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Hitler ‘was defending European civilization’? Italian professor to face discipline for Nazi tweets

The university’s rector issued a statement condemning the “shameful” posts, stating that they “offend the sensitivity of the entire University.”

By World Israel News Staff 

Italy’s education minister says a state university professor will be disciplined for Twitter posts defending Hitler.

Minister Lorenzo Fioramonti said that the rector of the University of Siena had confirmed to him that immediate action would be taken against Professor Emanuele Castrucci and added that pro-Nazi tweets should “never be joked about,” says Euronews in a combined report with the Italian ANSA wire service.

Tweets dating back to 2017, some featuring Nazi insignia, were posted by an account linked to Castrucci, who teaches Philosophy of Law and Public Policy at the university, says the report.

One tweet, including an image of Adolf Hitler, is captioned “they told you that I was a monster not to let you know that I fought against the real monsters that today govern you by dominating the world.”

Another post reads that “Hitler, even though he certainly wasn’t a saint… was defending the entire European civilization.”

On Monday, the university’s rector, Francesco Frati, issued a statement condemning the “shameful” posts, stating that they “offend the sensitivity of the entire University.”

“I have already given a mandate to the offices to activate measures appropriate to the seriousness of the case,” the rector added.

The director of the Law Department at the University of Siena reacted, as well, saying that the content of the tweets was “unacceptable,” said the Euronews and ANSA report.

Earlier, Frati reportedly had argued that Castrucci’s tweets were expressed in a “personal capacity” and that the professor “takes responsibility for it.”

This initial response was severely criticized on social media, according to the report, with the president of the Jewish Community of Rome, Ruth Dureghello, calling for Castrucci to be immediately removed.

Castrucci did not reply to an emailed request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.