Giovannino Guareschi – Biography of Giovannino Guareschi

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The creator of the mythical characters of Don Camillo and Peppone He was one of the most important Italian intellectuals of the 20th century, standing out as a journalist and writer. Born on May 1, 1908 in Fontanelle di Roccabianca (Parma, Italy), he began in journalism from a very young age in his native city, emigrating, equally young, to the city of Milan.

Giovannino Oliviero Giuseppe Guareschi, such as his full name, strong-willed and difficult to influence, he began to write for “Bertoldo“a humorous magazine of the time, not caring at all about the possible reactions of the then dominant fascist regime in Italy (of which, in fact, Guareschi never missed an opportunity to tease). They were the thirties, those of the full plebiscite, at the popular level, of the regime.

But the effects of this unwanted “militancy” soon made themselves heard. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Italy adopted, imitating Nazi Germany, an expansionist policy, but also racist and increasingly intransigent against dissenting voices. The writer was consequently subjected to a traumatic fate; Captured and imprisoned in 1943, he was deported to Germany and then to Poland.

After two years he returned to Italy and founded “Il Candido“, another weekly satirical publication. Despite the bad experience of incarceration in the concentration camp, the writer’s language had certainly not been softened. In” Il Candido “he fought anti-government and” anti-political “battles, without forgetting from the communist and left-wing factions.In 1954 he was arrested again, with the excuse that he had published compromising letters (later proved to be false), from then Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi.

Meanwhile, he had given life to “Mondo piccolo“the saga of Don Camillo and Peppone, opposite figures of two typical souls of postwar Italy. Don Camillo, in fact, represents the figure of the intelligent and respectful anti-fascist “status quo”, while Peppone he’s a smug orthodox communist mayor, but basically good. From the novels of these two characters as protagonists, numerous films were made later.

However, despite the great popular success, critics and intellectuals tended to snub him, mainly due to the simplicity of the language used and a certain patina of innocence a bit ‘naive’ that permeated his writings. But behind the humorist was a man who had to suffer deprivation, humiliation, pain and betrayal (word even spread, without foundation, that he was financed by the CIA). Many of his most poignant stories are actually adaptations of true events that penetrated the depths of his soul. Then, thankfully, he was amply rewarded. The magazine “Life” recognized his significant contribution and defined him as “the most clever and effective anti-communist propaganda in Europe“while Indro Montanelli repeatedly praised the man and friend, stating:”There is a political Guareschi to whom we owe the salvation of Italy. If the others had won, I don’t know where we would have ended up, in fact, I know very well.“.

Guareschi he died in Cervia on July 22, 1968 after spending the last years of activity behind the scenes and somewhat forgotten by readers and critics.