The following information provides a snapshot of the career of Generale d’armata Alberto Pariani.
Generale d’armata Alberto Pariani
Born: 27 December 1876 in Milan
Died: 14 February 1955 in Malcesine
Promotions
Sottotenente: 19 October 1898
Tenente: 2 June 1902
Capitano: 20 October 1910
Maggiore: 12 December 1915
Tenente colonnello:
Colonnello:
Generale di brigata: 1 January 1929
Generale di divisione: 18 November 1932
Generale di corpo d’armata: 16 September 1934
Generale designato d’armata: 15 June 1936
Assignments
27 April 1927 – 16 June 1933: Military Attaché in Albania
16 June 1933 – 22 July 1933: at disposition
22 July 1933 – 16 September 1934: General Officer Commanding, Military Territorial Division of Bolzano
16 September 1934 – 7 October 1936: Vice Chief of the General Staff
7 October 1936 – 31 October 1939: Under-Secretary of State for War
7 October 1936 – 3 November 1939: concurrently Chief of the General Staff of the Army
3 November 1939 – 1 December 1939: assigned to Ministry of War for Special Duties
1 December 1939: at disposition of Ministry of War
27 December 1942: Transferred to the reserve
18 March 1943 – 6 September 1943: Recalled, Viceroy of Albania
Awards & Decorations
Grande Ufficiale dell’Ordine Militare di Savoia: 31 July 1939
Cavaliere dell‘Ordine Militare di Savoia: 19 September 1918
Grande Ufficiale dell’Ordine Coloniale della Stella d‘Italia: 29 October 1936
Commendatore dell’Ordine Coloniale della Stella d‘Italia: 16 July 1936
Ufficiale dell’Ordine dei SS. Maurizio e Lazzaro: 25 February 1925
Cavaliere dell’Ordine dei SS. Maurizio e Lazzaro: 13 September 1918
Medaglia d’argento al Valor Militare (2)
Croce al merito di guerra
Medaglia commemorativa della guerra italo-austriaca 1915 – 18 (4 anni di campagna)
Medaglia commemorativa dell’Unità d’Italia
Medaglia commemorativa italiana della vittoria
Additional Notes
Alberto Pariani graduated from the Military Academy of Modena on 19 October 1898 as first in his class. He resigned from his posts of Under-Secretary of State for War and Chief of the General Staff of the Army after submitting a report to Mussolini regarding the readiness of the Army that was not favorable for entering the war. In 1943, after writing a letter to the Duce explaining his views on the political-military situation in Italy, he returned to Mussolini’s favor and recalled and appointed Viceroy of Albania.
After the armistice in September 1943, to demonstrate to Germany that the fall of Mussolini did not involve modifications to the alliance, Pariani, whose previous relations with the Germans had been very good, was designated as ambassador to Berlin. On the morning of 8 September 1943 he was received by the King, who gave him instructions about his new mission. However, however he was not informed about the armistice. Pariani learned about Italy’s capitulation in the evening by radio. He remained in Rome, making himself available to Marshal Enrico Caviglia. He had no office and returned to his villa in Malcesine. He joined the Republican Fascist Party and placed himself under the orders of Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, still without being used.
He remained in Malcesine until the end of the war. On 25 June 1945, he was arrested and sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment imposed, in absentia, by the High Court of Justice of Rome “for relevant acts in favor of the fascist regime“. Transported to the prison of Procida, he remained there until 20 January 1947. The Rome Special Assize Court subsequently acquitted him, after the Appeals Court canceled the first sentence and ordered a new trial on 9 May 1946. Returning to Malcesine, Pariani became mayor in October 1952, a position he held until he died shortly after a council meeting.
Sources:
Bollettino ufficiale delle nomine, promozioni e destinazioni negli ufficiali e sottufficiali del R. esercito italiano
e nel personale dell’amministrazione militare
Annuario militare del Regno d’Italia
Gazette
La Stampa
Treccani
Wikipedia
