Lightweight tropical field tunic, called “Saharina”, manufactured 1941. Made from very light cotton fabric, 4 applied breast pockets, button placket with 5 brown Bakelite buttons, complete with all insignia. On the collar with applied golden stars, shoulder boards of woven silver brocade with hand-embroidered crowned national eagle in gold and 4 golden rank stars on red cloth backing as Marshal of Italy, silver shoulder buttons, shoulder boards with loops. Sewn onto the chest are Graziani's decorations: the top row with 3 embroidered crowns with crossed swords as insignia for 3-time promotion for war merit. Below in 3 rows the ribbons of 15 (!) decorations: 1. Military Order of Savoy Grand Cross, 2. and 3. 2 Silver Medals for Military Valor “Al Valore Militare”, 4. and 5. 2 Bronze Medals for Military Valor “Al Valore Militare”, 6. Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Grand Cross, 7. Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Golden Medal of Honor for 50 Years of Service, so-called “Medaglia Mauriziana”, 8. Order of the Crown of Italy Grand Cross, 9. Bronze Medal “Lungo Comando”, 10. Libya Campaign Medal 1911-1912, 11. Officer Service Decoration Cross for 40 Years, 12. Colonial Order of the Star of Italy Grand Cross, 13. War Commemorative Medal 1915-1918 for 4 Years, 14. Commemorative Medal “Unità d'Italia 1848-1918”, 15. Ethiopia Campaign Medal for Combatants. On the right upper arm with 4 hand-embroidered golden stripes for 4-time wounding in war. Inside with woven tailor's label “Unione Militare sede di Roma”, with handwritten wearer designation “SE Maresciallo d'Italia R. Graziani, Data 16-9-41”. At the waist left and right with sewn loops for the missing cloth belt. Together with matching long tropical trousers, the fabric somewhat lighter.
The field tunic and trousers are clearly worn and show typical wear and aging signs. A very beautiful photo can be found on the internet of Marshal Graziani during a visit by Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring, in which Graziani is wearing exactly this uniform!
In addition, a large gift bracelet from the Askari combat group “Banda Allopiano” of the II. Corpo Armata (Army Corps) to Marshal Graziani as a memento of the anniversary of the conquest of Adua, Ethiopia Campaign, 1936: Large hinged silver bracelet, hollow worked and decorated in typical North African style, front with enameled plate, hand-painted: a charging Askari before the Adua monument. On the inside with dedication engraving “Al Vincere de Etiopia Rudolfo Graziani nell aniverario della riconquista di Adua G'le Ascari fedeli del gruppo 'Banda Allopiano' del II C.A. Ottobre 1936 - XIV.” (English = To the Victor over Ethiopia Rudolfo Graziani on the anniversary of the reconquest of Adua - the faithful G'le Ascari of the “Banda Allopiano” Group of the II. Army Corps October 1936 – XIV. (the 15th year according to Fascist calendar)). Complete in blue presentation case, on the lid with initials “R. G.” printed in gold. Slight signs of use and age, condition 2.
Price upon request:

A historically significant ensemble of museum importance from the estate of arguably the most significant Marshal of Italy Rudolfo Graziani, on the German side comparable only to Generalfeldmarschall Rommel.

Ex collection Dott. Spada, Italy.

Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, Marquis of Neghelli (* August 11, 1882 in Filettino, Province of Frosinone; † January 11, 1955 in Rome) was a leading Italian military officer and politician during the rule of Italian Fascism. Graziani gained notoriety for his role in the Second Italo-Libyan War (1922-1932). Having arrived in Libya as the youngest colonel of the Italian Army in October 1921, Graziani received the main credit for the conquest of Tripolitania and in 1929/30 also for the occupation of Fezzan. As a counter-guerrilla specialist, he modernized the methods of desert warfare and relied not only on rapidly advancing units with armored vehicles supported from the air, but also on unbridled brutality. Notorious for his fascist adherence to principles, Graziani earned a reputation as the “Butcher of Arabs” and repeatedly ordered mass executions. After being appointed by Mussolini as Vice Governor of Cyrenaica in spring 1930, Graziani set about the “pacification” of this Libyan region according to his proven pattern. In a letter to Governor-General Pietro Badoglio, he compared the situation in the troubled region to an “abscess” that must be ruthlessly cut out so that the infected body could heal again. He became Vice Governor (1930-1934), after which he was briefly Governor of Italian Somaliland (1935-1936) and as such Commander-in-Chief of the southern invasion troops during the Italian war of aggression against the Empire of Abyssinia. The units commanded by Graziani systematically and comprehensively deployed poison gas. During his subsequent term as Viceroy of Italian East Africa, Graziani established an occupation regime based on terror. As Governor-General of Italian Libya (1940-1941), Graziani directed the failed invasion of Egypt after Fascist Italy's entry into World War II, whereby he fell out of favor with Mussolini. Only after the fall of the Mussolini regime and the founding of the Fascist Republic of Salò (R.S.I.) did Graziani serve under the Duce as its Minister of Defense (1943-1945) and supported the troops of the German Wehrmacht firmly on the side of the Repubblica Sociale Italiana. From his headquarters he commanded the Italian units fighting on the German side until the Allies had occupied large parts of Northern Italy and resistance was hardly possible. Despite the hopeless situation, he did not consider capitulation until the very end, but continued to have deserters executed. On April 29, 1945, one day after Mussolini had been shot by partisans, Graziani surrendered to U.S. troops in Milan. On the same day, as Marshal of Italy, together with SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS Karl Wolff as “Plenipotentiary General of the German Wehrmacht in Italy”, he signed the Armistice of Caserta, whereby the capitulation of all German and republican Italian forces in the north of the country became effective in the night of May 2 to 3, 1945.

485954

Italy World War II Lightweight Tropical Field Tunic with Trousers and Gift Bracelet from the Estate of Marshal Rodolfo Graziani

Historical Context: Italian Tropical Uniform of a Marshal of Italy, World War II

This Saharina uniform represents a significant aspect of Italian military history during World War II and the colonial campaigns in North Africa. This light tropical field tunic, manufactured in 1941, was specifically designed for use in the hot climate zones of Italy's African colonies.

The Saharina: Development and Significance

The name “Saharina” derives from the Sahara Desert and designates the characteristic light tropical field tunic of the Italian armed forces. This uniform type was developed in the 1930s as Italy intensified its colonial ambitions in Libya, Ethiopia, and the Horn of Africa. The manufacture from light cotton fabric was a necessity given the extreme temperatures in North Africa, which made regular wool tunics unbearable. The design with four applied breast pockets followed practical considerations and allowed for carrying important documents and equipment items.

Rank Insignia of a Marshal

The shoulder boards of woven silver brocade with hand-embroidered crowned eagle and four golden rank stars on red cloth backing identify the highest military rank of the Kingdom of Italy: the Marshal of Italy (Maresciallo d'Italia). This rank was conferred only upon select military leaders who had acquired extraordinary merit in service to the Italian state. The golden stars on the collar were additional rank insignia emphasizing the wearer's outstanding position.

Ribbon Bars and Decorations

The 15 ribbon bars sewn onto the chest testify to a long and eventful military career. Their arrangement followed the Italian order of precedence for military decorations. At the top are three embroidered crowns with crossed swords, symbolizing three promotions for wartime merit - an extremely rare distinction. The valor medals “Al Valore Militare” in silver and bronze were among the highest Italian decorations for personal bravery in combat. The Military Order of Savoy as Grand Cross was one of the most prestigious decorations of the Kingdom of Italy.

Also notable are the campaign medals documenting military operations in Libya (1911-1912), World War I (1915-1918), and Ethiopia. The Medaglia Mauriziana, the golden medal of honor for 50 years of service, was an extraordinarily rare decoration awarded only to officers with exceptionally long service.

Wound Badges

The four hand-embroidered golden stripes on the right upper arm indicate four wounds received in war. According to Italian military tradition, each soldier received a golden stripe for each wound suffered in combat. Four such distinctions were extraordinarily rare and testified to decades of frontline service under the most dangerous conditions.

The Askari Bracelet

The silver gift bracelet from the Banda Allopiano of the II Army Corps represents a unique testimony to the relationships between Italian officers and their colonial troops. The Askari were native soldiers from Eritrea, Somalia, and Ethiopia who served in Italian colonial forces. They played a crucial role in Italian colonial wars and were known for their combat effectiveness and loyalty. The bracelet, crafted in North African style with an enameled plate, shows a charging Askari before the Adua Monument - a reference to the Battle of Adua in 1896, where Italy suffered a devastating defeat against Ethiopian forces, and the “reconquest” in 1936 during Mussolini's Ethiopian campaign.

The dedication from October 1936 (in the Fascist calendar the XIV year, counted from Mussolini's seizure of power in 1922) documents the veneration these troops held for their commander. Such gifts were common in the colonial army and served to strengthen bonds between officers and their native soldiers.

Italian Military Presence in North Africa

The uniform and bracelet are inseparably linked to Italian colonial policy in Africa. After conquering Libya from the Ottomans (1911-1912), Italy built an extensive colonial empire encompassing Libya, Eritrea, Somalia, and temporarily Ethiopia. The Second Italo-Libyan War (1922-1932) to “pacify” Libya and the Abyssinian War (1935-1936) were brutal colonial wars conducted with extreme harshness. The use of poison gas, mass executions, and the internment of civilians in concentration camps characterized these conflicts.

The North African Campaign in World War II

After Italy's entry into the war in 1940, North Africa became an important theater of operations. However, the Italian offensive into Egypt in September 1940 failed, and British counteroffensives led to heavy losses. The arrival of the German Afrika Korps under Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel in 1941 temporarily stabilized the situation. The close cooperation between German and Italian troops in North Africa led to mutual influence in uniforms and tactics.

The Republic of Salò (1943-1945)

After the Allied landing in Italy and Mussolini's fall in July 1943, Italy split. While the south defected to the Allies, the Germans established the Repubblica Sociale Italiana (RSI) in northern Italy under Mussolini as a puppet state. High-ranking Fascist military officers played important roles in this regime, commanding Italian troops alongside the Wehrmacht. The RSI forces fought until the bitter end in May 1945.

Historical Significance

Uniforms and personal items of high-ranking military leaders are important historical sources. They document not only military ranks and hierarchies but also the political systems in which they served. The elaborate design with hand-embroidered insignia and the multitude of decorations reflect the military culture of Fascist Italy, in which military virtues and colonial imperialism were glorified. At the same time, they are testimonies to a dark era marked by war, colonialism, and crimes against humanity.