A brief history of Bella Ciao, the anti-fascist Italian song cited in the Charlie Kirk shooting
- Written by: Justin Mallia, PhD Candidate in Art History and Theory, Monash University
Following the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, officials reported unspent bullet casings were found at the scene. These were engraved with phrases such as “If you read This, you are GAY Lmao”, “hey fascist! CATCH!” and “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!”
Bella Ciao (literally, “hello beautiful” or “goodbye beautiful”) is a traditional Italian folk song known for its association with the anti-fascist resistance in Italy during the second world war.
It has since moved beyond its usage as an Italian resistance song, appearing internationally in TV series, video games and TikTok videos.
It’s unclear how the reference on the bullet casings was intended to be read, but here’s what we know about the song, and its ties to the history of Fascism in Italy.
What is Fascism?
Fascism was a political movement conceived in Italy. It came to power for the first time in 1922 with the “March on Rome” of the fascist “Black Shirt” squadrons, led by Benito Mussolini.
The movement reframed the concept of freedom in society as possible only under the rule of a dictator.
Traits included the repression of political opposition, complete control of the media, intense propaganda campaigns and racial laws.
Atrocities were committed, including with military invasions and occupations in Africa in attempts to recreate an Italian empire.
Fascism in Italy coincided with advancements in the economy and industrialisation. By the 1930s, fascist political movements appeared across Europe including in the United Kingdom, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia, Spain, Portugal, Norway and, most notably, in Germany.
A common misconception today is to equate Fascism and Nazism. Fascism refers to a broad array of often contradictory authoritarian political philosophies. German Nazism falls under the broad banner of fascism, but there was only one Nazism, based in specific theories of racist suprematism.
The definition of fascism has always been ambiguous, but after the demise of the Italian Fascist and German Nazi regimes, it lost much of its political meaning in commonplace use.
In a 1946 article for the Tribune newspaper, George Orwell declared:
the word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable’.
Giving examples such as referring to someone who adheres to a strict diet as a “health-fascist”, or someone who advocates for the environment as an “eco-fascist”, in 2013, political theorist Roger Griffin noted:
The term ‘fascism’ continues to be bandied about by those clearly more interested in its seemingly inexhaustible polemical force than in anything resembling historical or political fact.
Some scholars in Fascism, such as Ruth Ben Ghiat, warn against the authoritarian tendencies of leaders including Donald Trump.
But the unwieldy labelling of politicians or commentators operating within democratic systems of government as “Fascist” is misguided. It dilutes the meaning and memory of Fascism.
What is the song Bella Ciao?
Like many traditional songs, the origins of Bella Ciao are not definitively known.
The melody is thought to date back to 1919. The first documentation of the lyrics is from 1953.
Oral traditions trace the origin of the meaning to the Apennine mountains in the Italian region of Emilia. There, during the second world war, anti-fascist fighters with modest resources stood up to the power of the Fascist regime.
The lyrics recount the solemn story of a fighter bidding farewell to his loved one, preparing to sacrifice his life for liberty.
In Italy, the song has become revered as an almost sacred tribute, sung on occasions such as the anniversary of the liberation of the country from Fascist rule in 1945.
In recent years, Bella Ciao has become popular outside of Italy. It featured in the Spanish Netflix series Money Heist (2017) and on the soundtrack of the first person shooter video game Far Cry 6 (2021).
With a catchy tune and innocuous chorus, Bella Ciao has been remixed in dance music, and featured on TikTok videos. These adaptations pay limited or no attention to the political meaning.
But some new uses of the song, while drawing on its uninformed popularity, are politically reinfusing it for purposes different to its original context.
In October 2024, members of the European Parliament on the political left chanted the chorus in response to a speech by Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban.
No formal explanation was given, but here the use of the song can be understood as a loose attempt to indirectly associate Orban with Fascism.
Making meaning
Bella Ciao has developed conflicting meanings, stemming, at least in part, from the many modern meanings and interpretations of Fascism.
We do not know what was intended by inscribing bullet casings with this traditional song, or what the inscriber’s understanding of Fascism and Nazism are.
But by understanding all of these conflicts, we can avoid collapsing the meanings into a single, monolithic phenomenon – and avoid the dangers of trivialisation and misappropriation.
Authors: Justin Mallia, PhD Candidate in Art History and Theory, Monash University
