Benito Mussolini January 1945 by Madeleine Mollier, a few months before he was captured and executed by Italian anti-fascist partisans, he stated flatly: "Seven years ago, I was an interesting person. Now, I am little more than a corpse." He continued: On 25 April 1945, allied troops were advancing into northern Italy, and the collapse of the Salò Republic was imminent. Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci set out for Switzerland, intending to board a plane and escape to Spain. Two days later on 27 April, they were stopped near the village of Dongo (Lake Como) by communist partisans Valerio and Bellini
Clara Elisabeth von Platen Clara Elisabeth von Platen Clara Elisabeth, Countess von Platen - Hallermund (14 January 1648 - 30 January 1700, Schloss Monplaisir, in what is now the Von-Alten-Garten in Hannover) was a German noblewoman, most notable as the mistress of Ernest Augustus (Elector of Hanover, father of George I of Great Britain) and for her involvement in the Königsmarck Affair. The eldest daughter of Georg Philipp von Meysenbug-Zuschen and his wife Anna Elisabeth von Meysenbug, Clara Elisabeth's father tried to get her and her sister Catharina positions at the French court at Versailles. When this attempt failed, he placed them at the