Balilla

Giovan Battista Perasso (also called Balilla; * 1735 in Genoa, † 1781 ) was a juvenile folk hero of the city of Genoa and later in Italy.

During the War of the Austrian Succession in 1746 in Genoa, there was a popular uprising against Austrian troops that had made ​​itself unpopular, especially in the Portoria district because of several attacks against the civilian population. The Republic of Genoa was allied against Austria and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia during the war with Spain and France, and was therefore occupied. Giovan Battista Perasso called Balilla (probably from Genoese Baciccia, dialectal diminutive of Giovan Battista, German Johann Baptist ), is said to have triggered the rebellion on December 5 by the throwing of stones on the Austrians.

The historically documented acts of probably about twelve years Perasso were glorified as particularly patriotic during the Risorgimento, the Italian national movement in the 19th century, and especially during the Fascist period, making it a national hero was a kind, in the fourth stanza of the Italian national anthem Fratelli d' Italia is mentioned:

• " I bimbi d' Italia si chiaman Balilla " (original text )
• "The children of Italy called Balilla ". (Translation )

Mussolini called his fascist youth organization Balilla. Balilla is named for the Balilla - class submarine class and the first submarine of this class R.Smg. Balilla.