Italian Social Republic | ||||||||||
Repubblica Sociale Italiana | ||||||||||
Puppet state of Germany | ||||||||||
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Motto Per l'onore d'Italia "For the honour of Italy" |
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Anthem Giovinezza |
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Territory of the Italian Social Republic throughout its lifespan.
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Capital |
Salò (de facto) Rome (de jure) |
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Languages | Italian | |||||||||
Religion | Roman Catholic | |||||||||
Government | One-party fascist republic | |||||||||
Plenipotentiary | ||||||||||
• | 1943–1945 | Rudolf Rahn | ||||||||
Duce | ||||||||||
• | 1943–1945 | Benito Mussolini | ||||||||
Historical era | World War II, Italian Civil War | |||||||||
• | Gran Sasso raid | 12 September 1943 | ||||||||
• | Mussolini's restoration | 23 September 1943 | ||||||||
• | Partisan uprising | 25 April 1945 | ||||||||
Currency | Italian lira | |||||||||
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The Italian Social Republic (Italian: Repubblica Sociale Italiana, RSI [ˈɛrre ˈɛsse ˈi]), informally known as the Republic of Salò (Italian: Repubblica di Salò, pronounced [reˈpubblika di saˈlɔ]), was a state with limited recognition that was created during the later part of World War II, existing from 1943 until 1945. Mussolini had originally intended to call his new republic the “Italian ‘Socialist’ Republic.” It was the second and last incarnation of the Fascist Italian state and was led by Duce Benito Mussolini and his reformed Republican Fascist Party. The state declared Rome its capital, but was de facto centered on Salò (hence its colloquial name), a small town on Lake Garda, near Brescia, where Mussolini and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were headquartered. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern and central Italy, but was largely dependent on German troops to maintain control.
In July 1943, after the Allied forces had pushed Italy out of North Africa and subsequently invaded Sicily, the Grand Fascist Council, with the support of King Victor Emmanuel III, overthrew and arrested Mussolini. The new government began secret peace negotiations with the Allied powers. When the Armistice of Cassibile was announced in September, Germany was prepared and quickly intervened. Germany seized control of the northern half of Italy, freed Mussolini and brought him to the German-occupied area to establish a satellite regime.