The Mask of a “Smiling Do-gooder”. Attempt at a Portrait of Emanuel (Manko) Gagliardi

Authors

  • Mario Stipančević Croatian State Archives, Zagreb, Croatia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22586/csp.v56i3.34463

Keywords:

Emanuel Gagliardi; biography; espionage; Ustasha movement

Abstract

Emanuel Gagliardi (1885-1942), an unusual figure in the social milieu of Zagreb at the end of the 19th and in the first half of the 20th century, has rarely been discussed in Croatian public discourse and historiography. Due to his tumultuous life marked by involvement in military, law enforcement, intelligence, and political spheres of society, most reports have relied on difficult-to-verify notes of contemporaries, which almost unanimously portrayed him as a negative personality. These records have been confirmed from original archival sources and available literature, proving that he was indeed a person of twisted morals, prone to violence, financial malpractices, and espionage – all under the guise of political activism in the name of protecting the Croatian national interests. In addition to the above, the discussion also touches upon Gagliardi's role in the creation of the (émigré) Ustasha movement as well as upon his role in shaping the personality of Ante Pavelić, indirectly contributing to the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia.

Published

2025-07-30

How to Cite

The Mask of a “Smiling Do-gooder”. Attempt at a Portrait of Emanuel (Manko) Gagliardi. (2025). Journal of Contemporary History, 56(3). https://doi.org/10.22586/csp.v56i3.34463