A Classical View of Modern Problems

It will have escaped no one's attention that Europe, and the wider western world, is in a state of crisis. Demographic changes have placed the peoples of Western Europe on a path to extinction, European nations are under threat of being replaced by international organizations run by a globalist elite and there are problems ranging from terrorism to simple cultural stress brought about by the importation of peoples totally alien to Europe and western values, customs and traditions. Italy has been at the forefront of this crisis, particularly in terms of the influx of massive numbers of migrants from Africa and the Middle East who cross the Mediterranean and make their first landfall on Italian soil. Most, as we know, do not choose to remain in Italy but move north toward countries such as Sweden, Norway or, most especially, Germany. The usual explanation for this is that these are wealthier countries with more to offer than the heavily indebted countries in the south such as Greece or Spain or the Italian Republic. That is certainly true and it makes sense. However, it also matters that these countries, particularly Germany, have welcomed such migrants and are willing to accept them. No one is forcing the German government to do this and, given the immense problems it is causing, one must ask why they would.

There are, undoubtedly, a number of reasons that could be put forward but we might also consider a possible explanation that a mentality is at work here that was around in the days of ancient Rome. In his book Germania, the Roman historian Tacitus wrote down his observations about the Germans and how different they were, in so many ways, from the people, society and customs of Rome. He describes how very meritocratic the Germans were, how egalitarian their society was in contrast to Rome, making it less orderly but in other ways more admirable to modern sensibilities. Tacitus also described in great deal, as an example, the very different attitude towards women that the Germans had. In Rome, it was the matron that was upheld as the ideal, the supportive wife and mother, devoted to her home and family, to domestic pursuits. German women, on the other hand, had a much higher profile, were more outspoken and even followed their men into battle, cheering them on amidst the carnage. Like the Romans, most Germans had only one wife but adultery seems to have been very rare among the Germans. Tacitus also spoke of how decisions were taken collectively by the senior men of every German tribe, totally unlike the Romans with the prominent leadership of great generals, consuls or, in times of crisis, a dictator. Ultimately, as we know, there would be an emperor.

Could some trace of these attitudes still remain in the German mind of today? If these were spread beyond the "tribe" to all other peoples in the world, it might explain, to some extent, the current German position regarding issues from feminism to the migrant crisis. That would be the key point though, as the ancient Germans would certainly be aghast at the actions of their descendants today because they certainly drew a sharp distinction between those who were Germans and those who were not. However, the mentality that everyone, regardless of who they are, must be given consideration, if applied beyond the "tribe" might, to some extent, explain the attitude of Germany today and why opposition seems to be so much stronger in countries such as France, Italy, England, Poland or Hungary. One also cannot help but notice, in the United States, where the current presidential race is portrayed as a contest between a nationalist, Trump, and a globalist, Clinton, that Anglo Americans, Scots-Irish, Polish-Americans and Italian-Americans have tended to support Donald Trump, Americans of German, Dutch and Scandinavian ancestry have tended to oppose him. It does make one wonder just how much our ancestry influences our views and opinions.

Italy, Albania is Calling

As was recently reported by Breitbart London, Albania has asked for Italian military support to deal with the continuing flow of illegal aliens from North Africa and the Middle East into southern Europe. The Italian Interior Minister is set to sign an agreement next week to send Italian troops to Albania to help that country secure their border and, Rome hopes, to prevent the infiltration of Islamic terrorists into Europe. Obviously, one cannot help but take notice of this considering the history involved with Italian military personnel being deployed, once again, to Albania. It shows how reality often conflicts with idealistic talk. In the past, there was much bluster and denunciations about the notion that Albania was a "protectorate" of the Kingdom of Italy (and that long before the Italian occupation of Albania during the Fascist Era). However, if Albania is unable to enforce its own borders and requires, as is now the case, Italian forces to come in to "protect" Albania from these waves of illegal immigrants passing through the country, then surely Albania is declaring itself to be, de facto, an Italian "protectorate"? One cannot, after all, be "independent" and at the same time "depend" on another country for protection or secure borders. And, if Italy is going to extend this protection to Albania, to take responsibility for the security of Albanian borders, surely it is not unreasonable to expect that Italy should be given something in compensation? People of any era can denounce the idea of "imperialism" all they please but the fact is that it continues to occur and reoccur throughout history because reality intrudes on idealism and the facts of the situation result in the same sort of system coming back into being time and time again. We should simply be honest and not in denial about the facts of reality.

Messaggio di fine anno del Principe Amedeo di Savoia Duca d'Aosta

Italiani,

l’anno che sta per concludersi verrà ricordato anche perché, dopo secoli, un Pontefice ha rinunciato al suo ministero manifestando umiltà ma anche determinazione e senso di responsabilità, di cui i governanti tutti dovrebbero tenerne conto, gesto che collego al Re Umberto II che, dopo gli anni della Luogotenenza e del Regno,affrontò la via dell’esilio, con spirito di sacrificio, nell’interesse supremo della Nazione.

Quello che maggiormente mi preoccupa è la crisi economica che attanaglia e rende difficile la vita politica e sociale del nostro popolo. Auspico che il Governo decida di affrontare, senza indugi, le inderogabili necessità di tante famiglie in difficoltà,dei giovani disoccupati, dei pensionati ridotti alla miseria e abbia la volontà politica di rilanciare la produzione, sì da creare nuovi posti di lavoro e, con essi, una maggiore tranquillità economica. E’ quanto mai necessaria la pacificazione nazionale, ancora latente, in modo da consentire al Parlamento di fare tutte quelle indispensabili riforme di cui la Nazione abbisogna per renderla al passo con i tempi ed in linea con le democrazie più progredite. Auspico venga meno l’esilio per i Re e le Regine d’Italia, memoria storica per tutta la Nazione, tuttora sepolti all’estero.

Italiani, è necessario cooperare fraternamente. Il Governo deve essere attento e responsabile nella gestione della spesa pubblica ed essere a disposizione dei cittadini senza gravarli con tassazioni inique. L’avvenire della nostra Patria è sempre nei miei pensieri. La Casa che ho l’onore e l’onere di rappresentare è vicina a tutti voi, non dimenticando i Soldati che, all’estero, sono impegnati in difficili operazioni

di pace e, anche a nome di mio figlio Aimone, desidero far pervenire a tutti i più fervidi auguri, auspicando che il 2014 possa essere l’anno della rinascita morale e materiale dell’Italia.

Buon Natale e Buon Anno 2014 !

Da Castiglion Fibocchi, 25 dicembre 2013

 Amedeo di Savoia

Messaggio di fine anno del Principe Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia

Cari Italiani,

seguendo una consuetudine particolarmente cara al mio Augusto Genitore, S.M. il Re Umberto II, esco dal silenzio per condividere alcune riflessioni e soprattutto per formulare a Voi e alle Vostre famiglie l’augurio più sincero per un felice e prospero anno nuovo.

La crisi e il disagio sociale recentemente manifestatosi nel nostro Paese attraverso nuove forme di protesta ci pongono davanti alla necessità di un governo forte e di una maggioranza sufficientemente coesa per intraprendere le riforme attese da troppi anni, senza avere timore di ricorrere a elezioni anticipate qualora ve ne fosse necessità.

Travolti dalla frenesia della contemporaneità, non dobbiamo dimenticare che le risorse del nostro popolo sono infinite e lo abbiamo dimostrato in tanti momenti difficili della nostra storia. Per questo, è più che mai necessario che la politica riconsegni la parola «speranza» al nostro vocabolario, come ci ha recentemente ricordato il Santo Padre Francesco.

La speranza è il nutrimento della nostra giornata: un importante messaggio che sarà doveroso richiamare anche in vista di Expo2015.

Il Santo Natale è trascorso senza che i nostri due marò Massimiliano Latorre e Salvatore Girone abbiano avuto la possibilità di riabbracciare i propri cari, sopportando nell’adempimento del proprio dovere l’umiliazione e il sacrificio.

Desidero far giungere loro, attraverso queste poche righe, il mio memore saluto: Casa Savoia vi è vicina e attende con trepidazione il giorno del vostro ritorno in Patria!

Con l’inizio del nuovo anno, inizieranno in Europa le celebrazioni per il centenario della Prima Guerra Mondiale che per il nostro Paese cadranno nel 2015.

Non posso sottrarmi da un appello affinché questa ricorrenza non sia trascurata, augurandomi che la nostra classe politica non rimanga insensibile nei confronti delle precarie condizioni dei numerosi sacrari

militari oggi dimenticati. Questi sacelli, infatti, sono un memoriale di pietre vive della nostra storia e dei nostri valori.

La Grande Guerra è presente in tutte le case attraverso i ricordi e le testimonianze dei nostri padri. Siamo dunque orgogliosi di Vittorio Veneto e del Piave! Nessuno può pensare di cancellare queste pagine di sofferenza e di gioia.

In vista di queste celebrazioni, a nome di tutta la mia Famiglia, concorde nella richiesta, rivolgo un fervido appello affinché, entro il 2015, il Re della Vittoria, S.M. Vittorio Emanuele III, possa finalmente riposare nel Pantheon di Roma, insieme agli altri Sovrani che ancora sono sepolti in terra d’esilio.

Rivolgo un particolare pensiero alla Sardegna, recentemente colpita da una drammatica alluvione e ringrazio quanti, nel nome della mia Casa, si sono immediatamente mobilitati per portare assistenza, conforto e sollievo ai più bisognosi. Forza Paris!

Non posso concludere questo messaggio senza rivolgere uno speciale augurio all’Arma dei Carabinieri, voluta dal mio Avo Vittorio Emanuele I, nei secoli fedele, che quest’anno celebrerà il bicentenario della propria fondazione. In loro, l’Italia migliore.

A Voi ed a tutte le Vostre famiglie, ai militari in Patria e all’Estero, ai Servitori dello Stato Civili e Militari, a tutti i miei cari concittadini, formulo i migliori auguri di prosperità e di felicità per il nuovo anno.

Vittorio Emanuele

Queen Maria Cristina of Savoy, new Servant of God

On Friday, at the Vatican, His Holiness Pope Francis officially endorsed a miracle attributed to the intercession of Her Majesty Queen Maria Cristina of Savoy, consort of King Ferdinando II and mother of King Francesco II of the Two-Sicilies. Queen Maria Cristina was the daughter of HM King Vittorio Emanuele I of Piedmont-Sardinia, sister of Duchess Maria Beatrice of Modena ("Queen Mary" to British Jacobites) and Empress Maria Anna (consort to Kaiser Ferdinand I of Austria). Queen Maria Cristina died when she was only 23-years old, a few days after giving birth to the last King of the Two Sicilies but who already had a reputation for great faith and piety. In 1859 her cause for canonization was opened and 13 years later she was declared venerable. With the recognition of this miracle by the Pope the late queen is on the way to being beatified, the final step before sainthood. Religious devotion is nothing new for the House of Savoy, especially among the female members, and Queen Maria Cristina is in good company with Princess Maria Clotilde of Savoy (daughter of King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy), wife of Napoleon Joseph Charles Paul Bonaparte, who has been declared a ‘Servant of God’ and also has a cause for canonization open. Princess Maria Felicita of Savoy (daughter of King Charles Emmanuel III) had such a reputation for faith that if she has no cause open she probably should have, Queen Elena of Montenegro (wife of King Victor Emmanuel III) has a cause being considered and among the male members of the family there have been cases such as Blessed Amadeus IX and Blessed Umberto III to point to and, I would say, the case of King Charles Emmanuel IV would be worth investigating.

Italian Republic Causes Chaos

For markets around the world at least. In the United States (on another continent an ocean away) the Dow Jones plunged 216 points just before the closing bell and all because of the election results in the Italian Republic which have all the makings for more deadlock. The chronic instability of the republic continues to be a source of shame as well as trouble for countries far beyond the Italian borders, because of the interdependence pushed on everyone by the globalist crowd. Italy, the third largest economy in Europe, with more debt than any country besides Greece, could upset the economic boat of the European Union and that would upset the boat of the United States and by extension economies across the Americas and even Asia. What is the problem? When will people realize the problem? Will they ever realize it? Italian voters cannot seem to agree on which way the country should go; slightly more socialist or slightly less socialist. They are not alone of course which is why the United Kingdom has the absurd Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition (hardly) governing that country. People have become entrenched in their places in the existing political machine and nothing seems to shake that.

Of course, we could point out that, even with undeniable problems, the Kingdom of Italy was positively a rock of stability compared to the republic. Things were not always calm, but one can still measure the history of the Kingdom of Italy by breaking it up into the eras of the longest-serving prime ministers. Between Depretis, Crispi and Giolitti most of Italian history from Cavour to Mussolini is covered. Yet, if mention is made of this, you will get the usual answer of the brainwashed in their death-grip on republicanism. Restoring the monarchy would not make things better, monarchy is not practical and monarchy is not democratic. They refuse to see the truth that is looking them right in the face. True, restoring the monarchy would not cause instant prosperity but it would, undoubtedly, help. As far as not being practical; look at where the republic has delivered Italy! Is the current situation very practical? Lastly, when it comes to democracy, a constitutional monarchy is usually more democratic than most republics in the world, but one must really question the republican devotion to monarchy when Italy was lately ruled by a President who is not directly elected by the people and a Prime Minister, imposed by the EU who was not only also not elected by the Italian people but who had never been elected to any office in his life! And just to really ramp up the controversy; just how valuable is democracy when the people are given the vote at a time of crisis and respond with their votes that they effectively cannot make up their mind?

Italy is in a terrible economic position, vastly over-indebted with a top-heavy government, an addiction to spending and increasingly more people on the take than are paying into the system. The socialist house of cards is beginning to collapse around the promise-makers in Rome and yet, as the recent vote shows, even if a politician came along who was willing to do the right thing, he would be quickly voted out of office by a public that does not want to endure the pain that past poor decisions have brought down on the country. What can anyone expect to happen? Rome cannot continue to live on borrowed time and the Italian economy is too big for the EU (which means Germany) to bail out. Unless something drastic is done quickly this can only end in disaster and it will be a far reaching one. But it will be extremely difficult because, it is becoming increasingly clear, a very fundamental change in the very values (or lack thereof) and way of thinking on the part of the public will be necessary before most people would even allow themselves to consider taking the steps needed to restore the situation.

Italy, in the past, was home to the most prosperous cities and the greatest centers of wealth and business in the world and it was accomplished, to one degree or another, by rewarding success and punishing failure. Today, however, success is punished and failure is rewarded. The politician-class act as if they can do anything, selling out their own dignity and even that of their country, because they do keep getting away with it. They utterly humiliate themselves and yet are still reelected to office, time and time again because they tell their group of supporters exactly what they want to hear. It would be completely different if there was a King in Rome, someone who was part of no party but saw only Italians and who could make decisions based on what was right instead of simply what was popular. No one can prove it one way or another but I think things would not be this bad if King Umberto II had been given the chance to fulfill his birthright. After all, everything bad that King Vittorio Emanuele III predicted about a potential Italian republic has certainly come to pass. He knew it would not work for Italy and indeed it has not. The election has only proven the point yet again, a point that really should not need to be proven any more. Plain and simple the republic has totally failed Italy. That is the fact and there is no way around it. The House of Savoy should be promptly restored and with the sincere apologies of all those who have prevented it for so long. Then, for myself, I think a return to personal responsibility and a dramatic downsize in government would be in order but whatever the course of action, restoring the monarchy, with a head of state with a vested interest in the long-term success of the country, would be the correct first step. W il Re!

Our Prayers for Japan

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake has struck off the coast of Japan, 303 miles northeast of Tokyo and a tsunami warning has been issued. Details are still scarce at this point but hopefully it will not be as bad as the last such disaster, which Japan has still not recovered from. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Japanese people at this difficult time.
God bless Japan.
Long live the Emperor.