Italian Anarchists in London (1870-1914)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
1 ITALIAN ANARCHISTS IN LONDON (1870-1914) Submitted for the Degree of PhD Pietro Dipaola Department of Politics Goldsmiths College University of London April 2004 2 Abstract This thesis is a study of the colony of Italian anarchists who found refuge in London in the years between the Paris Commune and the outbreak of the First World War. The first chapter is an introduction to the sources and to the main problems analysed. The second chapter reconstructs the settlement of the Italian anarchists in London and their relationship with the colony of Italian emigrants. Chapter three deals with the activities that the Italian anarchists organised in London, such as demonstrations, conferences, and meetings. It likewise examines the ideological differences that characterised the two main groups in which the anarchists were divided: organisationalists and anti-organisationalists. Italian authorities were extremely concerned about the danger represented by the anarchists. The fourth chapter of the thesis provides a detailed investigation of the surveillance of the anarchists that the Italian embassy and the Italian Minster of Interior organised in London by using spies and informers. At the same time, it describes the contradictory attitude held by British police forces toward political refugees. The following two chapters are dedicated to the analysis of the main instruments of propaganda used by the Italian anarchists: chapter five reviews the newspapers they published in those years, and chapter six reconstructs social and political activities that were organised in their clubs. Chapter seven examines the impact that the outbreak of First World Word had on the anarchist movement, particularly in dividing it between interventionists and anti- interventionists; a split that destroyed the network of international solidarity that had been hitherto the core of the experience of political exile. Chapter eight summarises the main arguments of the dissertation. 3 Contents Acknowledgements p. 4 List of Abbreviations p. 5 List of Figures p. 6 Chapter 1. Introduction p. 7 Chapter 2. Exile in the History of Italian Anarchism: London, an Overview p. 21 Chapter 3. Italian Anarchist Groups in London p. 38 Chapter 4. The Surveillance of the Italian Anarchists in London p. 112 Chapter 5. Italian Anarchist Newspapers in London p. 157 Chapter 6. Politics and Sociability: the Anarchist Clubs p. 210 Chapter 7. The First World War: the Crisis of the London Anarchist Community p. 238 Chapter 8. Conclusion p. 255 Sources and Bibliography p. 264 4 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor, Carl Levy, for his indispensable advice and guidance throughout the thesis. I would like also to thank Piero Brunello and Claudia Baldoli for important suggestions during the research. The scholarships offered by the Art and Humanities Research Board (Postgraduate Award 2000-2001) and by the Institute of Historical Research (‘Isobel Thornley Research Fellowship, 2001-2002’) have made this research possible. I am particularly grateful to Barbara Dolce for her indispensable help. Morgan Falconer and John Reynolds have given substantial support with my written English. Special thanks to Peter Eade, Matteo Favaretti, Tiziana Siffi, Romina Vegro, and the mythical 97 St. Asaph road. Finally, special thanks to my family in Italy: Costantino, Velica, Ruggero, Davide and Niccolò. 5 List of Abbreviations ASMAE Archivio Storico Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Rome AL Ambasciata di Londra Pol. Int. Polizia Internazionale ACS Archivio Centrale dello Stato, Rome CPC Ministero degli Interni, Casellario Politico Centrale PS Ministero degli Interni, Divisione Generale di Pubblica Sicurezza IISH International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam PRO Public Record Office, London HO Home Office CRIM Criminal Court of Justice b. Busta f. Fascicolo 6 List of Figures T. 3.1. Table of Italian anarchists in England 1870-1914 p. 92 Illustrations Ill.3.1. Leaflet distributed on occasion of the celebration of the First of May by p.106 the Anarchist-Communist groups. Ill.3.2. Leaflet distribuited on occasion of the celebration of the First of May by p.107 the La Libera Iniziativa group. Ill.3.3. Leaflet promoting the opening of the Università Popolare Italiana in 1902.p.108 Ill.3.4. Leaflet promoting the opening of the International University in London p.109 in 1905. Ill.3.5. Programme of courses at the International University in 1905. p.110 Ill.3.6. Leaflet in favour of Ettor and Giovannitti. p.111 Ill. 4.1. Malatesta's code. p.117 Ill. 4.2. Leaflet against the spy Gennaro Rubino. p.152 Ill. 4.3. Photograph of Ennio Belelli, Enrico Defendi, Luigia Defendi, p.153 and Giulio Rossi. Ill. 4.4. Picture of Giulio Rossi,Luigia and Enrico Defendi. p.154 Ill. 4.5. Malatesta's leaflet against Belelli. p.155 Ill. 4. 6. Leaflet issued by the Malatesta Release Committee. p.156 Ill.5.1.Leaflet announcing the publication of La Rivoluzione Sociale. p.208 Ill.5.2. Programme of a soirée to raise funds for the newspaper L'Internazionale p.209 Ill. 6.1. Picture of Ferruccio Mariani, Cesare Cova and Felice Felici. p.232 Ill. 6. 2. Flyer advertising the theatrical play La Congiura. p.233 Ill. 6.3. Programme of a social evening in New Cross, London. p.234 Ill. 6.4. Balance sheet of the International Working Men’s Society in 1909. p.235 Ill. 6.5. Programme of concerts at the Athenaeum Hall in 1899. p.236 Ill. 6.6. Flyer advertising Malatesta's lecture in July 1906. p.237 Ill. 7.1. Leaflet promoting a rally in favour of Masetti. p.254 6 List of Figures T. 3.1. Table of Italian anarchists in England 1870-1914 p. 92 Illustrations Ill.3.1. Leaflet distributed on occasion of the celebration of the First of May by p.106 the Anarchist-Communist groups. Ill.3.2. Leaflet distribuited on occasion of the celebration of the First of May by p.107 the La Libera Iniziativa group. Ill.3.3. Leaflet promoting the opening of the Università Popolare Italiana in 1902.p.108 Ill.3.4. Leaflet promoting the opening of the International University in London p.109 in 1905. Ill.3.5. Programme of courses at the International University in 1905. p.110 Ill.3.6. Leaflet in favour of Ettor and Giovannitti. p.111 Ill. 4.1. Malatesta's code. p.117 Ill. 4.2. Leaflet against the spy Gennaro Rubino. p.152 Ill. 4.3. Photograph of Ennio Belelli, Enrico Defendi, Luigia Defendi, p.153 and Giulio Rossi. Ill. 4.4. Picture of Giulio Rossi,Luigia and Enrico Defendi. p.154 Ill. 4.5. Malatesta's leaflet against Belelli. p.155 Ill. 4. 6. Leaflet issued by the Malatesta Release Committee. p.156 Ill.5.1.Leaflet announcing the publication of La Rivoluzione Sociale. p.208 Ill.5.2. Programme of a soirée to raise funds for the newspaper L'Internazionale p.209 Ill. 6.1. Picture of Ferruccio Mariani, Cesare Cova and Felice Felici. p.232 Ill. 6. 2. Flyer advertising the theatrical play La Congiura. p.233 Ill. 6.3. Programme of a social evening in New Cross, London. p.234 Ill. 6.4. Balance sheet of the International Working Men’s Society in 1909. p.235 Ill. 6.5. Programme of concerts at the Athenaeum Hall in 1899. p.236 Ill. 6.6. Flyer advertising Malatesta's lecture in July 1906. p.237 Ill. 7.1. Leaflet promoting a rally in favour of Masetti. p.254 7 Chapter 1 Introduction This dissertation investigates the activity of Italian anarchists in London from the second half of the nineteenth century until the beginning of the First World War. Many Italian anarchists conducted their political activity in exile, wandering throughout Europe and overseas. These peregrinations and the settlement of Italian anarchists in several European and overseas countries were part of the long tradition of political exile that characterised the history of Italian socialism from its beginning until the downfall of Fascism and the end of the Second World War. Indeed, since the beginning of the Risorgimento, the most charismatic exponents of Italian socialism had to spend long periods of their lives in foreign countries. Giuseppe Mazzini, who was forced to reside abroad for about thirty years, represents the historical exemplar of the Italian political refugee. However, almost all principal figures of Italian socialism and a myriad of lesser known activists shared the same lot and experienced exile. According to Donna Gabaccia’s analysis of the biographies collected in Franco Andreucci and Tommaso Detti’s Il movimento operaio: Over a third of Italy’s most prominent pre-war labour activists fled into exile one or more times. Except for a handful, all were men. Anarchist exiles were 57 percent in 1870s, 63 percent in the 1880s, and 21 percent in the 1890s. During the 1890s and early 1900s, socialist exiles increased rapidly to 74 percent.1 This fact had a remarkable influence on the development of socialist ideas both in Italy and in other countries, since one of the most important consequences of nineteenth century exile was the dissemination of revolutionary ideas in Europe and overseas.2 As underlined by Degl’Innocenti: 1 Donna Gabaccia, Italy’s Many Diasporas (London: UCL Press, 2000), p. 109. 2 ‘Nell’800 gli esiliati politici sono i vettori classici delle idee rivoluzionarie attraverso l’Europa e l’oltremare. Essi conservano in genere una grande mobilità e una grande disponibilità all’azione ovunque si trovino in esilio. La dinamica e la diffusione delle idee socialiste rientra nello schema classico di un movimento a doppio senso: da un lato i rifugiati politici diffondono le loro convinzioni nei paesi che li accolgono, da un altro chi rientra da un asilo coatto o volontario importa le idee e le esperienze con le 8 Il socialismo delle varie scuole si forgiò in gran parte nel mondo dell’esilio e trasse da questo l’incentivo verso la massima diffusione prima all’interno dell’Europa (...) e poi dall’Europa verso le Americhe lungo gli itinerari dell’emigrazione.3 Exile affected profoundly the Italian Socialist and Communist parties in the first half of the twentieth century.