Mario Fiorentini, decorated Italian resistance fighter, dies

ROME (AP) — Italy’s most decorated resistance fighter against fascist and Nazi forces during World War II has died at age 103.

The Rome chapter of the National Partisans Association of Italy said Mario Fiorentini died at a Rome hospital on Tuesday.

During the war, Fiorentini commanded a group of partisans that fought the regime of dictator Bettino Mussolini and then Italy’s German Nazi occupiers.

He became legendary among partisans for having escaped from Nazi-run jails four times.

Fiorentini turned down an opportunity to run for Italy’s Parliament after the war and instead pursued a mathematics degree.

He later taught at universities in Italy, Canada and the United States.

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