Caporegime
In Mafia groups - especially the Sicilian Cosa Nostra and the US American La Cosa Nostra - Caporegime , Capodecina or the short form Capo denote a high-ranking member within the hierarchy of the organization .
etymology
Caporegime is an Italian word for the leader of a group, derived from the Latin caput "head, head" and regimen "control, direction, government". Capodecina denotes the leader of a group of ten and is derived from decina - Italian for "ten".
The terms come from the hierarchy in the Sicilian Mafia and were borrowed from the army of the Roman Empire . However, the Cosa Nostra has also become Americanized, which means that the term “ boss ” and other terms are now also common. In the US Mafia it is customary to designate the rank with "Captain" (or externally with "Lieutenant").
For example, the Gambino family in New York City was estimated by the FBI to have approximately 3,000 members in the mid to late 1980s . These were organized as follows in accordance with the hierarchy at the time: At the top, the boss, who was assigned an underboss as a representative and right-hand man and a consigliere as a consultant. Under the underboss there were about 20 captains (or Caporegime , Capo , Capodecina ), each in command of a group. These groups consisted of ten to fifteen initiated members. Each of the members was assigned ten to fifteen followers who worked for the family but did not fully belong to it.
Smaller families like those of St. Louis may have had a similar structure, but only had five capo regimes.
function
A capo is always a full member of a mafia family and exercises leadership over the simple members ("soldati"). Compared to a military organization, his function could be identified with that of a captain . However, his tasks are completely different and motivated.
In particular, the capo is not only a figure within a chain of command, but also serves to shield the family leaders above him in the sense of omertà . This means that outsiders or lower-ranking members cannot bypass the chain of command; as a matter of principle, they will never receive a direct order from the leadership layer.
In the US Mafia, the individual “street crews” acted very independently. They only report to their capo and transfer part of their (illegal) income to him. This in turn forwards funds to higher-ranking members. It is also the point of contact for non-members, as US families also work with associates, many of whom will be denied full membership due to their ethnic origin.
Members and capos generally only act in their own faction; the number or existence of other groups - even within families - is not communicated, since that too is subject to omertà. Excessive inquiries would arouse suspicion and the inquirer would be exposed to the suspicion of being a potential pentito . In 1969, the death of mafioso Michele Cavataio was also decided because he had recorded the mafia clans of Palermo and their most important representatives on a map.
The position of capo can be a stepping stone for advancement within families; However, the position is also latent and can be lost again in the event of inability or due to power constellations within the family.
This exchange is not always peaceful and a capo regime is also under great pressure from potential successors. The Capo Dominic Napolitano commented on the undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone alias Donnie Brasco:
The whole thing is how strong you are and how much power you got and how fucking mean you are - that's what makes you rise in the mob. Every day's a fucking struggle, because you don't know who's looking to knock you off, especially when you become a captain or boss. Every day, somebody's looking to dispose of you and take your position. You always got to be on your toes. Every fucking day is a scam day to keep your power and position.
“It's all about how strong you are, how much power you have and how damn lousy you are - that helps you rise in the mafia. Every day is a fucking fight because you never know who's going to blow you away, especially if you're a captain or a boss. Every day someone wants to get rid of you and take your position. You have to be on your guard every day, every damn day is a challenge. "
Ultimately, the bosses themselves are also seen as capos in a certain way: a particularly influential head of a family, who can be assumed to hold or strive for a dominant position over the other leaders, is called capo di tutti i capi (siz-it . for capo of all capos).
Adaptations and fictions
In 1990 Paul "Paulie" Vario - Capo of the Lucchese family in New York City - became internationally known through the film Good Fellas - Three Decades in the Mafia , in which he is represented by the character Paul "Paulie" Cicero . Vario has been rated as one of the most brutal gangsters in New York City. The film does not show a single physical exercise of violence by “Paulie”, but illustrates the isolating way of working of a capo and the relationship to his associates Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke , who - in contrast to him - cannot become full members of his “family”.
In the mafia classic The Godfather , the characters Peter Clemenza and Salvatore Tessio Capos are in the Corleone family.
In the series The Sopranos , the protagonist Tony Soprano rises from capo to underboss and finally to boss. His later capos are Paulie Gualtieri, Christopher Moltisanti, Lawrence Barese, Vito Spatafore, Carlo Gervasi, Raymond Curto and Bobby Baccalieri.
literature
- Jerry Capeci: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia . Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2 .
- Roberto Saviano: Gomorrah (Journey into the realm of Gomorrah) . dtv, 2009. ISBN 978-3-423-34529-3 .
- Joseph Iannuzi: The End of the Godfather (Life and Death of a Mafia Family) . Heyne-Bücherverlag, 1995. ISBN 3-453-08859-X .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Howard Blum, Gangland - The Hunt for the Godfather John Gotti , Knaur 1996, ISBN 3-426-77232-9 , p. 49.
- ^ Obituary in the New York Times “Paul Vario, 73; Called a Leader Of Crime Group "by Mark A. Uhlig on May 5, 1988 (English)