Indro Montanelli
A towering and contentious Italian journalist whose sharp pen defined postwar public opinion and founded a major newspaper.
1909–2001 (age 92)·Italian journalist and historian·Birthday: April 22·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Indro Montanelli was a journalistic institution in 20th-century Italy, a writer of formidable energy and stubborn independence. He cut his teeth as a foreign correspondent, filing vivid dispatches from conflicts like the Spanish Civil War and the invasion of Poland. After World War II, he became the quintessential voice of the conservative bourgeoisie through his column ‘La Stanza’ in Corriere della Sera, written with a direct, conversational style that reached millions. His refusal to bow to political pressure, whether from the left or the right, was legendary; he left Corriere in 1973 after a dispute with the new owners and promptly founded Il Giornale, building it into a major daily. Montanelli’s historical works, particularly his accessible ‘History of Rome’ and ‘History of the Greeks,’ brought the past to life for generations of readers. His later years were marked by fierce opposition to Silvio Berlusconi, whom he saw as a threat to democracy, and a tragic attack by the Red Brigades that left him wounded but undeterred.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Indro was born in 1909, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Indro Was Born
The biggest hits of 1909
Indro's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1909Born
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1914Started school
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Became a teenager
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1925Could drive
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1927Could vote
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Turned 21
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1939Turned 30
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 40
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 50
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 60
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 70
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 80
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
2001Died at 92
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
Key Achievements
- Founded the influential Italian daily newspaper Il Giornale in 1974 and served as its editor-in-chief.
- Named a World Press Freedom Hero by the International Press Institute in 2000 for his defense of independent journalism.
- Authored a widely popular series of history books that simplified complex subjects for a mass audience.
- Wrote a signature front-page column for Corriere della Sera for over two decades, shaping national debate.
Did You Know?
He was shot in the legs by the Red Brigades terrorist group in 1977 for his political views but continued writing from his hospital bed.
He purchased and restored a historic printing press in Milan, which became the headquarters for Il Giornale.
During the Ethiopian War, he entered into a temporary marriage with a local Eritrean girl, a fact he later discussed with regret.
He famously turned down the offer to become a senator, valuing his independence as a journalist above a political title.
““I am a journalist, not a militant. My only party is the truth as I see it.””
