Description
Wait, What Year Is It?
Inside Mussolini’s Fascist Calendar
The Era Fascista (English: Fascist Era) was a calendar era (year numbering system) used in the Fascist-ruled Kingdom of Italy. It began on 29 October 1922, the date of Mussolini’s accession as Prime Minister following the March on Rome, which marked Day 1 of Anno I. The calendar was formally introduced in 1926 and became official beginning in Anno V (1927).
Each year of the Fascist Era was designated as an Anno Fascista, commonly abbreviated as A.F. The system was inspired by the French Republican calendar and formed part of the Fascist regime’s broader efforts to reshape Italian national identity.
Era Fascista dates typically featured the standard Gregorian date followed by the corresponding Fascist year in Roman numerals—for example, “3-10-XIX”. These dates were often styled as “Anno XIX”, “A. XIX”, or marked “E.F.”, reflecting the regime’s appropriation of ancient Roman symbolism for propaganda purposes.
The tenth anniversary of the March on Rome, known as Anno X, was celebrated as the Decennale, invoking the Roman tradition of the Decennalia. The centerpiece of that year’s propaganda was the Exhibition of the Fascist Revolution.
Use of the Era Fascista calendar largely ceased with the fall of Mussolini’s regime in 1943 (Anno XXI), though it continued in the Italian Social Republic (Repubblica di Salò) until Mussolini’s death in April 1945 (Anno XXIII).
Many monuments and public buildings in Italy still bear inscriptions using Era Fascista dates, often accompanied by symbols such as the fasces.
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All of the postal cards on our site are original, no reproductions.
As many of the cards are quite old and one of a kind, please look carefully at the photos to determine condition.
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