Italian badge with Mussolini

Hello

Yesterday, I met one of my friends who entrusted this badge to me:

Diameter: 38 mm
Metal: silver plated metal (copper ?)
Hallmark: Z and crown on reverse
Legend: "SE AVANZO SEGUI TEMI OPERA BALILLA"

I also saw it on a commercial site from an italian coins seller, and on eBay. But, in both cases, explanations were written in italian

Can you please tell me more about this badge? I suppose it is not a military one...(I saw another model with left profile of Mussolini wearing a helmet).

Many thanks in advance

Best regards

Olivier

The "Opera Balilla" was, if I'm not mistaken, a fascist youth organization at the time.

Cheerio !
Hendrik

Dear Hendrik

I was not sure but I remembered quite correctly my history lessons. If I'm right, the younger ones had wooden guns but all were organized in a structure which looked like "Hitlerjügend".
Many thanks Hendrik

I suppose we will meet again next month

Kind regards

Olivier

La formule sur l'insigne dit en fait :

"Se avanzo seguitemi"

et il y a une suite :

"se indietreggio uccidetemi,
se mi uccidono vendicatemi"

"Si j'avance suivez moi ; si je recule tuez moi ; s'ils me tuent, vengez moi".

Une formule prêtée à Mussolini, bien dans le style héroïque du fascisme.

Les Ballila dépendaient en fait de l'ONB (Oeuvre Nationale Ballila) qui encadrait les jeunes italiens (et les jeunes italiennes).
L'organisation était :

Pour les garçons et les filles : 6 à 8 ans : Figli della lupa (Fils de la Louve)

Puis :

Pour les garçons : 8 à 14 ans : Ballila (c'est un nom propre ; il s'agit d'un jeune héros du XVIII e qui a nargué au péril de sa vie je ne sais plus quelles troupes étrangères , un peu comme Barat en France).
Pour les garçons : 14 à 18 ans: Avanguardisti (Avangardistes).

Après, ils rejoignaient des sections d'adultes du PNF.

Pour les filles : 8 à 14 ans : Piccole Italiane (Petites italiennes)
Pour les filles : 14 à 18 ans : Giovani Italiennes (Jeunes Italiennes)

Oops, sorry ! It is an English speakin section. As a new member, I had not noticed!
So I have first given the correct italian formulation of the motto on the badge, then the whole motto and its translation.

"Se avanzo seguitemi se indietreggio uccidetemi,
se mi uccidono vendicatemi" :

"If I go forwards, follow me ; if I go backwards, kill me ; if they kill me, avenge me".

Actually a quotation from Mussolini himself.

Then I gave a short survey of the youth organisations in Fascist Italy, with special emphasis on the Ballila (an organization for boys between their 8 and 14 years).

Best regards

iffig a écrit:

Oops, sorry ! It is an English speakin section. As a new member, I had not noticed!
So I have first given the correct italian formulation of the motto on the badge, then the whole motto and its translation.

"Se avanzo seguitemi se indietreggio uccidetemi,
se mi uccidono vendicatemi" :

"If I go forwards, follow me ; if I go backwards, kill me ; if they kill me, avenge me".

Actually a quotation from Mussolini himself.

Then I gave a short survey of the youth organisations in Fascist Italy, with special emphasis on the Ballila (an organization for boys between their 8 and 14 years).

Best regards

Congratulations for your work on 'O.N.B.!

Add the "Z" with a crown is the symbol of the "Regia Zecca" the government agency that produced the badges and official medals.

To join the discussion I would like to share with you some variant of this badge (in general organizations for young people, because in addition to 'ONB were also: "Gioventù Italiana del Littorio - G.I.L.- and "Fasci Giovanili di Combattimento -F.G.C.-)... I hope you'll like!

Finally: where you see an "A" followed by Roman numerals, indicates the year of "Fascist Era". This starts from the date 'October (28) of 1922, which is considered the' year zero of the fascist era, indeed. So, for example, the words "A XIV E.F." indicates the 1936 ...

iffig a écrit:

Oops, sorry ! It is an English speakin section. As a new member, I had not noticed!
So I have first given the correct italian formulation of the motto on the badge, then the whole motto and its translation.

"Se avanzo seguitemi se indietreggio uccidetemi,
se mi uccidono vendicatemi" :

"If I go forwards, follow me ; if I go backwards, kill me ; if they kill me, avenge me".

Actually a quotation from Mussolini himself.

Then I gave a short survey of the youth organisations in Fascist Italy, with special emphasis on the Ballila (an organization for boys between their 8 and 14 years).

Best regards

Hello,
note that this sentence actually was said from the Vandean heroes Henri de La Rochejaquelein:
"Allons chercher l'ennemi: si j'avance, suivez moi; si je recule, tuez moi; si je meurs, vengez moi."
Chateau de la Durbellière april 13, 1793.

Hello,

Many thanks to all the members who added interesting informations.
In the long path of History, several quotes have been "re-used"..., as Bessière noticed.

Best regards

Olivier