Determination, strength and victory: for 80 years, heroes looked to the Stadio dei Marmi in Rome for these. At that time it was a cult sporting site of the fascist movement – now it is an architectural shadow of Benito Mussolini.  These stones once represented heroism – now they have become a symbol of fascism.

But is fascism in Italy really as lifeless as these colossal figures?

Sometimes it’s more alive than most would like to think. Here in the birthplace of Benito Mussolini, the memory of the Duce still remains – in spite of all historical, moral and political objections.

And even still, there is fascism here. Violent Italian football fans mimic the old Roman greeting of outstretched hands. This provoked nationwide outrage in the media. All parties agreed that it brought shame to the whole of Italy.

 A scene change; Porta San Paolo in Rome – where the 1943 armistice between Italy and the Allies was declared. President Giorgio Napolitano, a former Communist, and Defense Minister Ignazio la Russa of the Alleanza Nazionale, are present. Both honour Italian victims of the war- but not the same ones.

OT 17:39 # # # # OT (La Russa)

La Russa, at 17.39:

"I would be going against my conscience, if I didn’t pay my respects to the soldiers of the Social Republic of Salo. In their eyes, they gave their lives to defend the values of their homeland and fought against the advance of the English and American forces. They too deserve the respect of all who take an objective look at Italian history.”

OT 17:53 # # # # OT (Napolitano)

Napolitano at 17.53:

"I remember the soldiers who fought for Salo, and also those 600,000 men who were deported to German concentration camps because they refused to join."

(GRAPHICS START)

Salò is a small town on Lake Garda – it is synonymous with the so-called Italian Social Republic, where, in 1943, the fascist state existed in Northern Italy. While the South of the country had already been liberated by the Allies, Salò was under the rule of Benito Mussolini until 1945 and was the second Italian fascist state run under the guidance of Hitler. The Republic of Salò was a puppet state where inhuman racial laws were strictly enforced.

(END GRAPHIC)

Soldiers or freedom-fighters - who were the real patriots? It’s an issue that has created a split amongst Italians. In his youth, Giorgio Bocca was a follower of Mussolini, but later joined the partisans and fought against the fascist puppet state of Salò.

OT 18:54 # # # # OT (Bocca)

Bocca, reaching 18.54:

"At that time the situation was very clear. The Nazi regime was not only illegitimate the country was also occupied. To fight against this anti-democratic system was the normal duty of every citizen. "

Several Italian politicians from right-wing parties have argued against this assessment of the resistance fighters. The Mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, for example, said that fascism itself was not evil, but rather the racist laws it represented were. This is how heirs of fascism justify and present their case. To put it plainly: German fascism is bad whereas Italian fascism is harmless.

OT 19:38 # # # # OT (Tranfaglia)

Tranfaglia at 19.38:

"In reality, Italian Fascism was a phenomenon of a sophisticated and cruel dictatorship. For example, many of the most important opponents of the regime were simply killed."

Many were killed at the beginning of fascism and yet also towards the end of those terrible years. More than 1000 Jews disappeared in the first major crackdown against Jews in Rome in autumn 1943. 15 of them survived the Nazi concentration camps; This crime was condemned by Gianfranco Fini, who was the leader of the extreme right in Italy years ago. Fini kept his neo-fascist past a secret from all but the members of his own party.

Some party colleagues still find it difficult to condemn fascism. Rome’s Mayor Alemanno calls fascism a "complex phenomenon".

That's true. But you can see the intention and it’s irritating.

OT 20:53 # # # # OT (Tranfaglia)

Tranfaglia at 20.53:

"Calling fascism a "complex phenomenon”, means nothing. This is not a condemnation of fascism."

There are plenty of opportunities in Italy to publicly distance oneself from fascism. ‘The example here was a disgrace,’ shout right-wing politicians in unison. 

But under this surface of indignation seethes revisionism.

OT 21:20 # # # # OT (Tranfaglia)

Tranfaglia at 21.20:

"If revisionism is merely nostalgia for the past without any new documents as a basis, then it is arbitrary.  And the revisionism that has spread across Italy is very arbitrary."

OT 21:40 # # # # OT (Bocca)

Bocca at 21.40:

"Nobody bothers about the fascists among the violent soccer fans. But in Italy, we also have moderate fascists a la Berlusconi. Those around Berlusconi would prefer fascism if they had to choose between democratic revolution of the partisans and fascism. Berlusconi is lucky that he is not judged by his actions but by his celebrity and glamour. Everywhere he goes the masses follow him, just as they followed Mussolini."

They are all democratically elected, with Berlusconi voted into government - is a credible distancing from fascism still needed, many ask? Italy is finding it difficult to reconcile with its past. And the future?

OT 22:39 # # # # OT (Bocca)

Bocca at 22.39:

"I believe that the current economic crisis favours the return of fascism, just like it did at the time of the world economic crisis in 1929."

All of Italy faces a challenge; to keep fascism from becoming alive again.