Domenico Leccisi
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Domenico Leccisi | |
|---|---|
 Leccisi in 1958 | |
| Born | 20 May 1920 |
| Died | 2 November 2008 (aged 88) Milan, Italy |
| Known for | Stealing the remains of Benito Mussolini |
| Political party | Italian Social Movement |
| Movement | Neo-Fascism |
Domenico Leccisi (20 May 1920 – 2 November 2008) was an Italian politician, who is best known for stealing the corpse of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini from an unmarked grave in 1946.[1]
On the eve of the first anniversary of Italy's liberation from Nazi occupying forces, Leccisi, then a right-wing journalist, and two helpers dug up the corpse from the city's Musocco cemetery and spirited it away.
Leccisi left behind a note that said: "Finally, O Duce, you are with us. We will cover you with roses but the smell of your virtue will overpower those roses."
Authorities discovered Mussolini's remains four months later, hidden at a 15th-century monastery at Pavia south of Milan. Two monks were charged with hiding the body.
In 1957 Mussolini found a final resting place at his birthplace in Predappio, northern Italy, after a campaign led by Leccisi and his party.[citation needed]
