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
Magda Fontanges for life, as well as being exiled her from Paris and any other "large French town" for 20 years. Fontanges was quoted as saying upon the conclusion of the trial: My only regret is that I wasn't hanged with the Duce instead of his last mistress, Clara Petacci. Fontanges was then imprisoned in the women's prison in Mauzac from 1948 to 1952. Due to health reasons, in 1952 she is released to house arrest in Melun, however Fontanges moved to Paris with the intention of managing a bar, and was arrested again for not respecting the terms of her parole.