Racial ideology between Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany : Julius Evola and the Aryan myth, 1933-43

One of the troublesome factors in the Rome-Berlin Axis before and during the Second World War centered on disagreements over racial ideology and corresponding antisemitic policies. A common image sees Fascist Italy as a reluctant partner on racial matters, largely dominated by its more powerful Nazi ally. This article offers a contrasting assessment, tracing the efforts by Italian theorist Julius Evola to cultivate a closer rapport between Italian and German variants of racism as part of a campaign by committed antisemites to strengthen the bonds uniting the fascist and Nazi cause. Evola's spiritual form of racism, based on a distinctive interpretation of the Aryan myth, generated considerable controversy among fascist and Nazi officials alike. In light of the current revival of interest in Evola, a closer examination of these debates can deepen historical understanding of racial ideologies from the fascist era. Met literatuur opgave.