Brandon Gatto, “Race Law Revisited: A Brief Review of Anti-Semitism and the Role of Lawyers in Fascist Italy.” Digest: National Italian American Bar Association Journal, (2016): 1-16.
An analysis of the role of lawyers and ethical legal dilemmas in Italy during the Second World War. Specifically, showing a concise summation of the attitudes, actions, and effects of Italian lawyers in Fascist society, particularly in relation to the race laws passed by Benito Mussolini in 1938 and the subsequent treatment of Jews living in Italy. Sources consulted include an array of legal and non-legal resources ranging from a complete history of lawyers since the unification of the Republic in 1861 to a collection of narratives authored by Italian Holocaust survivors.
In an attempt to address these ethical dilemmas facing Italian lawyers during World War II, Part I of this article will examine the role of lawyers in Italian society leading up to the war, as well as their general relationship to the Fascist regime taking shape. Next, Part II will assess how Italian lawyers reacted to Mussolini’s anti-Semitic campaign and, in particular, the race laws of 1938. Finally, Part III will observe how Italian lawyers approached ending their country’s legally-recognized treatment of Jewish-Italians, and the demand, if any, to hold accountable those officials most responsible for the acts committed.