The ruling political class in San Marino following the First World War lacked the fortitude or ability to affect change in a system that resulted in high unemployment and rampant inflation. The middle class land owners and bourgeois of the tiny land locked republic in northern Italy, were jealous of their hold on the poorer classes and in an effort to maintain their privileges they leaned towards the fascist idealism then all the vogue in Italy.
Fascist Party of San Marino
Formed in 1922, the San Marino Fascist Party was able to take advantage of the dissolution of the High and General Councils of the government. With a slate of candidates made up mostly of fascists they easily won the next election. Using Italy as a model, a new government was formed. Due to lack of internal support they were forced to rely on the Italian Fascist Party for guidance resulting in unsolicited meddling in San Marino's affairs. However, with the support of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the San Marino fascists were able to dispose of all opposition and rule unhindered.
World War II
When World War II broke out in 1939, San Marino declared itself neutral but in late June 1944, RAF bombers, mistakenly believing that German forces had overrun San Marino, bombed the railway in an effort to destroy German supplies and killed 63 civilians.
Fall of Mussolini
The invasion of Italy by the Allies in 1943 and the subsequent surrender of the fascist government two months later had strained San Marino's neutrality. The Germans rescued Mussolini and set him up with a puppet government in Northern Italy with German troops occupying the country.
Refugee State
The Republic became a refugee state over the course of the war with over 100,000 people crowding into a country with a normal population of less than 15,000. Churches, palaces, train stations, anything which would provide a roof over their heads was pressed into service to aid the refugees as the Allies fought their way up the Italian boot and through the formidable Gothic Line. When the Germans arrived they declared that Germany would not respect San Marino’s sovereignty, due to military requirements and proceeded to pass unhindred through the country. Total occupation was avoided.
Battle of Monte Pulito
Still, the war was not over for San Marino. It was not until September 1944 that the 46th British Division drove out the last of the Germans following the Battle of Monte Pulito. On September 23 the tiny republic sent its 57 man state force to assist the Allies and tossed aside its neutrality to declare war on Germany. Allied occupation would only last for two months.
San Marino Stamps
In 1943 San Marino had been about to issue a set of stamps to commemorate Fascism's beginnings when a change in the political climate demanded a change in plan. They had prepared a set of 13 regular issue and 8 airmail stamps to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Fascist Party but instead, with me fall of Mussolini the government thought it prudent to overprint the stamps to commemorate the downfall of fascism.
Bibliography
James Theodore Bent - The Republic of San Marino - Kennikat Press - 1970
Christopher Catling - Umbria, the Marches, and San Marino - Passport - 1994.
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