Augusto Malacria

Augusto Malacria appears as a former Arditi captain among the five men who lay in wait for Giacomo Matteotti in Rome and took part in seizing him. His first move begins the confrontation, but Matteotti’s resistance unsettles the attackers’ plan and leaves Malacria on the ground.

Identity and Background

Malacria was a former captain of the Arditi, the son of Nestore, described as a valiant general. The account places him among five former Arditi who had served in the trenches and been incarcerated; they shared experience of military and prison life before joining the operation against Matteotti.

His criminal record is also specified: Malacria had been convicted of fraudulent bankruptcy. The detail places him among the group’s former offenders for non-political crimes, a background presented alongside their wartime service and imprisonment rather than as a separate explanation for his participation.

Role in the Seizure

The five men had been watching Matteotti for days and studying his routine. When he unexpectedly walked beside the river, Malacria was the first to put his hands on him. Albino Volpi, described as strangely reluctant, had only pointed Matteotti out to his companion.

The attempted seizure did not proceed smoothly. Matteotti struggled, and Malacria stumbled and fell. Volpi then moved in, but Matteotti resisted him as well. Malacria’s opening action therefore marks both the start of the attack and its first interruption: the target was not taken without a fight.

Narrative Function

Malacria is defined in this episode chiefly through position and action: a former Arditi officer with a criminal conviction, one of five men assigned to the operation, and the first to make physical contact with Matteotti. The contrast between the attackers’ deliberate surveillance and the deputy’s unexpected resistance gives his brief appearance its narrative force. Malacria initiates the seizure, but the scene’s momentum turns on the failure of that first attempt to control Matteotti.