Abstract

In the 1970s Rome was one of the main theatres of political violence in Italy. In schools and universities and on the streets of the city a struggle was continually played out between the young militants of the extreme left and right. In radical left-wing circles this phenomenon took on the name "militant anti-fascism". Historians interested in this period have mainly considered the phenomenon as regards its connection with the genesis of left-wing terrorist groups. This article explores militant anti-fascism through a written source, the newspaper "Lotta Continua", and through oral sources in the form of thirteen interviews conducted by the author with the former militants of the radical groups Lotta Continua, Potere Operaio and Autonomia Operaia. Thanks to the comparison of these written and oral sources we are able to gain a clearer comprehension of the most essential characteristics of militant anti-fascism. These consist of the role of various foundation myths underlying anti-fascist activism, the use of violence and the narrative that justifies it, as well as the concept of "territory", seen as a local area in which political activities and violent conflicts take place.