Changes

==Italians of Split==

==Italians of Split==

In the city of Split there was an [[Dalmatian Italians|autochthonous Italian community]], which was reorganized in November 1918 through the foundation of the "National Fasces" (not to be confused with Fascism) led by Leonardo Pezzoli, Antonio Tacconi, Edoardo Pervan and Stefano Selem) from the ashes of the Autonomist Party, dissolved by the Austrian authorities in 1915.

In the city of Split there was an [[Dalmatian Italians|autochthonous Italian community]], which was reorganised in November 1918 through the foundation of the "National Fasces" (not to be confused with Fascism) led by Leonardo Pezzoli, Antonio Tacconi, Edoardo Pervan and Stefano Selem) from the ashes of the Autonomist Party, dissolved by the Austrian authorities in 1915.

There were 2,082 Italians in Spilt according to the 1910 Austrian Census and they were only the 9.73% of the total population,<ref>G.Perselli, ''I censimenti della popolazione dell'Istria, con Fiume e Trieste, e di alcune città della Dalmazia tra il 1850 e il 1936'', Unione Italiana Fiume-Università Popolare di Trieste, Trieste-Rovigno 1993.</ref> but they had the best economic status in the Split society.

There were 2,082 Italians in Spilt according to the 1910 Austrian Census and they were only the 9.73% of the total population,<ref>G.Perselli, ''I censimenti della popolazione dell'Istria, con Fiume e Trieste, e di alcune città della Dalmazia tra il 1850 e il 1936'', Unione Italiana Fiume-Università Popolare di Trieste, Trieste-Rovigno 1993.</ref> but they had the best economic status in the Split society.

This census data had understated the number of Italians in the city area and this mistake seems to be confirmed by a series of subsequent events. Indeed -following the Treaty of Rapallo (1920)- the Italians of Dalmatia could opt for the acquisition of Italian citizenship instead of the  Kingdom of Serbia, Croatia & Slovenia  one (latter renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929), while maintaining residence: despite a violent campaign of intimidation on the part of Yugoslavia, over 900 families of Italian speaking "Spalatini" had exercised the option to be Italians.<ref>Luciano Monzali.''Antonio Tacconi e la comunità italiana di Spalato'' p. 165</ref> Furthermore, in 1927 was carried out a census of Italians living outside Italy: in Split and surrounding area were counted 3,337 Italian citizens.<ref>Luciano Monzali. ''Antonio Tacconi e la comunità italiana di Spalato'' p.167</ref>  

This census data had understated the number of Italians in the city area and this mistake seems to be confirmed by a series of subsequent events. Indeed -following the ''Treaty of Rapallo'' (1920)- the Italians of Dalmatia could opt for the acquisition of Italian citizenship instead of the  Kingdom of Serbia, Croatia & Slovenia  one (latter renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929), while maintaining residence: despite a violent campaign of intimidation on the part of Yugoslavia, over 900 families of Italian speaking "Spalatini" had exercised the option to be Italians.<ref>Luciano Monzali.''Antonio Tacconi e la comunità italiana di Spalato'' p. 165</ref> Furthermore, in 1927 was carried out a census of Italians living outside Italy: in Split and surrounding area were counted 3,337 Italian citizens.<ref>Luciano Monzali. ''Antonio Tacconi e la comunità italiana di Spalato'' p.167</ref>  

So, given that about 1,000 Italians (with their families) left the city following its incorporation into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and estimating a certain percentage of Italians who accepted the "forced"  Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes citizenship, it is really possible that 7,000 Italians in the Split area -as said by Antonio Tacconi- obtained membership in Italian associations of Spalato in 1918/1919: this amount is more than 3 times the data from the 1910 Austrian Census.

So, given that about 1,000 Italians (with their families) left the city following its incorporation into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and estimating a certain percentage of Italians who accepted the "forced"  Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes citizenship, it is really possible that 7,000 Italians in the Split area -as said by Antonio Tacconi- obtained membership in Italian associations of Spalato in 1918/1919: this amount is more than 3 times the data from the 1910 Austrian Census.

On November 9, 1918 two French destroyer entered the port of Split. The Italians – mostly concentrated within the old city – exposed on the windows of their homes the Italian Flag-Italian tricolor and went to the harbor to celebrate the ''Triple Entente''.  But the reaction of the National Guard (Slavs) was immediate: they entered by force in the apartments, tore down the flags, beat some of those present and damaged the furniture. Meanwhile, the Austrian commander of a ship already docked at the port (and now with Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes flag) ordered with the megaphone to remove the flags, threatening to open fire.<ref>The whole episode is described in L. Monzali,''Antonio Tacconi e la comunita italiana di Spalato'' p. 110</ref>  

On November 9, 1918 two French destroyer entered the port of Split. The Italians – mostly concentrated within the old city – exposed on the windows of their homes the Italian Flag-Italian tricolour and went to the harbour to celebrate the ''Triple Entente''.  But the reaction of the National Guard (Slavs) was immediate: they entered by force in the apartments, tore down the flags, beat some of those present and damaged the furniture. Meanwhile, the Austrian commander of a ship already docked at the port (and now with Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes flag) ordered with the megaphone to remove the flags, threatening to open fire.<ref>The whole episode is described in L. Monzali,''Antonio Tacconi e la comunita italiana di Spalato'' p. 110</ref>  

This was the first of a long series of incidents, which also saw the creation of a classic pattern of propaganda that would be found very often in the next months: the Croatian newspapers – and especially the most extreme of them, ''Novo Doba'',<ref>Novo Doba. ''Split in the interwar period'' of Z. Jelaska.(''the oblique Vrste nasilja u Splitu svjetska između dva rata'' in Istriae Acta, 10, 2002) p.391</ref> denounced the "Italian provocation". The Italians, however, created a complaint report and forwarded it to the Allies.<ref>L. Monzali,''Italians of Dalmatia'' p.69</ref> In the following days the municipal Croatian authorities of Split were forced to submit a formal apology for the incident.

This was the first of a long series of incidents, which also saw the creation of a classic pattern of propaganda that would be found very often in the next months: the Croatian newspapers – and especially the most extreme of them, ''Novo Doba'',<ref>Novo Doba. ''Split in the interwar period'' of Z. Jelaska.(''the oblique Vrste nasilja u Splitu svjetska između dva rata'' in Istriae Acta, 10, 2002) p.391</ref> denounced the "Italian provocation". The Italians, however, created a complaint report and forwarded it to the Allies.<ref>L. Monzali,''Italians of Dalmatia'' p.69</ref> In the following days the municipal authorities of Split were forced to submit a formal apology for the incident.

But other incidents and demonstrations against Italy and the Dalmatian Italians happened in other cities, like Trogir (Trau) and the Kastel (Castelli). The worst happened on December 23 when groups of fanatical Slavs destroyed the offices of the main Italian institutions in Split (the "Fascio Nazionale", the "Gabinetto di Lettura" and the "Società Operaia") and hit many dozens of Italians on the streets, while destroying a lot of Italian-owned shops. The same happened on January 6, 1919 in Trau.<ref>Luciano Monzali. ''Antonio Tacconi e la comunita italiana di Spalato''. p. 113-114</ref>

But other incidents and demonstrations against Italy and the [[Dalmatian Italians]] happened in other cities, like Trogir (Trau) and the Kastel (Castelli). The worst happened on December 23 when groups of fanatical Slavs destroyed the offices of the main Italian institutions in Split (the "Fascio Nazionale", the "Gabinetto di Lettura" and the "Società Operaia") and hit many dozens of Italians on the streets, while destroying a lot of Italian-owned shops. The same happened on January 6, 1919 in Trau.<ref>Luciano Monzali. ''Antonio Tacconi e la comunita italiana di Spalato''. p. 113-114</ref>

Italian Admiral '''Enrico Millo''', who was just promoted to ''Governor of Dalmatia'' for the area occupied by Italy, quickly sent ships to defend the Italians of Split: on January 12 arrived the destroyer "Puglia" in the port of the city, between huge protests from the Slav community.<ref>Silvio Salza. ''La marina italiana nella grande guerra'' p.808</ref>

Italian Admiral '''Enrico Millo''', who was just promoted to ''Governor of Dalmatia'' for the area occupied by Italy, quickly sent ships to defend the Italians of Split: on January 12 arrived the destroyer "Puglia" in the port of the city, between huge protests from the Slav community.<ref>Silvio Salza. ''La marina italiana nella grande guerra'' p.808</ref>

On July 27 another attack against the ''Italians of Spalato'' was done and a group of officials of the "Puglia" found refuge in a place near the docks: captain Gulli ordered a boat to rescue them, but it was blocked by some Slavs and was forced to fire "alarm shots" in the sky to get help<ref>G.Menini, Passione adriatica.'' p.207</ref>

On July 27 another attack against the ''Italians of Spalato'' was done and a group of officials of the "Puglia" found refuge in a place near the docks: captain Gulli ordered a boat to rescue them, but it was blocked by some Slavs and was forced to fire "alarm shots" in the sky to get help<ref>G.Menini, Passione adriatica.'' p.207</ref>

Soon Gulli went to the rescue with a MAS (boat), but approaching the docks found a huge crowd of nationalist Slavs. Shots were fired to the Italians and for the first time they returned fire. A hand granade was thrown to the Mas and hit the sailor Aldo Rossi and others.<ref>L.Monzali. ''Antonio Tacconi e la comunità italiana di Spalato'' p.137</ref>  

Soon Gulli went to the rescue with a MAS (boat), but approaching the docks found a huge crowd of nationalist Slavs. Shots were fired to the Italians and for the first time they returned fire. A hand grenade was thrown to the Mas and hit the sailor Aldo Rossi and others.<ref>L.Monzali. ''Antonio Tacconi e la comunità italiana di Spalato'' p.137</ref>  

Another shot hit captain Gulli, while the Italians killed a man on the docks, whose name was Matej Mis. Anyway, many versions about what happened were done in the next days, by the Slavs and by the Italians.  

Another shot hit captain Gulli, while the Italians killed a man on the docks, whose name was Matej Mis. Anyway, many versions about what happened were done in the next days, by the Slavs and by the Italians.  

In the Kingdom of Italy the reaction to what happened in Split was of rage and indignation: in Trieste fascists and nationalists attacked the Hotel Balkan (called in Slovenian language "Narodni dom" and centre of the Slav activities in Trieste) the next day.  

In the Kingdom of Italy the reaction to what happened in Split was of rage and indignation: in Trieste fascists and nationalists attacked the Hotel Balkan (called in Slovenian language "Narodni dom" and centre of the Slav activities in Trieste) the next day.  

In the following years the Italians of Spalato – under the regime rule (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes)  were continuously harassed in their institutions, schools and shops and business: they declined in a slow but steady way.<ref>Read ''Il lento declino. Gli italiani di Spalato 1922–1935'' in L.Monzali, ''Antonio Tacconi e la comunità italiana di Spalato'' p. 235</ref>

In the following years the Italians of Spalato – under the new regime rule (Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes)  were continuously harassed in their institutions, schools and shops and business: they declined in a slow but steady way.<ref>Read ''Il lento declino. Gli italiani di Spalato 1922–1935'' in L.Monzali, ''Antonio Tacconi e la comunità italiana di Spalato'' p. 235</ref>

==Notes==

==Notes==

* [[Dalmatian Italians]]

* [[Dalmatian Italians]]

 

==External links==

==External links==

* [http://www.prassi.cnr.it/prassi/content.html?id=2306 ''Gli incidenti di Spalato 1'', in ''Prassi italiana di diritto internazionale'', 1426/3 (in Italian)]

* [http://www.prassi.cnr.it/prassi/content.html?id=2306 ''Gli incidenti di Spalato 1'', in ''Prassi italiana di diritto internazionale'', 1426/3 (in Italian)]

* [http://www.prassi.cnr.it/prassi/content.html?id=2236 ''L'incidente di Spalato e reazione a Trieste'', in ''Prassi italiana di diritto internazionale'', 1356/3 (in Italian)]

* [http://www.prassi.cnr.it/prassi/content.html?id=2236 ''L'incidente di Spalato e reazione a Trieste'', in ''Prassi italiana di diritto internazionale'', 1356/3 (in Italian)]

* [http://www.brancadori.eu/Immagini/Viaggi/Museo%20Venezia/Museo_navale_VE%20(29).JPG Italian Navy: Torpediniera "Puglia"]

* [http://www.brancadori.eu/Immagini/Viaggi/Museo%20Venezia/Museo_navale_VE%20(29).JPG Italian Navy: Torpediniera "Puglia"]