Alcide De Gasperi, first Prime Minister of Italy, dies

Alcide De Gasperi, the first Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, passed away on August 19, 1954, at the age of 73 in Borgo Valsugana. A central figure in Italian politics, De Gasperi served seven consecutive terms as President of the Council of Ministers.

His political career spanned the era of the Popular Party, where he served as secretary starting in 1924, and the subsequent founding of the Christian Democracy party. During the fascist regime, he was arrested for anti-fascism in 1927 and later sought refuge in the Vatican, working as a librarian.

Following the fall of fascism, he became a foundational leader of Christian Democracy. His later years were marked by political challenges, including the controversial 'fraud law' and the 1953 election results, which led to his eventual withdrawal from public life.