Italy ONB and GIL crosses

[claudio2574]

Hello everybody.

As suggested by Hendrik, here are a few notes about these unusual decorations.

Fascism needed a strong control over the young people, as all dictatorial governments do.
In 1926 the ONB (Opera Nazionale Balilla) was created. It was named by the young boy of Genova who throw the first stone against the invaders of his city in 1746, raising up the people.

The organisation divided the boys/girls into 4 groups:
Avanguardisti (boys 14 to 17)
Giovani Italiane (girls 14 to 17)
Balilla (boys 6-13)
Piccole Italiane (girls 6-13)

The crosses for the merit were introduced in 1933, in two sizes (big for Avanguardisti and Giovani Italiane, small for the youngers), in two metals (silver and chromed steel, being the silver ones the oldest to be used) and with two colours (blue for boys, pale blue for girls).
The design both of the cross and of the ribbon is unusual, making this decoration quite different from all others.

Here is a cross for Balilla. Not a good piece (ribbon missing, much too wearing).

The ONB organised many youth activities, including the "Campi dux". In this picture shooted in Rome, in 1936 or 1937, my father is in the third line, second place from the right. He weared the fez, which is used by the "avanguardisti moschettieri" (rifle). He was 14 or 15.

Here a picture of my mother in 1940, 15 years old (giovane italiana). She has the "balillino", a smaller version of the Carcano 91 rifle.

In 1937 the ONB was substituted by the GIL (Gioventu' Italiana del Littorio). The groups become 5, having the Giovani fascisti and Giovani fasciste in the range 18-21.
The crosses were changed too:
Giovani Fascisti / Giovani fasciste : big size / black enamel (rather scarce)
Avanguardisti : big size / blue
Giovani Italiane : big size / pale blue
Balilla : small size / dark red
Piccole Italiane : small size / light red

Now some pictures.

Giovani Italiane (diploma and cross)

Avanguardisti

Balilla

[Hendrik]

Some more pictures ... ONB on its ribbon :

[Hendrik]

and a few GIL crosses in black, red and light blue :

[claudio2574]

In Albania in 1940 was created the "Gioventu' Albanese del Littorio". The acronym was GLA, not to reply the GAL of "Gioventu' Araba del Littorio".

Here are two very scarce crosses of GLA, not mine. They were introduced by an albanese collector, Zaim Qyteza, in the Italian forum MILES

http://miles.forumcommunity.net/?t=37945726&st=15