The Irishwoman Who Shot Mussolini - Violet Gibson
Four attempts were made to assassinate Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, one of them almost succeeded - Violent Gibson – a bedraggled 50 old Irishwoman came so close that she grazed Il Duce’s nose with her first bullet. But what was she doing in Rome?
Born to a wealthy and privileged family in Dublin in 1876 and presented to Queen Victoria as a debutante at 18, she became obsessed with religion and gradually distanced herself from her family. After attacking a servant and spending months in an asylum she went to Italy… with a mission.
Why did she select Mussolini? Was she an antifascist freedom fighter to be celebrated or was she ill?
Finding Out More:
There is really only one book that describes Violet Gibson’s tragic (or heroic) life: Frances Stonor Saunders: The Woman Who Shot Mussolini. I don’t agree with everything she says about Violet’s mental illness, but she has certainly shed light on someone who might otherwise have been forgotten. It is available through my Amazon store page: [ Ссылка ]
Copyright Disclaimer:
The primary purpose of this video is educational. I have tried to use material in the public domain or with Creative Commons Non-attribution licences wherever possible. Where attribution is required, I have listed this below. I believe that any copyright material used falls under the remit of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this, I will not hesitate to immediately remove that content. It is not my intention to infringe on content ownership in any way. If you happen to find your art or images in the video, please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.
Images:
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Wellcome Collection
Video produced by Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston.
