Calogero "Don Calò" Vizzini (24 July 1877–10 July 1954) was the Mafia boss of Villalba and its mayor from 1943 to 1954. A traditional and revered capo, Vizzini's apparent support for the Allied Powers during World War II and his backing of whichever political affiliation benefited his own interests made him one of the most notorious and famous figures in Mafia history, even leading some to mislabel him as the "capo dei capi" or "boss of bosses".
Biography[]
Early life and career[]
Vizzini was born to a Sicilian family in Villalba on 24 July 1877. His two brothers both became priests, but the semi-literate Vizzini never made it past elementary school and went on a criminal path, engaging in cattle theft and extortion. Early on in his career as a mafioso, Vizzini acted as an intermediary between warring peasants, and his generosity and effectiveness in this field earned him great rewards, such as a large portion of land from the estate of a wealthy duke in 1908. By the start of World War I, Vizzini was the absolute boss of the Mafia in Villalba, and he provided horses and mules for the Italian cavalry. In 1917, Vizzini was tried and sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud, corruption and murder, but was exonerated thanks to his well-placed contacts. Following his trial, he expanded into the black market and sulphur mining, and his notoriety led him to establish a stable relationship with future Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, financing a part of the expenses for his March on Rome in October 1922. Despite this, once Mussolini kicked off his campaign against the Sicilian Mafia in 1926, Vizzini was prosecuted along with various other mafiosi of that time, being exiled to Basilicata in 1931. Vizzini scoffed at his treatment by the State, however, and ultimately returned to Villalba in 1937, where no one dared to go after him again.
World War II[]
Vizzini riding a tank encouraging Fascist soldiers to stand down, 1943
During the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, Vizzini reportedly aided the American war effort by riling up Villalba's peasants and encouraging them to join him in the fight against Mussolini's Blackshirts, with Vizzini allegedly getting inside an M4 Sherman tank and crossing into the town of San Martino, discouraging fascist soldiers from continuing the fight, which convinced them to lay arms and surrender. He purportedly collaborated with American Mafia boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano, who supplied him and his men with heavy artillery for combat. After the Mussolini regime was kicked out of Sicily, the Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories were looking for prominent anti-fascist figures to fill legislative spots in individual cities and towns, and in Villalba, Vizzini was sought after as a staunch opposer of fascist ideals despite having aided Mussolini's coup d'état years earlier, so he was made mayor of Villalba shortly after the invasion. It is said that as one of his first acts as mayor, Vizzini had all documentation of his past criminal record burned, and he acted as a cheery and popular mayor, being greatly admired by the citizens while casually engaging in Mafia activity.
Politics[]
Vizzini's funeral procession, 1954
Initially a supporter of the Sicilian Independence Movement, Vizzini switched up his political affiliation in 1945 in favor of the surging Christian Democratic Party, which was greatly supported by many other Mafia leaders of that era. His support for the party was also motivated by a desire to keep the Communist Party out of power. Vizzini's anti-Communist views were so all-encompassing that when Communist anti-Mafia politician Girolamo Li Causi held a rally at Villalba's city square in 1944, Vizzini had his men interrupt his speech by firing at the crowd, disrupting the event. He was subsequently tried for attempted manslaughter but was never convicted. Vizzini continued consorting and engaging in business deals with U.S. Mafia leaders such as Luciano, Vito Genovese and Angelo Bruno well into his old age, dying on 10 July 1954 aged 76. His funeral procession saw thousands of mourners including mafiosi, politicians and priests, and his obituary read "His 'Mafia' was not criminal, but stood for respect of the law, defense of all rights, greatness of character. It was love"