"Giovinezza" (pronounced [dʒoviˈnettsa]; Italian for 'Youth') was the official hymn of the Italian National Fascist Party, regime, and army, and was an unofficial national anthem of the Kingdom of Italy between 1924 and 1943.^[1] Although often sung with the Royal March, the official anthem, some sources consider "Giovinezza" to have supplanted it as the de facto national anthem of the country^[2] (Inno della Patria),^[3] to the dismay of Victor Emmanuel III^[4]—a powerful symbol of the diarchy between the King and Mussolini.^[5] It was subsequently the official anthem of the Italian Social Republic.^[6]

Ubiquitous in mid-twentieth century Italy, the hymn emphasized youth as a theme of the fascist movement and was one example of the centrality of the Arditi to the fascist narrative.^[7]

"Giovinezza" was composed by lawyer and composer Giuseppe Blanc in 1909 as "Il Commiato" (Italian for "farewell"). Blanc later also wrote other fascist songs, including The Eagles of Rome, an Ode to the Italian Empire.^[8] Previously a Turin university graduation song,^[9] and popular among Italian soldiers during World War I, the song was called "Inno degli Arditi" (Hymn of the Arditi, a corps of the Italian Royal Army during World War I, whose members joined the fascist movement in large numbers).^[10] The hymn was further popularized by the mass rallies of Gabriele d'Annunzio in Fiume.^[11]

The version sung during the March on Rome was composed by G. Castaldo in 1921, using the original score by Giuseppe Blanc and words by Marcello Manni (beginning "Su compagni in forte schiere").^[12] After the March on Rome, where it was sung, Mussolini commissioned Salvator Gotta to write the new lyrics, which were completed in 1924.^[13]

Gotta's version plays on fascist themes like youth and nationalism. Its reference to "Alighieri's vision" is an allusion to Dante Alighieri marking Italy's borders on the Quarnaro (Kvarner) Gulf, thus including the province of Istria, a territory granted to Italy after World War I.^[14]

After the capitulation of Italy in 1943, the Allies suppressed the hymn in Italy. At the time, Italy had no national anthem,^[12] until "Il Canto degli Italiani" was provisionally chosen when Italy became a Republic on 12 October 1946, only to be officially legislated on 4 December 2017.

"Giovinezza" was played "with the slightest pretext" at sporting events, films, and other public gatherings, and often carried adverse (even violent) consequences for those who did not join in.^[17] Even foreigners were roughed up by blackshirts if they failed to remove their hats and show respect when "Giovinezza" was played.^[18]

In the 1930s, "Giovinezza" was made the official anthem of the Italian army.^[19] The school day was required to be opened either with "Giovinezza" or "Balilla", the song of the Opera Nazionale Balilla.^[20] A faint, recorded version of the hymn played in the background of the Chapel of the Fascist Martyrs in the Exhibition of the Fascist Revolution.^[21]

There was a German song with German lyrics, set to the same tune as Giovinezza; "Hitlerleute" (Hitler's people) replacing "Giovinezza". A Japanese translation of Giovinezza, "黒シャツ党の歌" (lit. The song of blackshirts party) and "ファシストの歌" (lit. Fascist Song), was created in commemoration of the Tripartite Pact and used in Japanese overseas broadcasting.^[22]

Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli recorded "Giovinezza" in 1937, although the anthem is noticeably excluded from his "Edizione Integrale", released by EMI.^[23] "Giovinezza" followed the inauguration of the Fascist parliament in 1924 (following the Acerbo law)^[24] and preceded the Nazi radio broadcast announcing the creation of the Italian Social Republic.^[25]

"Giovinezza" was sung on 12 March 1939, the day of Pope Pius XII's coronation, by the Pope's Palatine Guard. After the last ceremony of his papal coronation was over Pius XII went to rest in the Lateran Palace. The singing occurred during a moment of public bonhomie between the Palatine Guards and the Italian Guards, "Palatine and Italian Guards exchanged courtesies, the former playing the fascist anthem, "Giovinezza" and the latter the papal hymn." This incident, which was not part of the coronation ceremony and took place without the knowledge or approval of Pope Pius XII is sometimes used to portray Pius XII as a crypto-fascist.^[26]

The Royal March had often preceded "Giovinezza" on official occasions,^[30] as required by official regulations following an abortive attempt to conflate the two songs.^[5] Many considered the Royal March "long-winded and gaudy", and these faults were thrown into sharp relief by back-to-back ceremonial presentations.^[31] "Giovinezza" was used as a sign-off by Italian radio under Mussolini; after the ousting of Mussolini in 1943, the Italian radio signed off for the first time in 21 years playing only the Royal March, "Marcia Reale".^[32]

• Il Canto degli Italiani – the current Italian national anthem
• Faccetta Nera
• Horst-Wessel-Lied
• Cara al Sol
• Stornelli Legionari