28 Facts About Leo Longanesi

Leopoldo "Leo" Longanesi was an Italian journalist, publicist, screenplayer, playwright, writer, and publisher.

Leo Longanesi founded the eponymous publishing house in Milan in 1946 and was a mentor-like figure for Indro Montanelli.

Leo Longanesi described himself as a "cultural anarchist", or "conservative anarchist", and he headed a popular right-wing group, which embraced conservatism, agrarian virtues, anti-democracy, and nostalgic post-fascism after World War II, even if during the regime he himself had mocked it very often and continued to remain apart from neo-Fascist movements.

In 1911, when Leo was six, the Longanesi family moved to Bologna, where, in keeping with the family's affluence, Leo attended the most prestigious school and learned French at Galvani High School.

In 1920, Leo Longanesi wrote his first printed sheet, Il Marchese, at the age of 15.

Leo Longanesi then wrote in the monthly magazines of Zibaldone dei giovani, Il Toro, and Il Dominio, his youth and writing style catching attention.

Leo Longanesi became friends with leading intellectuals like Galvano Della Volpe, Giorgio Morandi and Vincenzo Cardarelli, and with young rising politicians like Leandro Arpinati, Dino Grandi and Italo Balbo.

In 1926, Leo Longanesi wrote his first great work, the "Vade-mecum of the perfect Fascist".

In 1927, Leo Longanesi created his first publishing house L'Italiano Editions, and published works of Fascist writers who were critical of the regime, such as Malaparte, Riccardo Bacchelli, Vincenzo Cardarelli, and Antonio Baldini, and Telesio Interlandi, who later became a major supporter of the racial laws against the Jews.

In 1929, Leo Longanesi ran as a candidate for the general election, but was not elected.

In July that year, Leo Longanesi was hired to direct L'Assalto, which he managed until he resigned in 1931.

Leo Longanesi's dismissal was because of a strong and irreverent piece on Senator Giuseppe Tanari, financer of the squadrismo, a radical tendency inside Fascism, members of which attacked, assaulted, and sometimes killed political dissidents.

Leo Longanesi was prompted to write the article by an incident in May 1931, when he attended a performance of conductor Arturo Toscanini at the Bologna Communal Theatre, attended by Galeazzo Ciano, Mussolini's son-in-law, and Arpinati, Leo Longanesi's old friend.

Leo Longanesi was erroneously believed to be the first one to slap him, as there was an article against the conductor's refusal the following day.

In May 1932, Leo Longanesi moved with his parents and grandparents to Rome and bought an elegant house in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.

Leo Longanesi moved L'Italiano and Il Selvaggio to the capital.

Leo Longanesi was fired a month later for an unpleasant photographic piece on the regime.

On 3 April 1937, Leo Longanesi created a new magazine, Omnibus, an illustrated news magazine on literature and arts, later described as the "father of Italian magazines", especially for his use of photographs and images.

However, Leo Longanesi was appointed as its technical-artistic consultant by Minculpop itself in 1940.

However, Longanesi quickly grew critical of the new anti-fascist political class, which he found composed of old opportunists and new ambitious figures united in a climate of political chameleonism.

In January 1946, Leo Longanesi moved to Milan with his family, while his parents moved to Imola.

Politically, Leo Longanesi became a prominent opponent of the new republican democracy that replaced Fascism, stating that,.

Leo Longanesi was harshly critical of the government, calling it unable to balance old traditions and modernity, and of the democratic policy of universal suffrage, stating:.

On 27 September 1957, Leo Longanesi suffered a heart attack while in his office.

Leo Longanesi died soon after being transported to a clinic.

Leo Longanesi's death was grieved by his few living friends, including Benedetti; Montanelli, future founder of Il Giornale; and Spadolini, future first non-Christian Democrat Prime Minister of the Italian Republic.

On 18 February 1939, shortly after the closure of Omnibus, Leo Longanesi married Maria Spadini, daughter of Armando Spadini, whom he knew through Vincenzo Cardarelli, former L'Italiano journalist.

Leo Longanesi believed in traditional and superstitious cures, such as using rabbit skin to treat sciatica.