Gaetano Salvemini (1873 - 1957), one of the most influential Italian intellectuals of his generation, was an historian, a professor, and a tireless anti-fascist who mentored a new generation of young intellectuals and political activists, such as Piero Gobetti, Ernesto Rossi, and Carlo & Nello Rosselli.
After losing his wife and children in the 1908 Messina earthquake, Salvemini began a new family with his second wife, Fernande Dauriac, and her two children, Jean and Ghita. Yet, despite its marked influence on his life and politics, Salvemini's second family and its involvement with fascism has never been studied before. By exploiting hitherto unused archival sources, The Inimical Son explores an until-now little known dimension of Salvemini's life; it uncovers the personal costs of his anti-fascism, including the tragic embrace of fascism by his stepson, Jean Luchaire.
1. Introduction.- 2. Before Messina.- 3. After Messina.- 4. The Spiritual Father of a New Generation.- 5. 1934-1941: Cracks in the Family.- 6. A Union Ended (1941-1946).
Filomena Fantarella was born and raised in Italy. She completed her PhD in Italian Studies at Brown University where she teaches Italian language and culture. Her book Un figlio per nemico. Gli affetti di Gaetano Salvemini alla prova dei fascismi (2018) received a Special Mention for the Giacomo Matteotti Prize 2019 from the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic.
