Luzzatto, Gino

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LUZZATTO, GINO

LUZZATTO, GINO (1878–1964), Italian Socialist and economic historian. Born in Padua, Luzzatto graduated in philosophy and law and then lectured in economic history successively at the universities of Bari, Trieste, and Venice. He held a professorship from 1910 to 1953 except for the years 1938–45, when he was suspended because of Italy's antisemitic laws. Luzzatto supported the Socialist cause and was an indomitable opponent of Fascism. He was imprisoned by the authorities and on his release joined the underground resistance movement. During the period of antisemitic reaction in Italy his works were published under a pseudonym, Giuseppe Padovan, or with his name omitted. From 1946 to 1951 he was councilor and assessor of the municipality of Venice.

Luzzatto was active in Jewish affairs as vice president of the Venice Jewish community and president of the Italian *ort. He also wrote several essays on the economic situation of Italian Jewish communities (e.g., I banchieri ebrei in Urbino nell' età ducale, 1903²), as well as on the economy and the cooperative movement in Israel.

Luzzatto's writings extended over half a century. His main economic works include Storia del commercio dall' antichità al Rinascimento (1914); Storia economica dell' età moderna e contemporanea (2 vols., 1934, 1948), and Studi di storia economica veneziana (1954) and various volumes of Storia Economica d'Italia (1949–63).