| Birth: | Apr. 8, 1880
Veneto, Italy | | Death: | Oct. 30, 1961
Calabria, Italy | 
Italian Political Figure. Born to wealthy Jewish parents in Venice, she was educated by private tutors until the age of 18 when she escaped from her parents by marrying a much older man,(Cesare Sarfatti) In 1902 the couple moved to Milan. Her husband ran for and was elected Mayor of Milan representing the Socialist Party. He died in 1906. In 1911, she met and started an affair with Benito Mussolini. By 1918 she had joined the staff of Mussolini's newspaper, People of Italy, as an editor and presided over Friday night salons in one of the more exclusive intellectual living rooms in Milan. In 1925 she published the first biography of Mussolini entitled Dux. She helped write Mussilini's speeches and helped plan the March on Rome. As publicist for Mussolini she developed many ties with foreign journalists and wrote articles for the William Randolph Hearst publications for 6 years under Mussolini's name, earning considerable income for both Mussolini and herself. Allegedly she smuggled artwork from Italy for later sale to rich foreigners. Highly educated, intellectual and beautiful, she played a significant role in the rise of Italian Fascism but was discarded by Mussolini as his anti-Semitism emerged and he found it impossible to credit a Jewish woman for helping to establish the new order. In 1938, Mussolini provided instructions for her to be issued a passport and she subsequently left the country for Argentina carrying two suitcases full of jewels and art. She lived there until her return to Italy in 1947. From that time until her death in 1961, she played an influential role in the Italian art world as both writer/journalist, art critic, patron, collector and socialite. She died in 1961 at her home in Cavallasca and was buried in her family's plot in Milan. Her life story was recently brought to the big screen in the 1999 movie: "Cradle Will Rock" starring Susan Sarandon. (bio by: db)
Search Amazon for Margherita Sarfatti | | | Burial:
Sarfatti Family Cemetery
Milan
Provincia di Milano
Lombardia, Italy |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: db
Record added: Aug 03, 2005
Find A Grave Memorial# 11472426 |
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Added by:
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