The Black Lions were an

anti-fascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...

resistance movement formed to fight against Italy during the

occupation Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, th ...

of the Ethiopian Empire in the Second World War. As Bahru Zewde notes, in spite of its "marginal impact on the Resistance" the Black Lions made "eloquent attempts to give the struggle coherent ideological and political direction."

History

The movement was founded in western Ethiopia, and included fighters such as the Shoan ''

Ras Ras or RAS may refer to: Arts and media * RAS Records Real Authentic Sound, a reggae record label * Rundfunk Anstalt Südtirol, a south Tyrolese public broadcasting service * Rás 1, an Icelandic radio station * Rás 2, an Icelandic radio sta ...

Abebe Aregai '' Ras'' Abebe Aregai (18 August 1903 – 17 December 1960) was an Ethiopian military commander who, during the Italian occupation, led a group of resistance fighters (collectively known as the ''Arbegnoch'' or "Patriots") that operated in ...

, and a number of intellectuals who included the sons of Hakim Workneh Eshete and

Heruy Welde Sellase '' Blatten Geta'' Heruy Welde Sellase ( Ge'ez: ብላቴን ጌታ ኅሩይ ወልደ ሥላሴ ''Blatten-Geta Həruy Wäldä-səllase''; 8 May 1878 – 19 September 1938) was a Foreign Minister of Ethiopia and a writer in Amharic. Bahru Ze ...

, and

Yilma Deressa Yilma Deressa (21 September 1907 – January 1979) was an Ethiopian politician. He served as Finance Minister (1957–1970) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1958-1960), Ambassador to the United States, and member of the Ethiopian Senate. John Spenc ...

. Its chairman was Alemework Beyene, a veterinary surgeon educated in Britain. The organization had a constitution consisting of ten points, which included: asserting the supremacy of the political sphere over the military, injunctions against mistreating peasants and prisoners of war, forbidding its members from seeking exile and urging them to prefer death to capture by the enemy. The group was effectively disbanded following the surrender of the ''Ras''

Imru Haile Selassie Leul Ras Imru Haile Selassie, CBE (Amharic: ዕምሩ ኀይለ ሥላሴ; 23 November 1892 – 15 August 1980) was an Ethiopian noble, soldier, and diplomat. He served as acting Prime Minister for three days in 1960 during a coup d'état ...

18 December 1936. The majority of its members were killed by the Italians following the unsuccessful attempt on Rodolfo Graziani's life on 19 February 1937. The few survivors included Alemework and Yilma.

Details

The Black Lions dominated the early resistance movement in Ethiopia. Members of the Black Lions included students from the Holeta Military Academy and foreign-educated Ethiopians. The military academy was founded in 1935 and is located in Holeta Genet. The Black Lions convinced ''

to join them in the armed struggle since he was part of the dynamics that created the movement. ''Ras'' Imru was appointed by

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (emp ...

Haile Selassie as prince regent in his absence. ''Ras'' Imru was to reorganize and continue to resist the Italians. To do this, he fell back to

Gore Gore may refer to: Places Australia * Gore, Queensland * Gore Creek (New South Wales) * Gore Island (Queensland) Canada * Gore, Nova Scotia, a rural community * Gore, Quebec, a township municipality * Gore Bay, Ontario, a township on Manito ...

in southern Ethiopia. On 19 December 1936, after the Italians pinned him down on the north bank of the

Gojeb River The Gojeb River is eastward-flowing tributary of the Omo River in Ethiopia. It rises in the mountains of Guma, flowing in almost a direct line its confluence with the Omo at . Its canyon provided the former Kingdom of Kaffa an important defensive ...

, ''Ras'' Imru surrendered. The Black Lions organization then collapsed, and many of its members were murdered.

Footnotes

References

1936 establishments in Ethiopia 1936 disestablishments in Ethiopia 20th century in Ethiopia African resistance to colonialism Yekatit 12 National liberation movements Organizations established in 1936 Organizations disestablished in 1936 Rebel groups in Ethiopia World War II resistance movements Anti-fascist organizations {{Africa-org-stub

History

Details

See also

Footnotes

References