{{Short description|Italian Fascist politician (1882–1964)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Luigi Russo | image = Luigi russo.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | office = Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Italy | term_start = 31 October 1939 | term_end = 6 February 1943 | predecessor = Giacomo Medici Del Vascello | successor = Amilcare Rossi | office2 = Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Kingdom of Italy | term_start2 = 24 May 1924 | term_end2 = 21 January 1929 | office3 = Member of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations | term_start3 = 23 March 1939 | term_end3 = 29 April 1943 | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | office4 = Member of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy | term_start4 = 29 April 1943 | term_end4 = 22 March 1945 | predecessor4 = | successor4 = | office5 = Prefect of Chieti | term_start5 = 16 September 1927 | term_end5 = 1 August 1932 | predecessor5 = Alberto Maroni | successor5 = Guido Letta | office6 = Prefect of La Spezia | term_start6 = 1 August 1932 | term_end6 = 25 July 1935 | predecessor6 = Oscar Uccelli | successor6 = Adalberto Mariano | office7 = Prefect of Forlì | term_start7 = 25 July 1935 | term_end7 = 4 October 1935 | predecessor7 = Dino Borri | successor7 = Giuseppe Toffano | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1882|9|28|df=y}} | birth_place = Verona, Kingdom of Italy | death_date = {{Death date and age|1964|12|20|1882|9|28|df=y}} | death_place = Rome, Italy | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | citizenship = | party = National Fascist Party<br/>Republican Fascist Party | other_party = | awards = Order of the Crown of Italy<br/>Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus<br/>Colonial Order of the Star of Italy<br/>Order of the Holy Sepulchre<br/>Sovereign Military Order of Malta <!--Military service--> | nickname = | allegiance = {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}} | branch = {{army|Kingdom of Italy}}<br />23px|border MVSN | service_years = | rank = Colonel (Army)<br/>Major General (MVSN) | unit = | commands = | battles = * World War I ** Battles of the Isonzo | mawards = Silver Medal of Military Valor<br/>Military Order of Savoy<br/>Cross of Military Merit | footnotes = }}
'''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.<ref>[http://decoratialvalormilitare.istitutonastroazzurro.org/docs/e-1918%20vol_4/e-1918%20vol_4_00000479.jpg Istituto del Nastro Azzurro]</ref><ref>[http://decoratialvalormilitare.istitutonastroazzurro.org/docs/e-1922%20vol_2/e-1922%20vol_2_00000071.JPG Istituto del Nastro Azzurro]</ref> 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).<ref>[https://notes9.senato.it/Web/senregno.NSF/d7aba38662bfb3b8c125785e003c4334/3dd72f45239f74db4125646f005f3a59?OpenDocument Senato della Repubblica]</ref> In 1922 he joined the National Fascist Party, with which he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies in 1924.<ref>[https://storia.camera.it/deputato/luigi-russo-18820928 Camera dei Deputati]</ref><ref>[https://notes9.senato.it/Web/senregno.NSF/d7aba38662bfb3b8c125785e003c4334/3dd72f45239f74db4125646f005f3a59?OpenDocument Senato della Repubblica]</ref> 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).<ref>[https://archiviodistatotorino.beniculturali.it/pdf/Governo_alte-cariche_ecc_Sussidi_2b.pdf Prefetti]</ref><ref>[https://storia.camera.it/deputato/luigi-russo-18820928 Camera dei Deputati]</ref><ref>[https://notes9.senato.it/Web/senregno.NSF/d7aba38662bfb3b8c125785e003c4334/3dd72f45239f74db4125646f005f3a59?OpenDocument Senato della Repubblica]</ref>
[[File:MVSN in piazza di Siena.jpg|thumb|left|240px|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.<ref>Mario Missori, ''Gerarchie e statuti del PNF'', p. 271</ref> 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.<ref>[https://storia.camera.it/deputato/luigi-russo-18820928 Camera dei Deputati]</ref> 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.<ref>[https://storia.camera.it/deputato/luigi-russo-18820928 Camera dei Deputati]</ref><ref>[https://notes9.senato.it/Web/senregno.NSF/d7aba38662bfb3b8c125785e003c4334/3dd72f45239f74db4125646f005f3a59?OpenDocument Senato della Repubblica]</ref>
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.<ref>[https://notes9.senato.it/Web/senregno.NSF/d7aba38662bfb3b8c125785e003c4334/3dd72f45239f74db4125646f005f3a59?OpenDocument Senato della Repubblica]</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Attilio Teruzzi}} {{s-ttl|title=Chief of Staff of the Volunteer Militia for National Security|years=3 October 1935 – 3 November 1939}} {{s-aft|after=Achille Starace}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russo, Luigi}} Category:1882 births Category:1964 deaths Category:Mussolini Cabinet Category:National Fascist Party politicians Category:Members of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations Category:Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Kingdom of Italy) Category:Members of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy Category:Recipients of the Silver Medal of Military Valor Category:Italian prefects Category:Italian Army generals Category:Blackshirts