Giuseppe De Felice Giuffrida
| Giuseppe De Felice Giuffrida | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
11 April 1859 Catania, Italy |
| Died | 19 July 1920 (aged 61) Aci Castello, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Socialist politician and journalist |
| Known for | Leader of the Fasci Siciliani Mayor of Catania |
Giuseppe De Felice Giuffrida (April 11, 1859 in Catania – July 19, 1920 in Aci Castello) was a Sicilian socialist politician and journalist. He is considered to be one of the founders of the Fasci Siciliani (Sicilian Leagues) a popular movement of democratic and socialist inspiration. As the first socialist mayor of Catania in Sicily, from 1902 until 1914, he became the protagonist of a kind of municipal socialism.
Born in a humble family in Catania, he spent his childhood years in a children’s home. His father had been killed in 1868 by the Carabinieri during a robbery, while his mother, according to a report by the authorities, "lived in immorality." Released from the home, he found employment as an archivist clerk in the prefecture in 1878.
His combative temperament was played out in journalism. A little over twenty years, in 1880, he founded the political weekly Lo staffile (The Whip), whose very title reflects the polemic nature of its contents. Due to his continuous attacks against local authorities he soon had to leave his job at the prefecture. To feed the family and attend school, he practiced many trades: wine seller, salesman of sewing machines, a printer, and even playing the tuba in a band. He graduated in Law, passed the examinations of attorney, but did not exercise the legal profession ever.
A few years later, he was involved with the weekly L'unione (The Union), which had emerged as the organ of the Republican Club, and became the workers' organ of Catania. De Felice was very active in organizing workers. In 1890 he convened the first congress of workers' associations in Sicily, with the adhesion of a couple of hundreds of associations. However, the congress was prohibited by the police superintendent of Catania, on the orders of Prime Minister Francesco Crispi.
He married at the age seventeen and had four daughters in a few years. But his turbulent life led his wife, Giuseppa De Simone, to break off the relationship. After the break-up, De Felice would have a busy, but rather inordinate love life.
On May 1, 1891, he founded the first Fascio dei lavoratori (Workers League) in his hometown Catania. The Fascio’s rapid success as a combination of trade union and mutual benefit society led to the foundation of similar leagues in Palermo and many other Sicilian towns in the next two years. Meanwhile, in November 1892, he was elected a Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, the only Sicilian among the socialist deputees.
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