Page 64 - Mediterraneo e dintorni - nr 15

tici, economici e militari dei regni sione. A Fiume esisteva anche a Trieste contrario alla posa di
d’Italia e di Jugoslavia ma di mol- una tradizione autonomista il una statua del poeta in città!
ti altri Stati. Gabriele D’Annun- cui capo indiscusso era Riccardo L’Impresa di D’Annunzio sorge-
zio raccolse in definitiva l’invito Zanella, ma in quel primo perio- va idealmente sulle ali del Risor-
dei fiumani ad aiutarli contro le do tutti erano favorevoli al poeta gimento e per molti versi riecheg-
mire jugoslave, i cui rappresen- abruzzese e quindi per l’annes- giava nelle parole e nell’azione
tanti avevano sin dal 29 ottobre sione all’Italia. Ci è noto come in l’irredentismo, che aveva dato
1918 occupato il Palazzo del Italia non sia mai stato facile af- molti morti per la causa italiana
Governatore con il beneplacito frontare storicamente la questio- delle terre giuliane. Il triestino
franco-inglese. I fiumani Anto- ne fiumana, perché spesso confu- Guglielmo Oberdan fu il primo
nio Grossich, Salvatore Bellasich, sa col movimento fascista. A tale martire dell’irredentismo, un
Riccardo Gigante, Giovanni Host riguardo va ricordato che ancora movimento che aveva saldi idea-
Venturi e tanti altri si schieraro- oggi - e proprio in questi giorni - li repubblicani di giustizia socia-
no con D’Annunzio per l’annes- esiste un movimento di opinione le, di libertà e di rispetto tra i po-

exploits. The D’Annunzio laboratory over 200 wounded. D’Annunzio consi- Fiume after a hundred years, we are at-
remains in many ways an experience of dered the dramatic situation surrendered tracted by a fascinating utopia, the “City
intense life, animated by courage, heroi- and left Fiume on 18 January 1921. To of Life”, and pushes us to re-read and
sm and love for a more noble and beau- take advantage of the new situation was reconsider a page of evocative, complex,
tiful Italy. Of course there were negative Mussolini who, at the end of October unrepeatable history. Unfortunately for
and dramatic aspects like the bloody facts 1922, will march victoriously over Rome the city of Fiume the Yugoslav military
of the “Christmas of Blood”. The feat was at the head of the unstoppable fascist mo- occupation took place after the Second
smothered in blood after a fratricidal batt- vement. D’Annunzio was relegated to World War. The Yugoslav communists’
le. The Giolitti government stubbornly the splendid residence of the Vittoriale violence and anti-Italian politics caused
honored the commitments made with the until his death. The poet-soldier no longer the subsequent exodus of over 38,000 Ita-
Rapallo Treaty of 1920, which decreed be- wanted to take any major political action. lians and the city changed its name and
sides the renunciation of Dalmatia (only Dying of D’Annunzio on March 1, 1938, identity. Today little remains of Italian
Zara and the island of Lagosta were gran- he could not witness the collapse of fascist in Rijeka, however a community of about
ted to Italy) the Free State of Fiume. The- Italy during the Second World War and 3,000 compatriots survives there, which
re were as many as 54 dead in the clashes the serious consequences that struck Fiu- guards the Fiume dialect and promotes
between 24 and 28 December 1920 and me. In conclusion, considering the feat in Italian culture in the city.

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