A Micro-history of Fascist violence. Squadristi, Victims and Perpetrators

Fascist violence, particularly with regards to Italy and the rise of the movement, has generally been played down by historians. Moreover, when it has been discussed, the focus has been on the perpetrators rather than the victims. This article looks to recentre the experiences of the victims of fascist violence through the use of methodologies drawn from everyday life approaches and micro-history. Using one case of ‘ordinary’ fascist violence in Italy in 1922, the article examines the outcomes and effects of this violence on the victims, the role of the emotions before, during and after violent events – fear, panic, revenge – and the understanding of this violence in the aftermath of the actual violence. Conclusions are drawn with regard to the role of violence and its historical framing in Italy in the 1920s and 1930s.