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- [00:00]
Tracy B. Wilson
This is an I heart podcast.
- [00:05]
Holly Fry
Listen to your elders, honey. You might know them from their viral videos, but now the old gays are pulling back the curtain with their new podcast, Silver Linings with the Old Gays, brought to you in partnership with iHeart's Ruby Studio and Veeve Healthcare. Hosts Robert, Mick, Bill, and Jesse serve their lifetime of wisdom when it comes to love, sex, community, and whatever else they've got on the gay agenda. So check out Silver Linings with the old gays on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:36]
Tracy B. Wilson
Hey, audiobook lovers. I'm Kalpin. I'm Ed Helms. Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with our new podcast, Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.
- [00:49]
Holly Fry
Each week we sit down with your.
- [00:50]
Mario Lopez
Favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very.
- [00:53]
Holly Fry
Special guests to discuss the latest and.
- [00:55]
Mario Lopez
Greatest audiobooks from audible.
- [00:58]
Tracy B. Wilson
Listen to Earsay on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Earsay and start listening on the free iHeartradio app. Today, a new era of power has arrived with the Alienware Area 51 gaming laptops, intentionally engineered to push more power to the CPU and GPU for maximum performance. Combined with Intel Core Ultra 9 processors merging CPU, NPU, and integrated GPU into one AI optimized chip, it delivers fast, smart, and seamless performance across everything you do. So no matter what you are playing, Alienware ensures every game runs precisely as its developers intended. A new era of power is here. All you have to do is take it. Discover Area51 today at www.alienware.com area-51 laptops.
- [01:47]
Mario Lopez
Hey, what's up? It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions. Whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report@dhs.gov blue campaign.
- [02:25]
Holly Fry
Welcome to Stuff you MISSED in History Class, a production of iHeartRadio. Hello and welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly Fry.
- [02:38]
Tracy B. Wilson
And I'm Tracy B. Wilson.
- [02:41]
Holly Fry
So I wanted to do an episode on a haunted place, and so I just started kind of trawling the Internet for lists of supposedly haunted places, and one of them came up over and over and Photos of it are so beautiful and super intriguing. Spoiler alert. I think I don't believe in haunted places very much these days.
- [03:02]
Tracy B. Wilson
We'll talk about why.
- [03:06]
Holly Fry
Today's topic is an abandoned mansion which has some very colorful nicknames. It's called the Red House, the Witch's House, or even the Ghost House. But it was once a gorgeous and very luxurious mansion designed for a prominent citizen of northern Italy. And it's often described as haunted and having this dark history. Sometimes it's, you know, like the brutal murder house. I have good news. If that makes you feel squeamish, there are some interesting contradictions regarding that story. So this episode is definitely going to make our skeptics happy. But wait, you get a little bit of a twofer and we'll explain why at the end. The last segment is about a related topic.
- [03:54]
Tracy B. Wilson
So, the municipality of Cortenova in northern Italy sits about 37 miles or 60 kilometers north of Milan. It's about 7.2 miles or 11 kilometers southeast of Balano on the eastern shore of Lake Como. This is an absolutely beautiful area of the country. It's lush with forests, but it is also home to a structure that is sometimes called the most haunted home in all of Italy, and that is Villa de Vecchi.
- [04:26]
Holly Fry
So, to talk about Villa de Vecchi, we'll set the scene with the original owner, Felicia de Vecchi, who is also called Felix, which is what we'll call him by. But this particular piece of the episode gets a big fat caveat because there is not a ton of information about Felix de Vecchi available. The only resource that I could find initially that gave any of his biographical information was the Italian Wikipedia page for him. Normally we would never use Wikipedia, and there is a little more flexibility with a Halloween episode, but even so, not usually a place we would go to. However, I did pull his birth date from there. It did later get verified by something else, but he was born on February 12, 1816. And there's some more information we're going to talk about later from that Wikipedia page that I think is important telling his story. But de Vecchi was an artist. He was born into a wealthy family, but he also became a decorated hero in the Italian National Guard in his late 20s.
- [05:29]
Tracy B. Wilson
De Vecchi was living in an Italy that was not yet unified, and he went on a long trip starting in 1841 that took him through Turkey, Persia, India and Egypt. This journey was one that left a significant impression on de Veccky, who was deeply interested in learning about the cultures of the places he visited several years after this trip. In 1844, Count de Vecchi married a woman named Carolina Franchetti di Pontius. The two of them went on a long trip for their honeymoon. They traveled around to various locations throughout Italy, some of which Felix later captured in landscape paintings.
- [06:10]
Holly Fry
Yeah, we don't have a ton of painting examples of his, but there are some that have been attributed to him, and he tends to paint in a very dark sort of moody way. But de Vecchi's most famous achievement militarily was as part of what's known as the Cinque Giornate di Milano, or Five Days of Milan. So the city of Milan, of course, has its own rich history dating back to 400 BCE. Over the centuries, it became a center of power as its financial and political influence grew and became really cemented. There had often been conflicts over Milan as various European powers sought to control it, but that only intensified from the Middle Ages on. From the end of the 15th century to the military action in 1848 that made de Vecchi's reputation. Milan was ruled by, in order, France, Switzerland, Spain, France, Spain, Austria, France, Austria, France and Austria again starting in 1815.
- [07:12]
Tracy B. Wilson
From 1815 to 1848, Austria controlled the city and made it the capital of the Lombardy region. But on March 18, 1848, the people of Milan rebelled against the Austrian forces stationed there. And after five days of fighting, the Austrians left. Milan was still legally part of Austria for another 11 years, but the men who had led the fighting were lauded as Italian heroes, and Felix de Vecchi had been among them. He was well educated, well traveled, and seemed to be a man whose life was on track for success.
- [07:49]
Holly Fry
In the 1850s, Felix De Vecchi acquired a 13 hectare, that's roughly 20 acre tract of land in Cortonova, and he envisioned a vacation home for his family there. I read one account that said that he had visited the area and was so struck. It's right there, like we said, forested and by the mountains, that he just knew he wanted to spend time there because of his travels. In his earlier years, he had seen a lot of architecture from different cultures, and he wanted something unique that would incorporate classical Eastern architecture, borrowing motifs from the various styles he had seen, but particularly the ones he had seen in India. And to design this home, he hired a prominent architect by the name of Alessandro Sidoli.
- [08:33]
Tracy B. Wilson
Alessandro Sidoli was born in Cremona, Italy, on July 30, 1812. His family was not wealthy, but Alessandro was an artistic child, and his father encouraged him to pursue art. He eventually attended architecture school in Cremona and he learned technical drawing and then went to design school. Next, he moved on to advanced architecture education in Milan, where he attended the Brera Art Academy. And he had distinguished himself. He earned a number of prizes during this phase of his education. He was admitted as a member to the Milan Academy of fine arts in 1847. In between design commissions, Alessandro started teaching drawing lessons. By the 1850s, when De Vecchi reached out about this villa project, Sidoli had become well known and highly respected for a lot of luxurious building projects in Italy.
- [09:28]
Holly Fry
The home that Alessandro Sidoli designed for de Vecchi is a marvel of Neo Gothic opulence that borrows, as requested, from multiple design styles, including Eastern Classical. But it does so in a way that harmonizes all of them into one cohesive style. It is designed specifically for its mountain setting, and it almost blends into that setting. Despite being obviously a fancy home. And part of that is because local stone was used in its construction. The mansion features an exterior that's defined by its pointed towers, arches, buttresses and rose windows. The towers, which rise up all around the mansion's roof, were each designed with a specific view in mind to take advantage of the home's elevated site.
- [10:17]
Tracy B. Wilson
And the surrounding area is beautiful, but it would have been spectacular in the 1850s when the home was built, there was detailed landscaping and surrounding gardens, complete with a pressurized fountain. They were designed to sort of extend the design of the home. The exterior of the house was painted red and it still retains the nickname the Red House, although today that paint has faded and more than half of it has chipped away.
- [10:44]
Holly Fry
Yeah, There are theories as to why it was painted red, whether that was just something that de Veccky really loved, or if it had some meaning or borrow from something he saw in his travels, but we don't know. The interior of the house was designed to be just as thoughtful and intricate as the exterior. It is a three story structure. It consists of a basement, a ground floor and an upstairs floor. The basement was a work area. The kitchen was down there, as well as food storage and laundry areas. So basically, the places where the help would be on the ground level were all the areas where people would gather, including the dining room and the guest bedrooms were also on the ground floor. And the upper floor was where de Veccki's bedrooms and family private spaces were initially. This home was also planned to have an observatory on the top floor, but that was never completed for a reason we are about to mention.
- [11:38]
Tracy B. Wilson
There are full wall frescoes and detailed woodwork. The home was thoroughly modern for its time with plumbing and heating. Even the furniture was part of the grand design and drew from the design education that Sidoli got as a youngster and incorporated into his comprehensive rendering for the villa. Construction began on the massive luxury project in 1854. But very deep into the construction process, Alessandro Sedoli died suddenly. That left the team to continue building without his leadership. This was when the observatory and some additional details were omitted from the construction plan.
- [12:20]
Holly Fry
Yeah, it had like another year to go when he died. And once the villa was completed, Felix de Vecchi and his family spent their summers and at the Cortanova property. And then after less than a decade in the house, unimaginable tragedy struck. Maybe we're going to talk about what happened, what little we know, and whether that is even true after we pause for a sponsor break.
- [12:48]
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- [13:47]
Holly Fry
Listen to your elders, honey. You might know them from their viral videos. But now the Old Gays pull back the curtain on their brand new podcast Silver Linings with the Old Gays, brought to you in partnership with iHeart's Ruby Studio and Veeve Healthcare. With over 300 years of experience between them, hosts Robert, Mick, Bill and Jesse serve four lifetimes of wisdom when it comes to love, sex, community and whatever else they've got on the gay agenda. Listen in to these fabulous friends switching swap stories exploring how queer life has evolved over the decades and the silver linings they've collected along the way. Each episode dives into hot topics from safe sex and online dating to untangling Gen Z lingo as well as insights on how music, art and fashion show up in queer culture, so check out Silver Linings, a show about how pride ages like fine wine. Available on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up?
- [14:49]
Mario Lopez
It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report@dhs.gov blue campaign.
- [15:27]
Tracy B. Wilson
A new era of power has arrived with the Alienware Area 51 gaming laptops, intentionally engineered to push more power to the CPU and GPU for maximum performance. Combined with Intel Core Ultra 9 processors merging CPU, NPU and integrated GPU into one AI optimized chip, it delivers fast, smart and seamless performance across everything you do. And with the new Cryo chamber design, Airflow is focused exactly where it's needed most. Fused with Alienware's enhanced thermal solutions, it creates a higher power output without raising noise levels, allowing you to play with confidence even during the most demanding marathon gaming sessions. So no matter what you're playing, Alienware ensures every game runs precisely as its developers intended. A new era of power is here. All you have to do is take it. Discover Area51 today at www.alienware.com area-51 laptops.
- [16:31]
Holly Fry
Okay, first is the usual version of the story regarding Villa de Vecchi as it unfolds holds in most places you will find online. In 1862, Felix De Vecchi was away from the villa at Cortenova on a military action, but his wife and daughter were still there when the Count returned to their vacation home after being away. The scene before him was anyone's worst nightmare. His wife was dead, she had been murdered. His daughter was nowhere to be found. In the way this story is told in English language sources, Deke launched a year long investigation before he reached a point of such despair that he died by suicide. But this is another moment where I'm invoking the Italian language Wikipedia page because that story is very different and to be clear, I am not fluent in Italian and I ran it through a translator and had a friend look at it. While his story there is sad, it is not at all the trauma that has been attached to the story in the murder kidnapping version. So in the version his Wikipedia page Felix's wife actually died in 1851 of presumably natural causes, before this house was ever built, leaving him with two young children to raise alone, a son and a daughter who were born in 1846 and 1850. And Felix did not die by suicide. He died from liver disease in Milan in 1862. So it seems that the main story that's used as the groundwork for haunting claims at Villidavecchi is not really true at all.
- [18:05]
Tracy B. Wilson
So knowing that this murder story is apparently unsubstantiated, it turns into a fun exercise to kind of hunt down the iterations of the murder of de Veccki's wife. And we're specifically not saying Carolina, because she was already deceased at the time this murder supposedly happened, and she was not a murder victim. So with that out of the way, here are some of the wilder variations on the murder story. One is that the murder was particularly grisly and that the wife's face was possibly disfigured during it. One of Holly's favorites is that the disappeared daughter was the murderer. Also, some of the murder lore ties back to de Veccky's status as a patriot and a liberation hero. So there's this suggestion that the murder and the kidnapping were politically motivated and that they were part of a larger plot against de Veccki by his enemies in retribution for his various activities on the part of the Italian National Guard.
- [19:07]
Holly Fry
It does seem that after Felix's death, which again seems to have been strictly from liver disease, his brother Biaggio, which is sometimes spelled with just an O on the end and sometimes an IO, assumed ownership of the villa and custody of the children. But Biagio, who did not share his brother's artistic vision, made a number of alterations to the home, which shifted its style to have fewer design touches borrowed from Eastern design. The mansion is largely just as it was built in terms of its basic structure, although it has had a significant amount of degradation and collapse. But it stayed in the de Vecchi family, passing from Biagio to his children and so on for the next 80 years.
- [19:53]
Tracy B. Wilson
By the 20th century, the house already had a reputation associated with darkness and the occult. So much so that former podcast subject and well known occultist Aleister Crowley visited and stayed several nights at the villa. This would have been during the time he was working on his book the Diary of a Drug Fiend, which came out in 1922. Because he was kicked out of Italy in 1923 after one of his followers died in Sicily under strange circumstances, our Aleister Crowley episode which discusses all of this was published on October 4th of 2021, and we just ran it as a Saturday classic.
- [20:37]
Holly Fry
Once Crowley became associated with the villa, the rumors about this property exploded. All of which were very much in line with the kind of talk that often accompanies stories of Crowley. It seemed as though an endless string of unsubstantiated accusations and rumors began. The house was said to be used by deviants for massive orgies. Some versions of this story say that even after Crowley had been booted from Italy, his followers would still go to the villa and do this. Keep in mind, if you're thinking of the timeline, Biagio's descendants were still living there then, so that doesn't seem very likely. Stories of murders on the property started to circulate, as did claims that people went to this property specifically to die by suicide. Throw in some sacrifice stories. There are rumors that both humans and animals were sacrificed there. And Villa de Vecchi became the most haunted house in Italy, by reputation, if not by evidence.
- [21:39]
Tracy B. Wilson
In the years just before World War II, the family moved out. The villa was reportedly empty in 1938. The details of why they moved are not clear. After the war, the de Vecchi family did not return to the home. It changed owners several times over the next 15 years. Although none of the subsequent owners ever lived there, it's been considered abandoned since 1960. Some sources indicated that the property went up for auction a number of times and received no bids, but Holly could not substantiate that. It reportedly even reached a point where it was made available to any potential owner if the person receiving the property would legally agree to restore it. But the estimated cost of that restoration is so high that nobody ever took the offer. Additionally, the Italian Environment Fund has worked to bring public awareness to the villa.
- [22:38]
Holly Fry
Yeah, it's not clear and it's my fault because it's how I wrote it, but that offer of, like, if you'll restore it was literally like, then you can have it for free.
- [22:45]
Tracy B. Wilson
It's yours.
- [22:46]
Holly Fry
Yeah, similar to there are instances of places in Italy, there's always those things you'll see circulate of. You could buy a house for $500, and it's like, yes, some of those exist, but you have to sign a lot of paperwork that promises that you will restore it and take care of it.
- [23:03]
Tracy B. Wilson
It requires 5 million euros of work.
- [23:06]
Holly Fry
Literally was, I think, the lowest estimate that I saw for just getting this property to a point where it was not going to be dangerous to people anymore was $6 million. And that's like bare bones just fixing the things that are about to fall. So nobody wanted to do it. The home's 20th century reputation as a haunted place and Crowley's name specifically being connected to it, has actually been the source of a lot of the property's modern day problems. After Crowley's visit, and even more so after World War II when it was empty, the site became a destination for people interested in the occult's or in Crowley specifically. And a lot of them broke into the mansion and while they probably didn't have orgies or sacrifice anything, they sure did vandalize it. And that vandalism got worse and worse as the early issues went unrepaired. And then things kind of spiraled to a point where literally if you look at pictures, every interior wall and many of the exterior surfaces have been spray painted or just willfully damaged.
- [24:14]
Tracy B. Wilson
The stories of ghost activity have persisted. Locals claim that you can hear a piano playing in the house. Every full moon there is still a piano in the house, although it has no legs and has collapsed. It seems likely that the story of the piano playing emerged after somebody trespassed in the abandoned house and saw it there. Stories circulate in the area and among tourists drawn to the property that Count de Vecchi is still there on the property. And there are claims that you can hear a woman screaming tied to this murder story that doesn't have any hard evidence.
- [24:54]
Holly Fry
In 2002, an avalanche destroyed most of the neighboring homes, although Villa de Vecchi sustained only minor damage. And this event only added to its mystique as people started to say that the house must have been spared due to some sort of paranormal intervention.
- [25:12]
Tracy B. Wilson
In 2015, there was a significant development in Felix de Vecchi's story. He owned a manor house in row at the edge of Milan and there his travel diary from the early 1840s was found. This was full of information about his travels. It was considered a culturally significant find because it brought de Veccky's inner thoughts into focus after a lot of this information about him had faded from the historical record. Additionally, it reveals a lot about life in pre unification Italy and why de Vecchi became so invested in his political stance of resistance against countries that occupied Italian cities. He recognized the importance of cultural identity in other countries and wanted to foster a scenario where Italy could develop its own identity. The travel journal became the inspiration and main feature of an exhibit titled Caravan Journal. The Rediscovered Manuscript the Orient through the Eyes of a forgotten Milanese patriot, Felice de Vecchi, which ran in the Villa Berba in row in October of 2015. This exhibit was jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, the Lombardy region, the Province of Milan and Expo 2015.
- [26:32]
Holly Fry
In a 2018 interview with Atlas Obscura, a man named Giuseppe Negri joked that he was the ghost of Villa de Vecchi. He said, quote, the reality is there are no ghosts. The ghost was me. Villa de Vecchi was our life, our family. My great grandfather was the villa's gardener, same as my grandfather. At our little home, we used to organize cheerful dinners and lunches where we sang, played music and laughed in response to the idea that the house is haunted and that occult rituals were performed there. Negri dismissed it by frankly saying, quote, it's all crap made up by crazy people. These people would sneak into the villa at night and smash up the doors. We decided to dress up like ghosts with bed sheets in order to scare them off. We were organized. I stayed at the door while my brother in law hid upstairs. He got them running towards me and bam. Boots were pretty common back then, so you could hear the sound of me beating them. Tack, tack. It was a blast. Negri also mentioned punching one of his employees in the face in a case of mistaken identity. He thought the man was one of these intruders who had snuck into the mansion and he went to investigate. And that is when the accidental punching happened. Negri also kind of sadly mentioned that he could no longer bear to go inside the structure because its state, after years of vandalism and neglect, really disgusted him. He said of the once beautiful home, quote, to me, it was heaven on earth.
- [27:59]
Tracy B. Wilson
Because of the many scary stories told about it, Villa de Vecchi has drawn the interest of a lot of people curious about its tragic history and spooky reputation. But there's another group of people who have an interest in visiting, and that's architects. It's said to be a pilgrimage for some architects to visit the property and see just how impactful Sedolia's design still is, even in this state of decay today.
- [28:27]
Holly Fry
Villa de Vecchi is often touted strictly as a ghost house, but there have been a number of efforts to preserve the villa. In some cases, these have not been focused on attempting to restore the site, as there's been so much vandalism and degradation over the decades that it would be just a monumental task that would involve the need for massive funding.
- [28:46]
Tracy B. Wilson
But as recently as 2023, there have been interesting ideas about how Villa de Vecchi could be managed and rehabilitated. Going forward. In a dissertation titled Adaptive Reuse of Villa de Vecchi into a Public Library, author Maham Enam laid out a potential plan for the site to be sustainably adapted for modern use in a way that would control the influx of visitors and prevent further damage. To be clear, this is a dissertation. It's not like a governmental initiative, but it outlines the way young architects might think about spaces like Villa de Vecchi and how there could be a way forward for them to have a functional life in the future.
- [29:30]
Holly Fry
For now, though, this site is still in a very precarious state. There is wire around it to prevent unwanted visitors, although whether that's effective in keeping anyone out is pretty debatable. There are lots of very recent photographs from inside the house, so obviously people are getting in. The government also has prevented anyone from working on the house, in part because of its hazardous position and the likelihood that another avalanche or rockslide might happen in the area. So it seems unlikely that this particular mansion will be developed anytime in the near future as a public space.
- [30:07]
Tracy B. Wilson
It turns out there is actually another abandoned Villa de Vecchi with its own Interesting. And we will get to that one after we hear from the sponsors that keep stuff you missed in history class going.
- [30:23]
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- [31:23]
Holly Fry
Listen to your elders honey. You might know them from their viral videos. But now the old Gays pull back the curtain on their brand new podcast Silver Linings with the Old Gays brought to you in partnership with iHeart's Ruby Studio and Vive Healthcare with over 300 years of experience between them, hosts Robert, Mick, Bill and Jesse serve four lifetimes of wisdom when it comes to love, sex, community, and whatever else they've got on the gay agenda. Listen in to these fabulous friends, swap stories exploring how queer life has evolved over the decades and the silver linings they've collected along the way. Each episode dives into hot topics from safe sex and online dating to untangling Gen Z lingo, as well as insights on how music, art, and fashion show up in queer culture. So check out Silver Linings, a show about how pride ages like fine wine. Available on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [32:25]
Mario Lopez
Hey, what's up? It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions. Whether you're a parent, teacher, coach or neighbor, check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report@dhs.gov blue campaign.
- [33:03]
Tracy B. Wilson
A new era of power has arrived with the Alienware Area 51 gaming laptops, intentionally engineered to push more power to the CPU and GPU for maximum performance. Combined With Intel Core Ultra 9 processors merging CPU, NPU, and integrated GPU into one AI optimized chip, it delivers fast, smart and seamless performance across everything you do. And with the new cryo chamber design, Airflow is focused exactly where it's needed most. Fused with Alienware's enhanced thermal solutions, it creates a higher power output without raising noise levels, allowing you to play with confidence even during the most demanding marathon gaming sessions. So no matter what you're playing, Alienware ensures every game runs precisely as its developers intended. A new era of power is here. All you have to do is take it. Discover Area51 today at www.alienware.com area-51 laptops.
- [34:07]
Holly Fry
We mentioned before the break that there is another Villa de Vecchi, and this one is located not in Italy, though it has ties to Italy. It's located in Greece, on the island of Rhodes, and it is historically significant, and that historical tie is to fascism. It was built by a man who shared a last name with Felix de Vecchi. Although it is unclear if they were related, I have seen some write ups that suggest they are distantly related, others that say they are not. I think it's a fair bet that somewhere along the line they may have an ancestor in common, but we don't know.
- [34:40]
Tracy B. Wilson
Cesare Maria de Vecchi was born into a middle class family on November 14, 1884, in Casale Manferrado. That is also in northern Italy, although it's on the opposite side of Milan, about 100 kilometers, or 62 miles southwest of it. As a teenager, he enrolled in the Naval Academy, but did not stay there. He enrolled in law school instead at the University of Turin and then went into law practice after graduation.
- [35:10]
Holly Fry
Yeah, I saw one biography that basically suggested that he could not hack military school. In the period of World War I, when Italy remained neutral, Cesare served in the military and rose to the rank of second lieutenant. Then, when Italy entered the war, he fought and rose to the rank of captain. In 1919, he joined the Fascist combat group. He also became the president of the Turin Fascist Party. He described himself as, quote, a militant Catholic and an unreserved monarchist. From there, he continued to rise through the ranks of Mussolini's Fascist regime, as the dictator became prime minister on October 31, 1922, and then gained and expanded his power.
- [35:54]
Tracy B. Wilson
In 1936, De Vecchi was made governor of the Dodecanese Islands, which Italy had controlled since 1912. And one of his first orders of business there was to ensure that the main island of Rhodes had a palace worthy of Mussolini. This was also intended to be a centerpiece for the island. Culturally, this was important because it would make it entirely clear that Italy was in charge.
- [36:20]
Holly Fry
There was an existing palatial structure in place on Rhodes. That was the palace of the Grand Master, which was built by the Knights hospitaller in the 1300s. By the time Cesare de Vecchi got to Rhodes, that particular building was something of a ruin. He had a vision, though, to rebuild the site with a grand palace. Sometimes this is described as a renovation, and other times the wording makes it sound like a full rebuild. We're about to talk about a problem. That might be the reason those words are used interchangeably.
- [36:54]
Tracy B. Wilson
This project started in 1937 and lasted for three years. The design of the new villa is like the other Villa de Vecchi, a blend of architectural styles. In this case, it was Italian Renaissance with Gothic touches. This villa is often touted as being Mussolini's vacation villa, which he never actually used. But while it may have been intended for Mussolini to stay there, it was also intended to be Cesare de Vecchi's base of operations on the island. So to that end, it included office spaces and reception facilities, all of which were decorated with a blending of medieval and Fascist design.
- [37:37]
Holly Fry
Aside from being a symbol of Fascist Ideology. The construction of the new villa also obliterated parts of the original structure, erasing its history. Because this was a case where Italy was rebuilding a Greek structure and discarding elements of it in the process, it was seen as both cultural appropriation and erasure simultaneously. And this controversy was going on as this was being built. But all of it was very intentional on De Vecchi's part. He had been tasked with establishing Mussolini's fascist regime in the islands in a way that was going to be obvious, clear and imposing, and he definitely succeeded.
- [38:18]
Tracy B. Wilson
At the end of the war, De Vecchi surrendered his division and went into hiding as he was sought by the puppet state of the Italian Social Republic. After the show trial known as the Verona trial, De Vecchi had been in favor of ousting Mussolini, so the dictator's surviving remnant sentenced him to death. He fled to Argentina with forged papers in 1947, but returned to Italy two years later. He died in Rome in 1959 at the age of 75.
- [38:50]
Holly Fry
Meanwhile, Mussolini was shot on April 28, 1945. The villa on Rhodes was abandoned completely by 1947, and much like the Villa de Vecchian Cortenova, it fell victim to vandalism and became largely covered in graffiti. Unlike the Cortenova property, though, you are welcome to visit the villa on roads and it draws a lot of tourists. Today it is called the Mussolini Villa just as much as the Villa de Vecchi.
- [39:19]
Tracy B. Wilson
In 2014, the Greek island villa was listed on the market with the hope that someone would take a 50 year lease on the property. This was part of a larger effort by the Greek government to leverage various properties of significance in the hope of paying down the country's debts. The group of 14 properties were advertised as potential hotel spaces. Three were for sale outright and the rest of them, like this one, were offered as long term leases. In July of 2020, it was reported that the villa was still on the market. Throughout the effort to monetize these properties, the Greek government has faced criticism that it was selling off its history to the highest bidder. But Greek officials have pointed out that prospective investors are likely to bring more light on them on the international stage than what they're currently getting.
- [40:11]
Holly Fry
Also, I didn't hear anything suggesting that this particular one is haunted. Just FYI, other than haunted by the ghost. The specter of fascism. Yeah, it's interesting the way it's written about today as being one of those historical places that is significant because it shows the opposite of what the island's culture and desires were. So it's a fascinating spot. I have cute, cute, cute Listener mail. Are you ready?
- [40:46]
Tracy B. Wilson
Yes.
- [40:46]
Holly Fry
Okay, this is from our listener Abby who writes hi Holly and Tracy. I hope you ladies are having a great week despite the crazy times we are living through these days here in the us. There are two reasons for this email. The first is to say you two are doing the heavy lifting and getting me through my work days and keeping me sane after any exposure to current news. Thank you. I have been listening for years and find your voices to be so calming and at the same time entertaining. Anyway, enough gushing. Honestly, thank you. The second reason for this email, and the reason I'm excited about it is that I was just listening to an old episode where Holly mentioned that her family raised the same breed of dogs that are written about the fox and the hound. I know that she means red bone coonhounds and I knew I just had to write in about our dog Cliff, picture included. Don't worry, I just couldn't help myself. We rescued Cliff about two and a half years ago. As a nine year old guy, he had lived a hard life as a bear hunting dog in Vermont. We introduced him to the comfort of living with dinks, including treats, toys, going up and down stairs and the beach, none of which he had experienced before. We're so happy to have him with us in his retirement because he is just the sweetest, best boy. However, we never had a hound dog before and boy has it been an experience with a steep learning curve for us. We wouldn't change a thing though. Anyway, enjoy the pic of Cliff and thanks again for keeping me sane. He certainly appreciates it. Abby is exactly correct. My family bred red boned coonhounds and Cliff is adorable.
- [42:15]
Tracy B. Wilson
He is. I remember these pictures. Yes, extremely cute.
- [42:20]
Holly Fry
Cliff. Cliff is great because he has that thing that a lot of dogs get on hound breeds. It seems extra pronounced to me, but I could be wrong where they get gray hair around their muzzle and it's so sweet. Cliff is a distinguished gentleman, but I do know exactly what she's talking about with hound dogs which are notoriously willful and have minds of their own and can be very smart and sneaky at times. But also like some of the sweetest dogs on the planet, if you earn the loyalty of a coonhound, that dog is your dog for life. Cliff is so sweet I want to kiss his distinguished gentleman snout and I hope he is having the best day ever. Cliff, you are very lovable. Thank you Abby for sending this to me. This was a great trip down memory lane. I haven't really spent a lot of time with coonhounds in my recent years, so it's a nice little flashback. If you would like to write to us and tell us about your dogs, your cats, your squirrels, your birds, bird watching, I'm into it. Share that. Spiders, lizards, snakes. Trying to think of anything I wouldn't want to see a picture of. Even bugs. I'm good with it. Tracy may feel differently. I'm not speaking for everybody.
- [43:32]
Tracy B. Wilson
No, all that's fine.
- [43:32]
Holly Fry
Okay, great. I just didn't want to, you know, presume to be like, send us pictures of your cockroaches. And you'd be like, holly, stop.
- [43:41]
Tracy B. Wilson
No, that's fine. Cool.
- [43:42]
Holly Fry
All right, then we got. We got plants. You could do any of that@history podcastheartradio.com you can also subscribe to the show on the iHeartRadio app or anywhere you listen to your favorite podcast.
- [43:59]
Tracy B. Wilson
Stuff youf Missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
- [44:12]
Mario Lopez
Hey, what's up? It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report@dhs.gov blue campaign.
- [44:50]
Tracy B. Wilson
Hey, audiobook lovers. I'm Kalpen. I'm Ed Helms. Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with our new podcast, Hearsay. The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.
- [45:02]
Holly Fry
Each week we sit down with your.
- [45:04]
Mario Lopez
Favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very.
- [45:07]
Holly Fry
Special guests to discuss the latest and greatest audiobooks from audible.
- [45:11]
Tracy B. Wilson
Listen to Earsay on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Earsay and start listening on the free iHeartradio app today.
- [45:20]
Holly Fry
Wouldn't it be great to never buy gas again? EVs are as easy to charge as your phone, and they are a perfect addition to your everyday life. Most people are only driving about 40 miles a day, and most EVs can handle 200 to 400 miles of range on a charge. And there are hundreds of EV models available today, so there's something perfect for every lifestyle and budget. I drive an ev. I've had it for a couple of years. It's my favorite car I've ever owned. It is so fun to drive. The pickup is incredible. It's super agile and it is easy to maintain. The way forward is electric. Learn more@electricforall.org get ready to power up your play with Nintendo Switch 2. Power up the visuals with 4K support and a bigger, more vivid screen. Power up the fun with exclusive new games like Mario, Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong bonanza. Nintendo Switch 2 all together, anytime anywhere games rated E to E10 plus games.
- [46:22]
Tracy B. Wilson
And systems sold separately.
- [46:23]
Holly Fry
Compatible TV required for 4K display.
- [46:25]
Tracy B. Wilson
This is an iHeart podcast.