Original Italian WWII Fascist Youth GIL Overseas Cap with Cap Badge

Original Item. Only One Available. This is a scarce overseas style cap for the Italian Fascist Youth, otherwise known as the Gioventù Italiana del Littorio (GIL). The cap is all-black with a small aluminum or tin cap badge to the front for the GIL, depicting the fasces with a shield, knife, and axe.

The badge is only attached at the top by a short stitching, and has detached from the bottom, so it swings around. The exterior shows a double row of edge stitching, with points at each side which were originally stitched in. There is some mothing to the cap which is concentrated in one place on the left side, but there are other nips across the fabric. The interior shows a rayon sweatband with good wear. No markings we can find.

Ready to display.

The Gioventù Italiana del Littorio (GIL) was formed in 1937 through recruitment done by MVSN members. The youth, through sports and pre-military drilling that were taught through elementary and middle schools, was used to perpetuate the ideology of the MVSN. According to Mussolini, the birth of Rome (represented by Romulus and Remus) marked the new Labor Day in fascist Italy and replaced the Socialists "May Day." Through this symbolic re-connection with Rome, fascism stressed the need to reach the glories or Rome and to bring back the grandeur of the past.

The Gioventù Italiana del Littorio (GIL) (English: Italian Youth of the Lictor) was the consolidated youth movement of the National Fascist Party of Italy that was established in 1937, to replace the Opera NSDAPonale Balilla (ONB). It was created to supervise and influence the minds of all youths, that was effectively directed against the influence of the Catholic Church on youths.