Peace had scarcely returned after the First World War or tensions were already rising. It is in this context that Pim Pernel, also known by his real name Pim Mulier, visits Italy. With his Italian dictionary under his arm, Pernel enters Italy. He is ready to see the so-called land of Mussolini with his own eyes.
In Naar het land van Mussolini (To the land of Mussolini) (1926), Pernel describes his journey through Italy. The beauty of the lakes is given a place in his travel log, and the famous cities of Ravenna, Venice and Florence are also covered. After visiting the Northern provinces, Pernel travelled to the heart of Italy, Rome. Although the beautiful landscapes and cities are praised, Pernel is anything but positive about the Italians. Italians are dirty, lazy and shout too much. Italy is described as a socially disadvantaged country, despite its great cultural and historical wealth.
Naar het land van Mussolini is not, as you might expect, a politically tinged travelogue, but attempts to capture Pernel’s impressions in Italy. It does, however, contain a number of references to Mussolini. For instance, Pernel admires Mussolini and his approach to thieves and gangs (Pernel 1926: 42) and he even calls Il Duce (Mussolini’s nickname) ‘The great Mussolini’ on one occasion. (Pernel 1926: 58) Pernel seems almost to be a fan of Mussolini when he writes that in the critical years 1918 and 1919 Mussolini actually kept the whole of Europe on its feet. (Pernel 1926: 43) Pernel refers here to the fact that Mussolini, at least in his eyes, saved Europe from communism. This is important to Pernel, for he had an enormous abhorrence of communism. (Rewijk 2015: 311)
Pernel refers to both Mussolini’s greatness and the changed role of the Church during Il Duce’s reign: ‘King and Pope are seen and loved.’ (Pernel 1926: 156) Pernel indicates that this was different five years ago, during the reign of the Socialists. It is true that the Church became important again under Mussolini. The Church State had been part of Italian territory since the capture of Rome. The pope of the time called himself a prisoner of the Vatican after this capture. (Kertzer 2004) Under Mussolini, the position of the pope changed again with the Lateran Treaty in 1929. (Pollard 1985: 46) Although this treaty was not yet in place during Pernel’s visit to Italy, small changes already indicate a change in the position of the Church. For example, Pernel writes that priests used to be unable to wear a priest’s robe on the street, but during Pernel’s trip to Italy they could. (Pernel 1926: 156)
Although Pernel is fond of Mussolini, he is not a fan of fascism. Pernel writes that he does not think the dictatorship in Italy will last. He admires how Mussolini saved Italy and a large part of Europe from ruin, but Pernel does not think that Mussolini will survive. (Pernel 1926: 158-159) Pernel’s aversion to fascism is demonstrated by this statement: ‘That will be the grave of the Black shirts, their posturing, their violence, their bravado!’ (Pernel 1926: 159)
Naar het land van Mussolini describes Italy through the eyes of Pim Pernel and gives an idea of the Italy under Mussolini. Or at least, that is what the title suggests. For although the title leads one to expect a political travelogue, it is ultimately the cultural wealth of Italy that plays the main role in this travelogue from 1926.
Bibliography
Kertzer, David I., Prisoner of the Vatican: The Popes, the Kings and Garibaldi’s Rebels in the Struggle to Rule Modern Italy, Boston 2004.
Pernel, Pim, Naar het land van Mussolini, ’s-Gravenhage 1926.
Pollard, John F., The Vatican and Italian Fascism, 1929-32: A Study in Conflict, New York 1985.
Rewijk, Daniël, Captain of Young Holland: A Biography of Pim Mulier 1865-1954, Bornmeer 2015.