The Birth of L'Ufficio Moderno

Illustrated cover of the March-April 1927 issue of L'Ufficio moderno. The cover features an artistic depiction of Mercury seated with a quill and surrounded by office materials, symbolizing progress and innovation in business practices.

Image of the Winged Mercury, used for the first covers of L'Ufficio Moderno. Biblioteca Bocconi.

Founded in 1926 by Francesco Muscia, L’Ufficio Moderno was popular from the start. With the subsequent arrival of Guido Mazzali as director, the magazine became a "hub for studies and meetings for the modern business organization" and in 1929 L'Ufficio Moderno was also established as a publishing company.

During those years, L’Ufficio Moderno found a stable and recognizable formula, with the opening editorials always signed “Us” and regular columns edited by Mazzali using creative pseudonyms like: “Consensi e dissensi” by Labarre, “Libri in vetrina”, “Opinioni giuridiche”, “Idee progetti realizzazioni”, “Gli altri fanno così”.

Table of contents page from L’Ufficio Moderno, featuring the magazine title at the top and a list of article titles, authors, and page numbers arranged in columns below.

Contents. L'Ufficio moderno, Anno 3, n. 2 (Feb. 1928).

Table of contents page from L’Ufficio Moderno, with the magazine title at the top and a list of article titles, authors, and page numbers below, enclosed within a decorative border.

Contents. L'Ufficio moderno, Anno 4, n. 4 (Apr. 1929).

Magazine page titled “Idee, Progetti, Realizzazioni,” with columns of text accompanied by diagrams, a sample filing card, a decorative quotation panel, and a small illustration of a person standing beside a desk.

The Column "Idee progetti realizzazioni". L'Ufficio moderno, Anno 7, n. 2 (Feb. 1932).

Magazine page with columns of text and a large diagram of a filing card system in the center, accompanied by technical illustrations and section headings.

The Column "Idee progetti realizzazioni". L'Ufficio moderno, Anno 7, n. 2 (Feb. 1932).

Page titled “Libri in vetrina,” decorated with an illustration of an open book and foliage at the top, followed by columns of text containing book reviews.

The “Libri in vetrina” column. L’Ufficio moderno. Anno 3, n. 2 (Feb. 1928).

Page titled “Opinioni giuridiche,” featuring the article “Il professore è un impiegato?” and columns of text beneath a decorative header with legal and book-themed illustrations.

The “Opinioni giuridiche” column. L’Ufficio moderno. Anno 3, n. 10 (Oct. 1928).

Page titled “Consensi e dissensi,” featuring a decorative banner at the top and columns of text below discussing different topics.

The “Consensi e dissensi” column. L’Ufficio moderno. Anno 3, n. 2 (Feb. 1928).

Printed page headed “Una notizia che vi può interessare,” featuring the article title “La trasformazione dell’Ufficio Moderno” and two columns of text.

The transformation of L’Ufficio moderno into a publishing company. L’Ufficio moderno. Anno 4, n. 10 (Oct. 1929).

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Guido Mazzali

(Suzzara 1895 – Milan 1960) He was a politician, journalist and advertiser.

An activist in the Socialist Party, on the eve of the First World War, was a key figure in the campaign against Italy's entry into the war.

After the war, he came to Milan to start at the editorial office of Avanti! He worked there until 1926 when Italian Racial Laws prevented him from working as a journalist.

From 1927 to 1938, Mazzali was director of the business organization and advertising technical magazine, "L'Ufficio Moderno."

In 1940, he was arrested and sent to prison, returning to freedom only after the fall of Fascism. Provincial and regional secretary of the PSI, in 1948 he was elected a Member of Parliament.