Anarchist theorist and activist Alfredo Bonanno, a proponent of insurrectionary anarchism, died in December at his home in Trieste, Italy at age 86. Together with early 20th century anarchists, Errico Malatesta and Luigi Galleani, Bonanno was a comrade who greatly influenced Italian and international anarchism.
He began anarchist activity in the 1960s. In 1972, he published a single issue of Sinistra Libertaria (Libertarian Left) and was sentenced to two years in prison for content urging insurrection. He co-founded the magazine Anarchismo (1975-1994), and a publishing house with the same name.
In 1977, Bonnano published Armed Joy, a booklet which cost him more time in prison. He co-founded the periodical Provocazione (1987-1991). In 1989, he was arrested for a robbery in a jewelry shop in Bergamo, Italy.
In 1997, hundreds of anarchists were arrested following a bombing. Bonnano was charged with providing the theoretical basis for the group accused of carrying out the act. Sixty-eight comrades were tried, but only seven were found guilty.
In the early 2000s, Bonnano published the periodical Senza Titolo (Untitled). In 2009, he was convicted in Greece for an armed bank robbery, but released from prison a few years later due to his age. Bonanno published countless essays and reprints of the classics of anarchist thought and philosophy from the Anarchismo publishing house.
Despite being extremely divisive in the Italian anarchist movement due to his ideas and actions, he played a central role in the elaboration of contemporary anarchism, in particular, insurrectionism that favors affinity groups over formal organizations that engage in armed struggle against the state.
His publishing house, Anarchismo, continues and publishes classic books by Kropotkin, Albert Libertad, Max Stirner, Ernest Coeurderoy, Proudhon, Fourier, Rocker and many others.
Bonanno’s Anarchy and Insurrection and Anarchy and Workerism are available from Detritus Books, detritusbooks.com or AK Press, akpress.org.
Andrea Chersi lives in Italy. He has translated numerous anarchist titles into Italian. [Gender mis-stated as “she” in print edition —online archive note.]