Banner of the Anichrist | Enzo Martucci

Written in postwar Italy between 1948 and 1949 and first published in 1950, Banner of the Antichrist is a blazing manifesto of radical individualism and atheistic defiance. As fascism crumbled and Cold War tensions rose, Enzo Martucci rejected not just political tyranny but every authority-religious, moral, familial, or social-that dares to chain the individual.

Inspired by Max Stirner, Friedrich Nietzsche, and the ancient Cynics, Martucci champions a freedom born of instinct, egoism, and revolt. He weaves anthropology, theology, and philosophy into a searing critique of justice, moral law, and both capitalist and communist systems. His anarchism flies the black banner yet stands apart from Marxist or collectivist ideals, unyielding in its solitary vision.

This English edition revives the full 1950 text, including Martucci's clashes with fellow anarchists, assaults on Christianity, and a fierce call to cast off masters and illusions. A historical snapshot of mid-century libertarian fire, Banner of the Antichrist defies labels. It provokes not to shock, but to demand that even in the freest societies, the individual bows to no one but themselves.

This is a companion to The Red Sect.