TWO EPHEMERAL COUNTRIES AND THEIR ORDERS

E. J. FISCHER

Introduction of Koliopoulos’ work a few specialized writers have included the Pindus story in their histories; for the past Nearly 60 years ago, A.A. Miller offered Medal Collector several years internet sites [most notably Wikipedia] also readers a quiz with the object of matching ephemeral share the tale. rulers and states with their awards. Examples included King Tomislav (Croatia, Iron Trefoil), Prince Phillipe The state existed from mid-July 1941, under Italian, (Aracunia, Order of the Steel Crown) and similar duos. and later German, aegis until early 1944. Alkiviadis Other such pairs, including Prince Julius I (Principality of Diamandi served as the founder and first leader of the the Pindus, Princely Eagle Order) and entity. Described as a wily Machiavellian character, he (Salò Republic, Order of the Patron Saints of Italy), had a long history of involvement with Romanian and surfaced during a discussion at the 1973 Silver Spring, Italian interests in the Balkans and played a founding Maryland OMSA convention luncheon. Reviewing role in the 1917 declared Republic of the Pindus set up notes from that conversation sparked this article. The in the then Italian-occupied Albanian Epirus region. This first section outlines and seeks additional information Republic apparently lasted less than a week but stimulated regarding the Principality of the Pindus’ Princely Eagle Diamandi’s and others’ aspirations or, perchance, Order and its possible companion, the Order of Julius I. ambitions. When the Italians attacked Greece in 1940, Diamandi inveigled a senior policy position with them. Orders of the Principality of Pindus In April-May 1941, after the successful Axis campaign against Greece and with Italian blessing, he proclaimed the Autonomous State of the Pindus also known as the Republic of the Pindus. Diamandi thereafter began calling himself “Prince” and orchestrated a restyling of the state into the Principality of the Pindus. Diamandi and his government reportedly extended feelers to both the Italian and Romanian governments in 1942 seeking to place the Principality under the ‘protection’ of those countries’ ruling houses. but without success.

Diamandi decamped in mid-late 1942 under murky Figure 1: Flag of the Principality of Pindus. circumstances. A regent, Nicholas I, served as head of state until the Pindian Parliament [and presumably regional Italo-German commanders] formally replaced Several accounts, mostly Greek or Italian scholarly Diamandi with Guyla Czeszneky as Prince Julius I treatises, deal with the Principality of the Pindus, but in 1943. Czeszneky, a Hungarian-Valch nobleman, other than brief mentions-in-passing no definitive reportedly never set foot in the Principality. German information in English regarding the Principality itself military authorities replaced Julius I in 1944 with M. existed until 1990. Hurst & Company then remedied Hatzi, but designated him as military governor, not prince. that situation by publishing J. S. Koliopoulos’ Plundered The charade ended with German withdrawal from the Loyalties: Axis Occupation and Civil Strife in Greek Pindus region. West Macedonia. This work included the convoluted story of a political entity seemingly based on suppressed Diamandi reportedly founded an award known as the ethnicity but perhaps more accurately founded on Princely Eagle Order of the Pindus in 1942; no verifiable ambitious opportunism. Koliopoulos reports that the records pertaining to this event or decoration itself Principality, envisioned as an autonomous state in the have yet come to light. Mr. Miller described Princely Pindus mountain range (northwest Greece and southern Eagle Order of the Pindus insignia as an eight-pointed Albania), comprised a homeland for the Aromanian star surmounted by an eagle in flight. The star center (Vlach) minority resident in Greece with an undeclared contained an oval with a goat, a pine tree and a wolf. He goal of incorporating Aromanians living in Bulgaria and had no further details regarding design, classes, ribbon, Albania, and their territory, as well. Following publication or administration.

Vol. 65, No. 1 (January-February 2014) 35 The Order of Julius I or the Julian Order, another include no images of insignia. ‘Prince Nicholas’ appears reported Pindian honor, likely dates from about 1943. No to use the flag illustrated in Figure 1. information other than the name of the Order of Julius I or the Julian Order and association with the Aromanian Orders of the Italian Socialist (Salò ) Republic colors of red and black exists. The ’s establishment and history are This minor footnote could easily lapse back into obscurity, generally much better known than that of the Principality but thanks to the Internet we learn that one ‘Prince of the Pindus. Italy changed sides during World War II Nicholas of the Pindus’ claims the defunct ‘throne’ and in 1943, first ousting Benito Mussolini and then rewards supporters with the Order of the Princely Eagle joining the Allied cause. While Allied forces advanced and the Julian Order. Unfortunately, Internet references in southern Italy, the Duce (extricated by German troops)

Figure 2: Blank award document for the Order of the Patron Saints of Italy.

36 JOMSA describe this award in both variations.

The subject of this article includes a second Italian Social Republic Order. The Republic launched the Order of the Patron Saints of Italy on February 11, 1944. This founding date commemorated the sixteenth anniversary of the Lateran Pact between Italy and the Vatican. Named for Italy’s patron Saints Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Sienna, the Order rewarded general services to the Republic with a five-class structure. The Republic’s collapse in April, 1945 effectively ended this institution.

Figure 3: Flag of the Italian Socialist Republic. The insignia design consisted of a Latin cross (color unknown but likely white) with an obverse center proclaimed the Italian Socialist Republic in northern depicting colored enamel images of Saint Francis and Italy during September, 1943. Largely a creature of Saint Catherine and a reverse disc embossed with the the Germans, this state endured until April, 1945. The letters R. S. I. (Italian Social Republic). The ribbon may Republic claimed as its capital but because it did have been burgundy with light blue side stripes, these not control that city government activities centered in colors reversed, or some combination of red, white the town of Salò, and thus the term Salò Republic is and green. Mussolini reportedly bestowed the Order usually associated with it. The Republic fielded significant on several Italian and German military officers among military forces, usually under German command, and others; blank award documents have come to light. An developed sophisticated insignia for them. image of such a document supplied by Kai Meyer of Holte, Denmark in 1975 is in Figure 2. It appears that no Mussolini revived or continued the Order of the Roman actual insigniae were never struck. Eagle as the Republic’s senior Order on March 2, 1944. Originally established on March 14, 1942 [Royal Decree This minor historical footnote could also lapse back into 172] as a monarchial Italian award for foreigners who obscurity, but on February 11, 1997 Romano Mussolini, Il supported Italian efforts ‘in the present circumstances,’ Duce’s youngest son, re-established both the Order of the the Order had civil and military divisions in six classes Patron Saints of Italy and the Order of the Roman Eagle with an associated medal. The abolished as dynastic (!) or family rewards for his supporters and for this Order on October 5, 1944 [Deputized Decree 270] anyone with interests in fighting racism, corruption, and due to its fascist connotations. It is unclear whether the forwarding global human rights!! Mussolini, a respected Republican statutes permitted conferral of the Order on jazz pianist who disavowed some of his father’s policies, Italians loyal to Mussolini; foreigners certainly remained died in 2006. Both orders appear to continue and use the eligible for the award. Mussolini or his designate could Socialist Republic of Italy’s war flag (Figure 3). sanction conferral of this Order without reference to any other authority. Republican insignia may be identified References: by the centers, a republican eagle replaces the obverse center eagle of Savoy [Sabude eagle] and the reverse Gli Ordini Cavallereschi dell’Aquila Romana e dei Santi Patroni d’Italia. Genoa: A. Giaramita, 2002. center has three individual fasces rather than a bundle of Ordini Cavallereschi del Regno d’Italia. Milan: M. Cartone, 1984. three fasces. Any number of specialist and general works

This is your last issue of JOMSA if you have not paid your 2014 dues.

Send payment to: OMSA P.O. Box 540 Claymont, DE 19703-0540

Vol. 65, No. 1 (January-February 2014) 37