Born in Goro Ferrarese to Luigi and Caterina Branchi, Romualdo Rossi (1877-1968) was initially close to and a personal friend of Benito Mussolini. However, he did not shy away from criticising MussoliniâÂÂs positions, especially prior to ItalyâÂÂs entry into the war, opposing the xenophobic stance of Nazi Germany. He co-founded and contributed to publications aligned with the syndicalist and socialist movements.
He was highly active on the syndicalist front, particularly in GoriziaâÂÂs factories, within the fascist union, where he highlighted workersâ rights and the necessity of enforcing regulations. In 1924, he organised workersâ assemblies, openly contesting the Brunner group, who opposed the application of the labour contract.
Among the various publications he contributed to was LâÂÂInternazionale, the official organ of the âÂÂRevolutionary Syndicalistâ Labour Chamber of Parma, which was later also published in Bologna and Milan. He founded Diana with Italo Balbo and former socialist Renato Castelfranchi. In 1913, Balbo wrote an article in RossiâÂÂs defence after Rossi was sentenced to nine months of confinement for criticising the Savoy monarchy. In the article, Balbo criticised the bourgeoisie for its oppression of the proletariat, demonstrating his commitment to the syndicalist cause and his opposition to monarchist institutions. For Balbo, Rossi represented a symbol of the struggle against social injustices and opposition to established power, influencing the young BalboâÂÂs path in political activism.
Among other publications, Rossi also directed La Scintilla and the journal Italia - U.R.S.S. e Oriente. Rassegna commerciale mensile, published in 1930, as well as the weekly LâÂÂItalia del lavoro. Giornale politico di critica e di battaglia.
One of his most famous works is Mussolini nudo alla meta, written in 1944. It seems that the phrase âÂÂnaked at the finish lineâ was actually coined by Mussolini himself in 1923. Following ItalyâÂÂs acquisition of the Dodecanese Islands, Mussolini disdainfully refused the title of Duke of Rhodes, considering it pointless and meaningless. Mussolini intended to express that he required nothing and no one to reach his objective.