Scarfoglio accuses parties of attempting to conceal Matilde Serao, his great-grandmother's, legacy.
A Modern Antifascist Echo: Matilde Serao's Legacy Redux
Meet Paolo Scarfoglio, a man steeped in a rich journalistic tradition, bearing the name of his grandfather - a director of Il Mattino. As the great-grandson of Edoardo Scarfoglio and Matilde Serao, founders of the Neapolitan daily newspaper, he is a living testament to a solid anti-fascist lineage. antifascist heritage. Edoardo passed away before Mussolini seized power, but his son, Antonio, valiantly reported on the Matteotti murder in Il Mattino illustrato, unsparing of the regime. Matilde Serao, Scarfoglio's great-grandmother, gained fame for her investigative novel, The Belly of Naples, quickly distancing herself from Mussolini when he took control of Italy, suffering the consequences.
A century later, her actions resonate as we prepare for the anniversary of Serao's death. On March 6, a press conference in Caserta revealed the committee responsible for the commemoration's organization for the next three years. This unexpected move left Paolo perplexed - less by the initiative itself, which is admirable, but by the committee's composition.
"Why," he inquired, "are there no experts in literature or Matilde Serao on this committee? In Naples, there are numerous scholars who have published critical works on her, only to be disregarded!"
The committee is presided over by Michele Lanna, a researcher and adjunct professor of Sociology of Law, Deviance, and Social Change at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. The other members include Giovanna Palermo, Pasquale Peluso, and Raffaella Perrella, all An adjunct professor of their respective fields at universities within the region.
"Indeed," Scarfoglio acknowledged, "What connection do these individuals have to Matilde Serao? The location of the announcement in Caserta, away from the city that was the core of Serao's activities, seems peculiar, even disrespectful to a woman who celebrated and described her beloved Naples so passionately."
When asked about the situation, Scarfoglio expressed his suspicions: "As Andreotti once said, 'thinking badly is a sin, but it's a good way to guess.' The political climate of this nation has evolved, as have the cultural evaluation standards of the Ministry of Culture."
Did Matilde Serao's antifascism weigh heavily? A group of experts from entirely different fields was chosen, individuals who have never published anything on Matilde Serao. There are numerous scholars in Naples who could have enriched the discussion about Serao's life and work. The decision to move everything to Caserta will likely result in lower attendance as those who wish to participate would not travel to Caserta. The revison of Serao's work and opinions, and any attempts to make her appear less controversial, will become apparent in the committee's work.
Were the members of this committee hasty? A group of Naples scholars had previously submitted a request, but it was rejected because it was too soon for such a committee. Now, however, outsiders who have little to no familiarity with Serao's work have been given the opportunity to interpret her legacy. This decision seems more politically motivated than a reflection of Serao's literary activities. It appears as though certain episodes of her life may be marginalized, or even obscured, to minimize her impact.
For example, what about her pacifist novel or her anti-war pamphlet? She published these works during a time when the futurists were advocating for war as a means of world cleansing. This may explain why she was not nominated for the Nobel Prize. Through the generations, the Scarfoglio family has suffered persecution at the hands of various fascist regimes. Mussolini's soldiers raided Scarfoglio's grandfather's home, throwing furniture out of the window. Their journalist's cards were revoked, barring them from practicing their profession until 1945. Now, the Scarfoglios find themselves victims of yet another persecution, as efforts are made to diminish Serao's legacy.
If a right-wing government were not in power, do you think things would have turned out differently? Absolutely. In the past, we have organized many events, but the current atmosphere is markedly different.
- The unexpected composition of the committee for Matilde Serao's commemoration has left Paolo Scarfoglio, a living testament to an antifascist lineage, perplexed.
- The committee, presided over by Michele Lanna, includes researchers and adjunct professors from different fields, yet lacks experts in literature or Matilde Serao.
- The decision to move the commemoration to Caserta seems peculiar to Scarfoglio, given Naples' significant role in Serao's life and work.
- Scarfoglio expressed his suspicions, suggesting that the choice of committee members may be politically motivated and could result in a marginalization or obscuring of Serao's impact.
- Serao, a pacifist and anti-war advocate, published novels and pamphlets during a time when the futurists supported war, which may have contributed to her not receiving the Nobel Prize.
- Through generations, the Scarfoglio family has faced persecution from various fascist regimes, and they now find themselves victims of similar treatment as efforts are made to diminish Serao's legacy.
- If a right-wing government were not in power, Scarfoglio believes that things would have turned out differently in the commemoration of Matilde Serao, given the historical support for her work and antifascist stance.
