Leone Ginzburg, born into a Russian Jewish family that settled in Italy, taught Slavic Languages and Russian Literature at the University of Turin. Through his own work, he helped introduce Russian authors to the Italian public. He lost his teaching post in 1934 because he refused to swear the required an oath of allegiance to Mussolini's Fascist government. He became a leader in the anti-fascist movement. In 1938 he married Natalia Levi Ginzburg. As Jews and anti-fascists, the couple were punished with internal exile in the Abruzzi region. After the Allied invasion of Italy, the Ginzburgs went to Rome to continue his underground resistance activities. He was arrested by the Italian police and executed by the Nazis.
