Armando Borghi (1882-1968).

Important Italian anarchist figure, an anarcho-syndicalist militant, propagandist & speaker of talent.

Friend of Malatesta's, secretary of the large Unione Anarchica Italiana (UAI) as well as the head of the Italian Syndicalist Union (USI) in Bologna.

Born in Castelbolognèse, Italy, April 7, 1882; died April 21, 1968.

Armando Borghi became involved in the anarchist movement at an early age. His first trial, in Bologna in 1902, was for anti-militarist activities. In 1905, in Ravenne, he got five months of prison for "Incitation à la délinquance". In 1906, he was back in prison, for one year, for a article commemorating the attack of Gaetano Bresci.

In October 1911, with Marie Rygier, in an article in the newspaper "l'agitatore," Borghi wrote approvingly of the attack of Augusto Masetti. New government repression against the anarchists followed, with Rygier arrested & Borghi taking refuge in France until 1912, when he also joined the USI (European Public Service Union Syndicale Italian) of which Borghi became its secretary.

As a militant opposed to war, Borghi was arrested at the beginning of WWI in 1915, then took up his activities again in 1918, publishing, with his companion Virgilia d'Andrea, the weekly magazine "Guerre de classe."

Armando Borghi was invited by the Bolsheviks to Moscow in 1920, but refused their dictates to align the USI with them. In October 1920, following the occupations of factories of Milan, he was arrested with Errico Malatesta & only finally released in July 1921, following a hunger strike.

Following the march on Rome by the fascists (their takeover of Italy), Borghi took refuge with his partner, Virgilia d'Andrea, in Berlin (1923), Paris (1924) then the USA (1926), where he was arrested & subjected to a trial (for his support of Sacco & Vanzetti, & articles he wrote in "Adunata dei refratari ").

Borghi returned to Italy in 1945, until 1948, when he came back to the US until 1953, before finally settling in Rome where he collaborated on the newspaper "Umanita Nova."

Armando Borghi wrote Un demi-siècle d'anarchie.

(Borghi pictured with Fanelli)

The USI on the internet, in Italian: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/4737/

Armando Borghi collaborated on "Umanita Nova", Malatesta's anarchist daily paper in Milan, along with Gigi Damiani, Camillo Berneri, Nella Giacometti, Luigi Fabbri & others. Virgilia d’Andrea, the teacher & poet, became an anarchist & ardent anti-fascist (forced to flee the country) after meeting him.

Armando Borghi Archives,
from International Institute of Social History:
Period : 1913-1932, 1988, 1990


Contents: Reports, letters & telegrams of the police concerning Malatesta's activities & whereabouts, with translations & explanatory notes of Borghi ca.1913-1914, 1917-1920/21, 1927, 1930 & n.d.; a few documents on the attempt to assassinate Mussolini 1926; miscellanea. Supplement: Photocopies of letters & other documents from & relating to Armando Borghi, including letters from Borghi, Luigi Fabbri, Luce Fabbri, Luciano Farinelli & John Sallustio.
NB. Originals in the Biblioteca Libertaria Armando Borghi, Castelbolognese, Italy.


In English, the Bulletin of the Kate Sharpley Library No. 16 (September 1998) has a more detailed biographical piece, "Italian Anarchist Militant: Armando Borghi (1882-1968) by Maurice Colombo,"
http://flag.blackened.net/ksl/bullet16.htm


In French, see Ephéméride anarchiste

page created 1999; updated March 2003, March 2004; October 2005; October 2006

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