5. Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini’s name is synonymous with the fascist movement in Italy. He ruled the country with an iron fist for over 20 years, leading it into a war it didn’t need, draining the economy and bringing poverty and death to its citizens.
As history shows, his plans proved ill-devised. His downfall consisted of him stripped of power, retreating more and more North until he had no choice but to flee towards the northern border, together with a German convoy. Although disguised as a German soldier, he was recognized and caught when Italian partisans stopped the convoy and made a thorough search. One day later, on the 28th of April 1945 he was summarily executed near Lake Como, along with his lover and other fascist leaders.
His body was moved to Milan, where it was hung upside down in the Piazza Loreto, along with his mistress and 5 other of his cronies. It was a symbolic display for his adversaries, as only one year earlier, in the same Piazza Loreto, a group of anti-fascist partisans were publicly executed. This time, the people flocked to see the gruesome display, while trying to spit on the body, urinate on it or in any other way show their disgust towards the former dictator. Reportedly, Mussolini’s body became so disfigured that he was hardly recognizable when it was finally put down.
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