Stefano Siglienti
Stefano Siglienti | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1898-01-17 Sassari, Italy |
| Died | 1971-04-05 Rome, Italy |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, statesman |
| Years active | 1920s–1971 |
| Known for | Italian Minister of Finance (June–December 1944) |
Stefano Siglienti (1898–1971) was an Italian financier and statesman who occupied the role of Italian Minister of Finance from June until December 1944. He maintained significant leadership roles in banking throughout his lifetime.
Early life and education
Born on 17 January 1898 in Sassari to Alberto Siglienti, a lawyer, and Francesca Conti, Siglienti completed his legal studies by obtaining a law degree in 1921.
Career and activities
Following his secondary education, Siglienti embarked on a banking career at a local institution in Sassari. During World War I, he served as a second lieutenant and was honored with a royal award in 1918. As one of the founders of the Sardinian section of the Action Party, he joined the Sardinian Land Bank in 1923, advancing to deputy director general by 1945. After moving to Rome in 1925, he contributed articles to periodicals including Il Mondo and Il Becco Giallo. In 1929, alongside Riccardo Bauer, Ugo La Malfa, and Raffaele Mattioli, he established the anti-fascist resistance group Giustizia e Libertà.
On 19 November 1943, Siglienti was detained by the Schutzstaffel and incarcerated at Regina Coeli prison. With assistance from his wife Ines—who was also engaged in anti-Fascist efforts—he managed to escape captivity. This evasion prevented his involvement in the Ardeatine massacre of March 1944. In June 1944, he was appointed Minister of Finance within Ivanoe Bonomi’s government, a position he held until December of that year.
Between March and December 1945, Siglienti acted as commissioner and subsequently president of Banca IMI. That same year, he became a member of the National Council and was appointed president of the Italian Banking Association, maintaining this leadership role until his death in 1971.
Personal life and death
In September 1924, Siglienti married Ines Berlinguer, sister of politician Mario Berlinguer. The couple had four children: one son, Sergio (1926–2020), and three daughters named Lina, Laura, and Francesca. Stefano Siglienti passed away in Rome on 5 April 1971.