The term "axis" was first applied to the Italo-German relationship by the Italian prime minister Benito Mussolini in September 1923, when he wrote in the preface to Roberto Suster's Germania Repubblica that "there is no doubt that in this moment the axis of European history passes through Berlin" (non v'ha dubbio che in questo momento l'asse della storia europea passa per Berlino).
Istilah "axis" digunakan pertama kali dalam hubungan Italia-Jerman oleh PM Italia Benito Mussolini pada September 1923, ketika ia menulis dalam kata pengantar untuk Germania Repubblica karya Roberto Suster, bahwa "tidak ada keraguan bahwa pada saat ini poros sejarah Eropa sedang melewati Berlin" (non v'ha dubbio che in questo momento l'asse della storia europea passa per Berlino).