Vittorio Lattanzio

Summary

Vittorio (Vito) Lattanzio (31 October 1926 – 31 October 2010) was an Italian Christian Democrat politician and physician.[1]

Vittorio Lattanzio
Personal details
Born(1926-10-31)31 October 1926
Bari, Apulia, Italy
Died31 October 2010(2010-10-31) (aged 84)
Bari, Apulia, Italy
Political partyChristian Democrat
ProfessionPhysician

Biography edit

Lattanzio was born on 31 October 1926 in Bari, Italy. He would get a degree in medicine and begin working as a physician before entering politics, where he would become a prominent member of the Christian Democrats; making a name for himself in the field of foreign policy.[1]

Political career edit

He would first take the national stage by becoming the undersecretary of defence in the Andreotti II Cabinet.[2]

Lattanzio served as minister of defence (1976–1977) in the Andreotti III Cabinet.[3][4] He would face harsh criticism for his role as minister of defence after convicted Nazi Herbert Kappler escaped from Italian custody in 1977 to find sanctuary in West Germany.[5][6] He would ultimately resign from this position due to the scandal, but go on to take different cabinet level positions.[7][8][9]

Following the kidnapping and death of fellow Apulia native Aldo Moro, Lattanzio effectively inherited the 'Apulian electoral fortune.'[1][9]

He would go on to serve the cabinets of Prime Ministers Andreotti (1976–1978, 1989–1992) and De Mita (1988–89) as minister of transport, then minister of civil protection,[10] and lastly as minister of foreign trade.[11][12] While serving as Minister of Civil protection he would be criticized for inefficient handling of the department during the 1990 Augusta Earthquake.[13] Lattanzio would actively participate in increasing trade with China while Minister of Foreign Trade.[11] He also served in the Chamber of Deputies of Italy in Legislature III, Legislature IV, Legislature V, Legislature VI, Legislature VII, Legislature VIII, Legislature IX and Legislature X.[2][14]

Lattanzio would be placed under house arrest while being investigated on allegations of corruption and illicit party financing.[15]

He died in his hometown of Bari on his 84th birthday, and was survived by his daughter.[1]

Works edit

  • Wrote Italian Security Policy and the North Atlantic Alliance for the Nato Review.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Morto l'ex ministro Vito Lattanzio pilastro della Dc, aveva 84 anni - Bari - Repubblica.it". Bari - La Repubblica. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  2. ^ a b Italy; Documents and Notes. Centro di documentazione. 1973.
  3. ^ a b Lattanzio, Vittorio (February 1977). "Italian Security Policy and the North Atlantic Alliance". In Jenner, Peter (ed.). NATO Review. Vol. 25. NATO Information Service.
  4. ^ Tessmer, Arnold Lee (1988). Politics of Compromise: NATO and AWACS. University of California: National Defense University Press. ISBN 9780160016813.
  5. ^ Levi, Primo; Belpoliti, Marco (2002). Belpoliti, Marco (ed.). The Black Hole of Auschwitz. Italy: Polity. ISBN 978-0-7456-3240-7.
  6. ^ Levi, Primo; Belpoliti, Marco. The Black Hole of Auschwitz. Polity. ISBN 978-0-7456-3240-7.
  7. ^ Cicchino, Enzo (2000). "Kappler's escape MEETING WITH Hon. Minister Vito Lattanzio". www.larchivio.com. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  8. ^ Levi, Primo (2015-09-28). Goldstein, Ann (ed.). The Complete Works of Primo Levi. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-1-63149-206-8.
  9. ^ a b L'espresso (in Italian). Editrice L'Espresso. 1980.
  10. ^ Goebel, Klaus; Dardo, Mauro D. (1992). New Emergencies, The: 9th International Seminar On Nuclear War. World Scientific. ISBN 978-981-4553-85-8.
  11. ^ a b Daily Report: China. Ohio State University: Foreign Broadcast Information Service. October 10, 2017 [1992].
  12. ^ Gazzetta ufficiale della Repubblica italiana. serie generale (in Italian). Vol. 1. National Central Library of Rome: Istituto poligrafico e zecca dello Stato. 21 May 2018 [1994].
  13. ^ Catenacci, V. "IL DISSESTO GEOLOGICO E GEOAMBIENTALE IN ITALIA SICILIA" (PDF). isprambiente.gov.it. Cronistorie. pp. 261–263. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  14. ^ Daily Report: Western Europe. Foreign Broadcast Information Service. 1978.
  15. ^ Giangrande, Antonio (2020). Bari e la Puglia: Quello Che non si Osa Dire (in Italian). Antonio Giangrande.

External links edit

  • La fuga di Kappler - intervista a Vito Lattanzio di Enzo Cicchino, L'Archivio, 2000
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Defence of Italy
1976–1977
Succeeded by