Alcide De Gasperi

Italian politician who played a leading role in post-war European integration.
De Gasperi oversaw the reconstruction of his country after World War II. He served as Prime Minister of Italy between 1945 and 1953, a period during which democracy was established in Italy and economic reconstruction took place.
De Gasperi had a broader vision—that of international cooperation as a basis for peace. He was the man behind Italy’s inclusion in the American Marshall Plan and NATO. Under his leadership, strong ties were developed between his country and the United States, no small achievement given that Italy had one of the largest communist parties in Western Europe at the time.
From the end of the war onwards, De Gasperi was a fervent supporter of European unity, believing it was the only way to prevent future wars. He drew strength from a clear vision of a united Europe, which would not replace states, but would allow them to function complementarily, cooperate, and support one another.