testimony and reports. Analysis of these documents revealed omissions, fabrications, and contradictions on the part of those involved, who were intent on justifying their actions and shifting responsibility elsewhere. The military leadership spoke of an inevitable capitulation andin an effort to justify themselvesoverestimated the strength of the German forces. Elena Aga Rossi reconstructs the events of those days to bring to light the truth about one of the most dramatic moments in Italian history.

Nester, William: Benito Mussolini and the Art of Tyranny 32,95 €

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 09:40:08 +0200

The art of tyranny lies in aspirants to power gaining and maintaining unfettered, arbitrary rule over others. Benito Mussolini ranks among the worlds most notorious tyrantswith his menacing glare, jutting chin, bald head, booming voice, chopping fist gestures, stocky build, and wide stance. He founded the fascist movement with the aim of transforming Italys liberal democracy into a regime that combined authoritarianism, nationalism, populism, corporatism, vigilantism, and imperialismwith himself as the all-powerful "Duce" (Leader) at the helm. By threatening a "March on Rome" with his Blackshirt militia, Mussolini forced King Victor Emmanuel III to appoint him Prime Minister. He ruled Italy from October 30, 1922, to July 25, 1943, achieving absolute control just thirteen months after seizing power. Backed by an overwhelming parliamentary majority, he issued decrees and enacted laws that granted him dictatorial powers, banned all political parties other than his own Fascist Party, and led to the imprisonment or exile of most of his opponents. Nevertheless, Mussolinis dictatorship was subject to certain limits, as the King remained head of state and held the latent power to dismiss him as Prime Ministerprovided there was both the necessity and the courage to do so. That moment eventually arrived. Until the war years, the majority of Italians enthusiastically welcomed Mussolinis dictatorship, as his economic and nationalist policies boosted their standard of living, hope, and pride. Mussolini steered a corporatist economy in which the state collaborated with industrial, agricultural, labor, and energy associations to increase production, productivity, wages, and the quality of life. Ultimately, however, Mussolini failed disastrously as a tyrant when he attempted to fulfill his promise to transform Italy into a modern imperial power on the scale of the ancient Roman Empire. The military catastrophes Italy suffered eventually caused even his closest supporters to turn against him. On July 25, 1943, the Fascist Grand Council voted 19 to 8 (with one abstention) in favor of his resignation. Later that same day, King Victor Emmanuel III summoned him, informed him that he was being replaced as Prime Minister by General Pietro Badoglio, and ordered his arrest and imprisonment. This marked the beginning of his calamitous downfall. "Benito Mussolini and the Art of Tyranny" examines the nature of the dictator and his regime, as well as their strengths, weaknesses, triumphs, catastrophes, and legacy.

Burgio, Carmelo: La divisione Ariete nel deserto 20,95 €

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:35:07 +0200

The Ariete Armored Division was one of the Italian Army's most renowned units during the Second World War. This volume traces its entire operational history, from the formation of its initial armored units to its deployment across key African theaters of war. Through a meticulous analysis of archival sources and official documents, the author reconstructs the military operations, moving beyond traditional, glorifying accounts. Instead, he offers a critical analysis grounded in the military doctrine of the time and the broader operational context. From the division's fragmented deployment across East and North Africa to its combat service in the North African desert, a complex picture emergesone that encompasses strategic decisions, structural limitations, and operational capabilities. Enriched with detailed maps and uniform charts, the volume pays particular attention to weaponry and equipment, providing the reader with a comprehensive, in-depth study of one of Italy's most important armored units.

Cristini, Luca S.: Pax Ducis 20,95 €

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 07:55:09 +0200

Rome, December 9, 1939. Ottavio Mafaia Foreign Ministry secretary, a member of the National Fascist Party out of necessity, and the husband of a Jewish woman out of loveholds an envelope marked with three red stripes that he is supposed to hand to Minister Ciano. He opens and reads it. He sits in the dark for eleven minutes. Then, he makes a decision. Not out of heroism. Not out of fear. For his wife, Elena. For his son, Giacomo, who might one day receive a draft notice. "Mafai didn't do it for Italy. He did it for his wife and son. And history unfolded accordingly." What he does that nightwithholding a telegram, a minor and technically illegal acttriggers a chain of tacit silence and secret diplomatic maneuvers that, in the months to follow, effectively help keep Italy out of the war. The diaries of Ciano and Bottai, Badoglios reports, and OVRA records confirm it: in 1940, hardly anyone wanted to fight. It took so little to stop it all. Perhaps just a telegram that never reached the right desk. Ottavio Mafai recounts all this from his studio on Via della Lungara in 1958, while trying to determine whether he did the right thing that evening. The answer he finds after twenty years of history, peace, love, and unresolved moral debts is the only honest answer there is: he does not know. He will never know. And perhaps this state of not knowing is the lot of anyone who has kept something important in the darksomething that could have changed everythingand yet went ahead and did it anyway.

Moos, Carlo: Mussolinis Faschismus 29,90 €

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:50:10 +0200

To properly assess the significance and enduring legacy of Mussolinis Fascism, one must consider not only the European context and the Hitler regime, but also the entirety of Italys twentieth-century historyincluding the *Duces* antecedents and afterlifeas well as the *Risorgimento* era in light of the First World War. In this respect, Fascism proves to be by no means a mere historical aberration or a parenthetical interlude in Italian historyas Benedetto Croce variously suggestedbut rather an integral part of its very core; consequently, any engagement with this sinister quarter-century remains central to the country and its sense of self.

Tavoletti, Francesco/Brisone, Alberto: Vent’anni in Camicia Nera 49,95 €

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:30:07 +0200

Nearly thirty years after its initial publication, this bookfeaturing articles for collectors by Francesco Tavoletti and Alberto Brisoneis being released in a new edition. It covers the history and uniforms of the early Fascist organizations, tracing their evolution from their inception up to the Second World War. These include the *Squadrismo*, the *Figli della Lupa*, the *Balilla*, the *Piccole Italiane*, the *Avanguardisti*, and the *Podestà*. All of these were key elements within the complex world of Fascisman ideology whose cult of youth reached its zenith during this period. In addition to a historical narrative of the twenty-year Fascist era, the volume features numerous original illustrations of the symbols that defined the years of Benito Mussolinis rule. Uniforms, pennants, shields, fezzes, and various forms of headgear bear witness to a historical epoch that profoundly shaped Italy.

Parodi, Gabriele/Corsini, Paola: Chiedi al torrente 27,95 €

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:40:07 +0200

The number of partisan victimscomprising both military personnel and civilianstotaled approximately 1,900 across the entire province of Genoa. In Bolzano, according to the most recent countconducted following the discovery of the final mass graves in the early 1950sthe figure stood at approximately 180, more than half of whom could not be identified. Of the identified victims, over half were civilians, including nine women whose arrests, disappearances, and deaths date back to before May 1945. The primary site for detention and summary trials in this areathe undisputed domain of the "Balilla" Flying Brigade and its undisputed leader, Angelo Scala, alias "Battista"was the former Scorza timber yard, situated along the road leading from Bolzano up to the village of Geminiano, which runs alongside the eponymous stream.

Woller, Hans: Mussolini 34,00 €

Sun, 17 May 2026 08:20:05 +0200

Mussolini was the first fascist, yet for a long time he was perceived as Hitler's harmless brother. Hans Woller now paints a completely new picture that will surprise many: because of Mussolini's racism, his antisemitism, and the horrific record of his regime, which is truly breathtaking. The Italian autocrat made history and left behind images that have become etched in our memories. We know himburly, engaging with his people, commanding. We can picture himbald, bare-chested on the beach, brimming with energy and willpower. Then came the end in Milan in 1945: his desecrated corpse, hung at a gas station, mocked and ridiculed, erased from history by antifascist fury along with his dead lover. Unflinchingly and vividly, Hans Woller recounts the life of Mussolini, the man who invented the totalitarian mass dictatorship and became Hitler's most important ally.

Guerri, Roberto: Odiate il nemico 29,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

An analysis of the manipulation through war posters, initially illustrated and disseminated in Italy by the Fascist regime and later by the Socialist Republic. The book also includes some iconographic documents from the Allies and anti-fascist forces.

Afiero, Massimiliano: The Italian Army in the Battle of the Alps 1940 36,95 €

Wed, 20 May 2026 07:05:11 +0200

This book is the first modern, comprehensive operational study in English of Italy's often misunderstood campaign against France in June 1940. Overshadowed by the German Blitzkrieg in the north and long dismissed as a symbolic or opportunistic sideshow, the Alpine Campaign was in reality a hard-fought, complex, and often brutal military operation in some of Europe's most challenging terrain. Using extensive Italian and French archival sources, official regimental histories, contemporary accounts, and postwar analyses, Massimiliano Afiero reconstructs the campaign from the strategic decisions made in Rome to the final armistice negotiations at Villa Incisa. The book clearly situates the Italian operations within their political and military context, examining Mussolini's decision to enter the war, the state of the Italian armed forces in 1940, and the constraints under which commanders operated. At the operational and tactical levels, the study provides a detailed, section-by-section account of the fighting along the entire Alpine front, from Mont Blanc to the Mediterranean coast. Particular attention is paid to the actions of the Alpini, Bersaglieri, regular infantry divisions, Blackshirts, border guard formations, and supporting artillery, as well as the French mountain troops and fortress garrisons who defended the Maginot Line in the Alps. The book dispels common myths by demonstrating that, despite serious equipment shortages, inadequate logistics, adverse weather, and the difficulties of attacking fortified positions at altitude, Italian troops often fought with determination and courage. Richly illustrated with contemporary photographs, detailed maps, and specially commissioned color illustrations, the volume also examines the weapons, uniforms, and specialized equipment used during the campaign, including mountain artillery, light tanks, and the air support of the Regia Aeronautica. Numerous acts of heroism and actions by small units are documented, lending a human dimension to a campaign that is often caricatured. More than a depiction of a short but intense military operation, "The Italian Army in the Battle of the Alps 1940" is a reassessment of Italy's first major land campaign in the Second World War.

Afiero, Massimiliano: Xa Flottiglia MAS 32,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:23 +0200

The X MAS Flotilla is undoubtedly one of the most famous and controversial military units of the Italian Social Republic, thanks above all to the work of its commander, Prince Junio Valerio Borghese. Borghese took up the legacy of the daring missions carried out by the Decima MAS of the Regia Marina between 1940 and 1943 and managed to build up new land and sea forces at the base in La Spezia and other bases in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Adriatic. Borghese and all the men who followed him made a very clear decision after 8 September 1943: they voluntarily chose to remain in their posts and continue fighting alongside the Germans against the Allies, but above all to defend their homeland. It was a difficult decision, a decision of honour for those who made it. Commander Borghese personally signed an agreement with the Germans that allowed him to continue to lead his men from their base in La Spezia. However, the Decima units had to fight not only against the Allies, but also against other Italians, the partisan formations, in a veritable civil war that Borghese always tried to avoid being drawn into. Ultimately, the Decima units, which were attacked in their barracks and subjected to constant attacks, were drawn into the fratricidal war against their will and involved in operations against the partisans, which always ended tragically for the civilian population as well.

Ciavattone, Federico: Paracadutisti dopo El Alamein 20,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

After the Battle of El Alamein in October/November 1942, the presence of Italian paratroopers in North Africa was not yet over. The airborne troops continued to be involved in fighting against both the British 8th Army and the American 5th Army until May 1943. After being reorganised, the survivors of the Divisione Folgore formed the CCLXXXV Parachute Battalion, which fought on the Mareth Line, the Enfideville Line and in Takrouna. In October 1942, the Regia Aeronautica parachute battalion also arrived in Tunisia, fighting the Americans at Gabel Abiod, near the border between Tunisia and Algeria, between 21 and 23 November. Subsequently, in January 1943, the command of the 1st Assault Regiment Amedeo d'Aosta of the Regia Aeronautica also arrived. Although its structure was changed several times, it remained present until the last day and only laid down its arms with the final surrender. Between January and May 1943, there were a series of parachute drops by sabotage patrols, culminating in June 1943 in Operation Campi Africano, when 10 patrols of the Arditi Distruttori of the Regia Aeronautica and 4 of the X. Reggimento Arditi were deployed between Libya, Tunisia and Morocco to attack Allied airfields.

Afiero, Massimiliano: Italian Decima MAS 1943-45. Volume 2: Borgheses division, the Adriatic campaigns, and the end of the Italian Social Republic 1944-45 26,95 €

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:50:10 +0200

A volume from the series Europe @ War. By the end of 1944, the Decima MAS had developed far beyond its origins as an elite raiding fleet. Under the leadership of Prince Junio Valerio Borghese, it became a division-strength force within the Italian Social Republic, attracting thousands of volunteers determined to continue fighting under the Italian flag despite the collapse of the state. This second volume of Massimiliano Afiero's detailed study traces the Decima through its most controversial and violent phase, as Italy descended into civil war and the end of the conflict approached. Afiero examines how Borghese attempted to maintain the unit's autonomy within a troubled alliance with the Germans, even as the Decima became increasingly involved in land operations. The narrative follows the deployment of its battalions in Liguria, Veneto and Julian Venetia and their clashes with the Allies, Yugoslav partisans and Italian resistance units. These campaigns exposed the Decima to both military hardships and political controversy, as Borghese attempted to keep his men out of fratricidal conflicts but was repeatedly embroiled in brutal operations against partisans. Drawing heavily on archival material and eyewitness accounts, the book analyses the Decima's growth into a divisional structure, its defensive campaigns on Italy's north-eastern border, and the ongoing tensions between collaboration and national pride. Afiero also addresses the unit's complex relationship with the German command and the government of the Italian Social Republic (RSI), which frequently attempted to bring Borghese under greater control. The study concludes with the final months of the war, the surrender of the Decima, and the postwar fate of Borghese and his men. Balanced and carefully researched, this volume completes the first comprehensive English-language history of one of the most controversial Italian formations of the Second World War.

Baris, Tommaso/Patti, Manoela: 1943, lo sbarco in Sicilia 24,95 €

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:25:06 +0200

When Italy entered the war in 1940, Sicily became a strategic point in the Mediterranean, serving as a base for operations in Africa and, from 1943 onwards, as a target for Allied bombing. The island's inhabitants experienced the violence of total war. This was a decisive turning point. Fascism had attributed absolute centrality to the war effort within its ideological programme. War was eagerly awaited as the creator of the imperial and racial dimension, but instead it revealed the limits of Mussolini's project to militarise Italian society. With the Allied landing on 10 July 1943, even before 25 July and long before 8 September, developments in Sicily accelerated the crisis of fascism and anticipated what would happen in the rest of the peninsula. Taking into account the latest historiographical considerations on the Second World War, the book analyses the questions raised by the turning point of 1943, from the global war in the Mediterranean to the complex democratic transition on the island. The book disregards the political/mafia implications that shaped events on the island.

Turchi, Fabrizio: Un'altra gotica 49,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

The book is the result of extensive research and sheds light for the first time on the events and key figures surrounding the deployment of combat units of the Italian Social Republic on the Romagna front in 1944 and 1945. This topic is largely unknown and is rarely discussed in detail and in chronological order in historical and cultural circles. The 300-page book, with almost 200 photographs and maps, contains Italian and international documents, almost all of which have never been published before, as they come from public and private archives or from the families of those involved. It also includes previously unpublished eyewitness accounts that have been meticulously compiled over many years, including statements from members of opposing sides: Canadians, partisans, Americans and Germans. This volume summarises a long and extraordinary journey of research and study about the men and women who volunteered to fight against the Allies, sacrificing their lives or part of their youth in Romagna and in the war zones between the Adriatic Sea and the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines.