8. The Italian equivalent of the Hitler Youth Program
The indoctrination of children under fascism in Italy was supported by the creation of youth programs and the elimination of competing organizations, such as the Boy Scouts and the youth organizations of the church. Catholic Church youth groups were not fully eliminated, but their activities were curtailed by the state. The organization took the name Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB) and operated separate branches of different names based on the age and sex of the children enrolled. Children of the ages between six and eight years were enrolled in a group known as the Children of the She-Wolf, which referenced the myth of the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, being raised by wolves. The programs were run by Mussolini’s Minister of Education until 1937.
The participants wore uniforms while attending activities, and many of them wore them all of the time. Boy’s uniforms resembled those of Mussolini’s Blackshirts, a paramilitary group of the Fascist Party. Boys and young men received paramilitary training and additional schooling in careers and technology. Women received training in raising children in fascist philosophy, as well as what in later generations would become known as home economics. Children of all ages received physical fitness training and participated in competitive sports and events. Enrollment was not mandatory, but school teachers were encouraged to enroll their students and were financially compensated for doing so. The youth program became highly popular due to its efficiency in providing activities for children under controlled circumstances and supervision.