Death and Legacy
Mattarella died in Rome in 1971. Journalist Gaia Servadio described him as an elegant gentleman with an elaborate and fluent discourse that disclosed his legal training. He was recognized as an able minister, in particular at the post of Foreign Trade, which he held twice.
His son Piersanti Mattarella was killed by Mafia in 1980. His assassination was probably spurred by his strong commitment against the relationships of numerous Sicilian politicians (mostly members of DC itself) with the Mafia. He was "committed to introducing a new transparency in the functioning of his party and in the Sicilian public life". However, the Mafia felt betrayed by the Mattarellas who used to be responsive to Mafia interests. According to Leoluca Orlando – former mayor of Palermo for the DC and Antimafia activist, who had been a legal adviser to Piersanti Mattarella – the rumours about his father and his party’s experiences with the Mafia were probably responsible for Piersanti’s aspiration to clean the Christian Democrat party of any such connections.
Read more about this topic: Bernardo Mattarella
Famous quotes containing the words death and, death and/or legacy:
“I don’t know much about death and the sorriest lesson I’ve learned is that words, my most trusted guardians against chaos, offer small comfort in the face of anyone’s dying.”
—Alison Hawthorne Deming (b. 1946)
“The death of a dear friend, wife, brother, lover, which seemed nothing but privation, somewhat later assumes the aspect of a guide or genius; for it commonly operates revolutions in our way of life, terminates an epoch of infancy or of youth which was waiting to be closed, breaks up a wonted occupation, or a household, or style of living, and allows the formation of new ones more friendly to the growth of character.”
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