Gabriele D'Annunzio - Wikipedia 194. The First Fascist Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the 'first' fascist, Gabriele D'Annunzio, with historian Lucy Hughes-Hallett. D'Annunzio was a key figure in Italian literature before becoming a political figure later in his life. Although never personally identifying with fascism, his ideas were hugely influential on Mussolini.
