Lino Businco

Italian Lino Businco graduated with a degree in medicine at Cagliari in 1934. He then started teaching as an allergist in Roma. In 1938, as assistant professor of general pathology at the University of Roma, he was one of 10 signees of the “Manifesto of the Race”. As deputy director of the Office of Race Studies of the fascist Ministry of Popular Culture, he was therefore responsible for the racist persecution in Italy. He studied aspects of anthropology in Sardinia, and published an article on “Arian Sardinia” in the magazine “The Defense of the Race”. He became a member of the Italo-German Committee for Racial Issues and went to Germany, where he visited the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Eventually he met Hitler and was awarded the Order of the German Red Cross.

After the war, he resumed his medical and university professional activities. In 1962, Businco held the position of director of the Biological Studies Center of the Italian branch of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. On request of the Order’s Grand Master, he was appointed Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy. This even led to a parliamentary inquiry. Businco was a man of multi-sided talents, and was also the author of popular music and some writings.