The historian Nicola Tranfaglia, author of studies on the political and institutional history of the Italian twentieth century and specialist in the history of journalism, died last night at the age of 82 in Rome. He had been hospitalized about three months ago in the Roman hospital Umberto I following a cerebral hemorrhage from which he had never recovered. Born in Naples on 2 October 1938, Tranfaglia was a very important historian who passed from a young collaborator of "Nord e Sud", Francesco Compagna's southern journalist, to historical studies, becoming a professor of contemporary history at the University of Turin, of which he was emeritus professor since 2007. An attentive scholar of the democratic movement and fascism, Tranfaglia has dedicated himself with acumen to investigate the historical roots of phenomena such as terrorism,the mafias and populism and has devoted much of his work to the history of journalism: he is the author of the monumental "History of the Italian press" edited together with Valerio Castronovo for Laterza (seven volumes, 1976-2002). He has directed great works of criticism and historiographical synthesis: "The contemporary world" (19 volumes, 1978-83, La Nuova Italia); "History. The great problems from the Middle Ages to the contemporary age" (with Massino Firpo, 10 volumes, 1986-88, Utet); "History of Europe" (4 volumes, curated by Bruno Bongiovanni and Gian Carlo Jocteau, 1980, La Nuova Italia); "Historical dictionary of united Italy" (Laterza, 1996). Tranfaglia graduated in 1961 in law from the "Federico II" University of the Campania capital,discussing a thesis on the history of the Constitutional Court in Italy. He began his academic career as a researcher at the Luigi Einaudi Foundation in Turin, to become assistant to Alessandro Galante Garrone at the chair of contemporary history at the University of Turin three years later. From 1976 to 2006 he held the chairs of contemporary history, European history and journalism at the University of Turin. He is also dean of the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy of the Turin University. He was a member of the editorial staff of the magazines "Historical Studies" and "Past and Present" and of the scientific committee of the Antonio Gramsci National Foundation. The bibliography is vast: "Carlo Rosselli from interventionism to Justice and Freedom" (Laterza, 1968); "From the liberal state to the fascist regime "(Feltrinelli, 1973);" Press and political system in united Italy "(Le Monnier, 1986);" Mafia, politics and business 1943-91 "(Laterza, 1992);" The first war world and fascism "(Utet, 1995);" An uncomfortable past. Fascism and post-fascism "(Baldini Castoldi Dalai, 1996);" History of Italian publishers. From the Unification of Italy to the Sixties "(Laterza, 2000);" The Andreotti sentence. Politics, mafia and justice in contemporary Italy "(Garzanti, 2001);" The Italian transition "(Garzanti, 2003);" The press of the regime 1932-1943. Minculpop showcases to guide information "(Bompiani, 2005);" But does the fourth power exist in Italy? Press and political power in the history ofUnited Italy "(Baldini Castoldi Dalai, 2005);" An uncomfortable past. Fascism and postfascism "(Laterza, 2006). Among the most recent volumes are:" Vite suspended. The generations of terrorism (in collaboration with Diego Novelli, Baldini Dalai Castoldi, 2007); "The book of deportees. Political deportees 1943-1945" (in collaboration with Brunello Mantelli, Mursia, 2009); "Life of Alberto Pirelli 1882-1971. Politics through the economy" (Einaudi, 2010); "Populism. An original character in the history of Italy" (Castelvecchii, 2014); "Fascism and the World Wars (1914-1945)" (Rusconi, 2019); "Political history of the Constitutional Court" (Massari, 2020). Tranfaglia has often collaborated with Giuseppe Casarrubea to investigate the intertwining between the mafia,neo-fascism and US secret services at the turn of the Second World War. The historian also had a political experience as a deputy of the Italian Communist Party between 2006 and 2008. Later he approached Italia dei Valori, running for the 2009 European elections but not being elected. Nicola Tranfaglia, recalls the University of the Piedmontese capital in a message of condolence, was "the first to start a teaching of contemporary history in Turin when the University was trying to open up to a renewed relationship with the surrounding society and to a more fruitful sensitivity to the issues that emerged from the political and cultural crisis of the last 60 years ". "Careful scholar of the democratic movement explain from the Murialdi Foundation - he has dedicated a large part of his work to the history of journalism. We recall the monumental history of the Italian press edited together with Valerio Castronovo for Laterza. A friend of Paolo Murialdi, he had accepted from the beginning to chair the Scientific Committee of our Foundation. A highly prestigious historian and an irreplaceable collaborator of the Murialdi Foundation disappear with him. The President, the Secretary General and the Board of Directors join in the pain of his passing ".I begin to chair the Scientific Committee of our Foundation. A highly prestigious historian and an irreplaceable collaborator of the Murialdi Foundation disappear with him. The President, the Secretary General and the Board of Directors join in the pain of his passing ".I begin to chair the Scientific Committee of our Foundation. A highly prestigious historian and an irreplaceable collaborator of the Murialdi Foundation disappear with him. The President, the Secretary General and the Board of Directors join in the pain of his passing ".
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July 23, 2021
The historian Nicola Tranfaglia, author of studies on the political and institutional history of the Italian twentieth century and specialist in the history of journalism, died last night at the age of 82 in Rome.
He had been hospitalized about three months ago in the Roman hospital Umberto I following a cerebral hemorrhage from which he had never recovered.
Born in Naples on 2 October 1938, Tranfaglia was a very important historian who passed from a young collaborator of "Nord e Sud", Francesco Compagna's southern journalist, to historical studies, becoming a professor of contemporary history at the University of Turin, of which he was professor emeritus since 2007.
An attentive scholar of the democratic movement and fascism, Tranfaglia has dedicated himself with acumen to investigating the historical roots of phenomena such as terrorism, mafias and populism and has dedicated much of his work to the history of journalism: he is the author of the monumental "Storia of the Italian press "edited together with Valerio Castronovo for Laterza (seven volumes, 1976-2002). He has directed great works of criticism and historiographical synthesis: "The contemporary world" (19 volumes, 1978-83, La Nuova Italia); "History. The great problems from the Middle Ages to the contemporary age" (with Massino Firpo, 10 volumes, 1986-88, Utet); "History of Europe" (4 volumes, curated by Bruno Bongiovanni and Gian Carlo Jocteau, 1980, La Nuova Italia); "Historical dictionary of united Italy" (Laterza, 1996).
Tranfaglia graduated in 1961 in law from the "Federico II" University of the Campania capital, discussing a thesis on the history of the Constitutional Court in Italy. He began his academic career as a researcher at the Luigi Einaudi Foundation in Turin, to become assistant to Alessandro Galante Garrone at the chair of contemporary history at the University of Turin three years later. From 1976 to 2006 he held the chairs of contemporary history, European history and journalism at the University of Turin. He is also dean of the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy of the Turin University. He was a member of the editorial staff of the magazines "Historical Studies" and "Past and Present" and of the scientific committee of the Antonio Gramsci National Foundation.
The bibliography is vast: "Carlo Rosselli from interventionism to Justice and Freedom" (Laterza, 1968); "From the liberal state to the fascist regime" (Feltrinelli, 1973); "Press and political system in a united Italy" (Le Monnier, 1986); "Mafia, politics and business 1943-91" (Laterza, 1992); "The First World War and Fascism" (Utet, 1995); "An uncomfortable past. Fascism and post-fascism" (Baldini Castoldi Dalai, 1996); "History of Italian Publishers. From the Unification of Italy to the Sixties" (Laterza, 2000); "The Andreotti sentence. Politics, mafia and justice in contemporary Italy" (Garzanti, 2001); "The Italian transition" (Garzanti, 2003); "The press of the regime 1932-1943. The papers of the Minculpop to guide theinformation "(Bompiani, 2005);" But does the fourth power exist in Italy? Press and political power in the history of a united Italy "(Baldini Castoldi Dalai, 2005);" An uncomfortable past. Fascism and post-fascism "(Laterza, 2006).
Among the most recent volumes are: "Lives suspended. The generations of terrorism (in collaboration with Diego Novelli, Baldini Dalai Castoldi, 2007);" The book of deportees. Political deportees 1943-1945 "(in collaboration with Brunello Mantelli, Mursia, 2009);" Life of Alberto Pirelli 1882-1971. Politics through the economy "(Einaudi, 2010);" Populism. An original character in the history of Italy "(Castelvecchii, 2014);" Fascism and the world wars (1914-1945) "(Rusconi, 2019);" Political history of the Constitutional Court "(Massari, 2020).
Tranfaglia has often collaborated with Giuseppe Casarrubea to investigate the intertwining of the Mafia, neo-fascism and US secret services at the turn of the Second World War.
The historian also had a political experience as a deputy of the Italian Communist Party between 2006 and 2008. Later he approached Italia dei Valori, running for the 2009 European elections but not being elected.
Nicola Tranfaglia, recalls the University of the Piedmontese capital in a message of condolence, was "the first to start a teaching of contemporary history in Turin when the University was trying to open up to a renewed relationship with the surrounding society and to a more fruitful sensitivity to the issues that emerged from the political and cultural crisis of the last 60 years ".
"An attentive scholar of the democratic movement, explained by the Murialdi Foundation - he dedicated a large part of his work to the history of journalism. We recall the monumental history of the Italian press edited together with Valerio Castronovo for Laterza. Friend of Paolo Murialdi had accepted since the beginning of to preside over the Scientific Committee of our Foundation. A historian of great prestige and an irreplaceable collaborator of the Murialdi Foundation disappear with him. The President, the Secretary General and the Board of Directors join in the pain of his death ".
