Indoctrination of education and youth

Question 1

december 1921

Answer 1

Fascist Youth Front formed for boys 14-17

Question 2

march 1923

Answer 2

Gruppi Universitari Fascisti (GUF) formed, followed by Balilla for 8-14 children, these were not well structured and
competed with youth organisations for other parties

Question 3

1924

Answer 3

3,000 children in fascist youth organisations

Question 4

march 1926

Answer 4

Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB) created by formal decree. Goal to provide for physical and moral benefit of youth-
education of boys 8-18`

Question 5

1934

Answer 5

Balilla restructured to 3:
- Figli della Lupa (sons of the She Wolf), 6-8
- Ballila, 8-14
- Avanguardisti, 14-17
Girls:
- Figlie della Lupa (daughters of the She Wolf), 6-8
- Piccole Italiane (Little Italians), 8-13
- Giovane Italiane (Young Italian Women), 14-17

Question 6

Party to the Ministry of National Education

Answer 6

Organisations under control of Party to the Ministry of National Education (created in 1929) to oversee scholarly
education and physical training of youth
ONB linked into formal education and was compulsory for all 6-11

Question 7

1939

Answer 7

1939: compulsory for 11+ (before this it wasn’t compulsory but made it hard to enrol in further education, barred
employment and civil service, and suspected anti-fascism)

Question 8

boys organisations

Answer 8

All other youth organisations, except Church, were banned
8-14: boys trained in moral and spiritual defence of country
14+: physical training to military life
18: military training (for Balilla, this was marching, wrestling, shooting)
Girls did gymnastics to ensure they were fit mothers for healthy children

Question 9

school

Answer 9

School: taught on patriotic Italians from classical Rome to fascist regime, encouraged link between Caesar and
Mussolini, said fascism saved country from communism, taught poor treatment of Italian soldiers in WW1

Question 10

1920s

Answer 10

antifascist teachers removed from jobs

Question 11

1933

Answer 11

compulsory for teachers to be in PNF

Question 12

GUF’s goals

Answer 12

GUF’s main goal: run the Littoriali (national student games involving cultural and debate competitions centred
around fascism) 1934-40

Question 13

Support

Answer 13

For youth, they were not motivated by fascism but by enjoyable
social occasions
South: most didn’t study after 11 (compulsory age) and
agricultural work made participation difficult
Girls less likely to continue education 11+, boys did fun
activities, girls learned to be good mothers
Success of youth policy was not complete and was hampered
by regional and demographic differences