Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. Now this is a rather rare uniform set dating from the Pre WWII Years into WWII. Opera Nazonale Balilla (ONB) was an Italian Fascist youth organization functioning between 1926 and 1937, when it was absorbed into the Gioventù Italiana del Littorio (GIL), a youth section of the National Fascist Party.
The uniform set is an ONB uniform, so dating to at least 1937 before the absorption into the GIL. The uniform set consists of a black shirt, belt/cross section, shorts, ONB Alpini Cap and Black Fez with Unit Insignia. All items are in wonderful condition and displays very well all together. There is no significant damage present on any of the items but there is evident signs of honest wear and use. The mannequin measures about 45 inches tall. We found a period picture of Italian Youths wearing a similar uniform, which we have shown for reference purposes only (not included).
A beautiful set that comes more than ready for further research and display.
Opera Nazonale Balilla
Opera Nazonale Balilla (ONB) was an Italian Fascist youth organization functioning between 1926 and 1937, when it was absorbed into the Gioventù Italiana del Littorio (GIL), a youth section of the National Fascist Party.
It takes its name from Balilla, the nickname of Giovan Battista Perasso, a Genoese boy who, according to local legend, started the revolt of 1746 against the Habsburg forces that occupied the city in the War of the Austrian Succession. Perasso was chosen as the inspiration for his supposed age and revolutionary activity, while his presence in the fight against Austria reflected the irredentist stance taken by early Fascism, and Italy's victories in World War I.
The organization surpassed its purpose as a cultural institution that was intended to serve as the ideological counterpart of school, and served as a paramilitary group (training for future assignments in the Italian Army), as well as education in the career of choice, technology (including post-school courses for legal adults), or education related to home and family (solely for the girls). It carried out indoctrination with a message of Italian-ness and Fascism, training youths as "the fascists of tomorrow". During the years following its creation, ONB was left without real competition, as the regime banned all other youth movements - including scouting and the Roman Catholic Church group Gioventù Italiana Cattolica (which was forced to limit its activities).
Moreover, the ONB took charge of all activities initiated by schools, and pressured teachers to enlist all students. Aside from the usual "Fascist Saturdays", children would spend their summers in camps (which included the national-level Campi Dux, reunions of Balilla and Avanguardisti).
Male children enrolled wore a uniform adapted from that of the Blackshirts: the eponymous black shirt, the fez of Arditi tradition, gray-green trousers, black fasces emblems, and azure bandanas (i.e.: in the national color of Italy). During military exercises, they were armed with a scaled-down version of Royal Italian Army service rifle, Moschetto Balilla (the rifles were replaced with replica versions for the Figli della Lupa).
Balilla units were also established in Malta, then a British colony, by Maltese nationalists. These were disbanded with the advent of the Second World War.
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