Italian Compulsory Military Service

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Joe Cofone
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Italian Compulsory Military Service

Post by Joe Cofone »

I am working on a research project and am trying to determine what the rules were regarding Italian Compulsory Military service during the 1930s and 1940s. Specifically, at what age was a man required to register, how long after registration did duty commence, what was the duration of service, and what factors disqualified or exempted a man from serving during the time frame mentioned above. Thank you. A reply also to cofonejoe@gmail.com would be appreciated.
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PippoM
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Re: Italian Compulsory Military Service

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Well, it's not easy to say. I am quite sure at that time service lasted 2 years; young men had to undergo a medical examination, and at 20 they started their duty.
But I can't find any official documentation online.
The law that offically started this duty for all is n.2532 of 7/6/1875. You can try finding it at augusto.digitpa.gov.it (this site contains all "Gazzetta Ufficiale" since 1861, where laws were published).
The reasons that could exempt a guy from duty (out of physical/mental problems), were the following (in Italian, but if you want, I can translate):

L'esonero (o dispensa) al servizio militare (diverso dalla riforma, in quanto non prevedeva l'effettuazione degli accertamenti medici) era previsto per alcune situazioni familiari:

Figlio o fratello di militare deceduto in guerra;
Fratello di militare deceduto durante la prestazione del servizio;
Orfano di entrambi i genitori (primogenito);
Vedovo o celibe con prole;
Arruolati con prole;
Unico fratello convivente di disabile non autosufficiente;
Primo figlio maschio di genitore invalido per servizio o caduto in servizio;
Terzo (o successivo) figlio maschio se (almeno) due fratelli avevano già assolto completamente il servizio di leva;
Responsabile diretto della conduzione di impresa familiare.
Giuseppe "Pippo" Moccaldi

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erudita74
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Re: Italian Compulsory Military Service

Post by erudita74 »

In a book called 1942:The Year that Tried Men's Souls by Winston Groom, the author states that, in 1935, Mussolini mandated that every male between 18 and 35 be subjected to military service.

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Re: Italian Compulsory Military Service

Post by erudita74 »

Sabino wrote:Innanzitutto nel periodo in cui cerchi la ferma era di 18 mesinon 2 anni.
Sabino is saying that, during the period in which you are researching, the term of service was 18 months and not two years.

Sabino-
Una domanda per te-
se gli atti di nascita sono mancanti dagli registri d'un comune, par esempio a causa d'un terremoto, come e` fatto la lista di leva?
Grazie per l'aiuto.
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Re: Italian Compulsory Military Service

Post by erudita74 »

Grazie, Sabino.

Poi non era necessario per il maschio presentare un'atto di nascita?

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Re: Italian Compulsory Military Service

Post by erudita74 »

Sabino
Grazie mille di tutte le informazioni. Capisco la distinzione.
Erudita
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PippoM
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Re: Italian Compulsory Military Service

Post by PippoM »

The main legal references I could find are:

Regio Decreto July 13th, 1862 #696
R.D. June 7th, 1875 #2532
R.D. June 27th, 1923 #1309
R.D. February 24th, 1938 #329
R.D. June 6th, 1940 #1481
R.D. April 3rd, 1942 #1133
Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica February 14th, 1964

that changed rules over time.
I also got a more extensive list of legal references, a sort of summary from the State Archives of Florence, and the text of decrees from 1938 on. Unfortunately, I could not find older ones, even if I think they must be somewhere in
augusto.digitpa.gov.it
Unfortunately, they were not published on the same date as they were issued.
If you think they can be useful, I can send you the decrees by email to the address you specified above.
Giuseppe "Pippo" Moccaldi

Certificate requests and genealogical researches in Italy.
Translation of your (old) documents and letters.
Legal assistance in Italy for your Italian citizenship.
erudita74
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Re: Italian Compulsory Military Service

Post by erudita74 »

Pippo and Sabino-

Grazie, grazie, grazie!

You have both outdone yourselves. I was not expecting so much detailed information. Thank you both for all of the research you did.

Erudita
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