Luigi Russo

Luigi Russo
Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Italy
In office 31 October 1939 – 6 February 1943
Preceded by	Giacomo Medici Del Vascello
Succeeded by	Amilcare Rossi
Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Kingdom of Italy
In office 24 May 1924 – 21 January 1929
Member of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations
In office 23 March 1939 – 29 April 1943
Member of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy
In office 29 April 1943 – 22 March 1945
Prefect of Chieti
In office 16 September 1927 – 1 August 1932
Preceded by	Alberto Maroni
Succeeded by	Guido Letta
Prefect of La Spezia
In office 1 August 1932 – 25 July 1935
Preceded by	Oscar Uccelli
Succeeded by	Adalberto Mariano
Prefect of Forlì
In office 25 July 1935 – 4 October 1935
Preceded by	Dino Borri
Succeeded by	Giuseppe Toffano
Personal details
Born	(1882-09-28)28 September 1882 Verona, Kingdom of Italy
Died	20 December 1964(1964-12-20) (aged 82) Rome, Italy
Political party	National Fascist Party Republican Fascist Party
Civilian awards	Order of the Crown of Italy Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Colonial Order of the Star of Italy Order of the Holy Sepulchre Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Italy
Branch/service	Royal Italian Army MVSN
Rank	Colonel (Army) Major General (MVSN)
Battles/wars	World War I Battles of the Isonzo
Military awards	Silver Medal of Military Valor Military Order of Savoy Cross of Military Merit

Luigi Russo (Verona, 28 September 1882 – Rome, 20 December 1964) was an Italian Fascist politician and civil servant, who served as Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of the Kingdom of Italy from 1939 to 1943. He was also Chief of Staff of the Volunteer Militia for National Security from 3 October 1935 to 3 November 1939.

Biography

He participated in the First World War as a Bersaglieri officer, with the rank of captain and later major, being wounded and twice awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor during the Tenth and Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo. Having ended the war with the rank of colonel, he was later a member of the National Directory of the National Veterans Association (of which he was later commissioner from 1925 to 1927). In 1922 he joined the National Fascist Party, with which he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies in 1924. From 6 February to 22 September 1927 he served as podestà (mayor) of Udine, then as Prefect of Chieti (from 16 September 1927 to 1 August 1932), La Spezia (1 August 1932–25 July 1935) and Forlì (25 July–4 October 1935).

Russo and General Federico Baistrocchi reviewing a Blackshirt unit in Rome, March 1936

In 1923 he became console (colonel) in the Volunteer Militia for National Security, then console generale (brigadier general) in 1929 and luogotenente generale (major general) from January 1936; in 1935 he became Chief of Staff of the MVSN until 1939. He was also a member of the National Directorate of the PNF, and in 1939 he became a member of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations. He was Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Mussolini Cabinet from 31 October 1939 to 6 February 1943, after which he was appointed Senator of the Kingdom.

After the armistice of Cassibile he joined the Italian Social Republic, where he was commissioner of the National Veterans' Organisation. On 7 August 1944 he was referred to the High Court of Justice for Sanctions against Fascism, which on 22 March 1945 revoked his seat as senator; after the end of the war Russo appealed this sentence, but without success.