The Horrible Execution of Galeazzo Ciano, Mussolini's son-in-law and four other members of the Grand Council of Fascism.

The Horrible Execution of Galeazzo Ciano, Mussolini's son-in-law and four other members of the Grand Council of Fascism.

On 10 January 1944, Galeazzo Ciano, Mussolini's son-in-law, and four other members of the Grand Council of Fascism are sentenced to death for treason in the Verona Trial.

Spartacus has detailed the sham trial in War against Humanity Episode 94, but we thought we'd take a closer look at the experience of Ciano himself.

On 10 January, public prosecutor Andrea Fortunato sentences the defendants to death with the proclamation: ˝Thus I have thrown your heads down before Italian history and perhaps even my own, but it is well, provided that Italy live.

While in his cell, Ciano prepares a plea for clemency, which he sends via courier to Mussolini at Lake Garda.

 He also prepares three documents in case this attempt at saving his life fails.

The first is a preface to his diaries, which he entrusted to his wife, Edda.

The second and third are letters to King Victor Emmanuel III and Winston Churchill.

Ciano is denied holy communion and confession until late into the night, after which guards hear him nervously pacing around his cell.

At Lake Garda, Ciano's letter arrives, but one of Mussolini's senior party members receives it first and withholds it for fear of Hitler's reaction if Ciano survives.

Mussolini will not see the letter until the following morning.

The execution will take place tomorrow morning and be delayed until 09:00 to allow for filming.

 Ciano and the others will be brought out and sat down in chairs facing away from the firing squad and with their hands tied.

Just before the order to fire, Ciano will twist in his chair to yell 'Viva l'Italia'.

The executioners, thanks to either incompetence, frail nerves, or bribery, will nearly miss.

 Pietro Caruso, head of the Rome police, will deliver the coup de grâce with a pistol.

While these events unfold, Edda crosses the border into Switzerland with her husband's diaries.

 She will learn of her husband's fate three days later and decide to hand the diaries to the Allies.