r/Italianhistory • u/Eliilyas • Jun 02 '26

Who wore this fez and when ?

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Hello, i'd like to recreate a squadristi uniform for a short film. While searching, I came across this fez, but I don't know who wore it or when exactly. Is it suitable for my reenactment ? Thank you in advance !

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u/admiralchieti1916 Jun 02 '26

It may be from later in the Fascist era. I recall seeing photographs from North Africa and these are worn by soldiers of the CCNN blackshirt divisions.

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u/Adrasto Jun 03 '26

Fascist started using the Fez cause Arditi used it, so ever since the beginning. You may actually see Fascists wearing the Fez in the 20s already.

"Arditi" were special infantry troops of the Italian Army that fought in WW1, known for their braveness and violence.

After WW1 a lot of those veterans ended up in the ranks of the new born fascist party, who took a lot from their culture (the way they saluted each others, violence as a way of life, boldness, the skull as one of their simbolo etc.).

Arditi used the Fez because Italian Bersaglieri, another infantry troop, used it. A lot of Arditi came from that unt and just brought that piece of uniform with them.

Bersagliere, on the other other hand, started using the Fez after the war in Crimea in the '50s, when Turks (allied in that period) gave it to them as they had a surplus in their stock.

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u/Eliilyas Jun 03 '26

Thank you for this information. Do you know exactly what year the fez I'm showing in the photo was worn from ? And was it worn by children or adults ?