July 13th, 1920: Trieste’s Kristallnacht

Požig Narodnega doma / L’incendio del Narodni dom / The arson of the Narodni dom (Courtesy of Mario Tomarchio)

July 13th, 1920: Trieste’s Kristallnacht

The rich life and diverse activity at the Narodni domwas brought to an end on July 13th, 1920 through an arson attack by Fascist extremists and nationalists. After rallying on Piazza Unità d’Italia, they attacked numerous Slavic establishments in Trieste: they targeted cafés, shops, banks and offices, the Yugoslav consulate, and above all the Narodni dom. The fire, which was only extinguished the following day, destroyed the modern premises, books, musical instruments, and archives—a great part of the cultural heritage of Trieste’s Slovenian community.

The burning of the Narodni dom was only the first manifestation of intolerance. The burning of the Narodni dom was followed by twenty-five years of repression and persecution of the Slovenians, whom the Italian state first deprived of the right to their native language, and then, by closing schools, imprisonment, and deportations, even the right to exist.

“It was not evening above Via Commerciale; the conflagration rose above the roofs as though from the sun, melting and bleeding into the darkness. The Opicina Tramway stood still; the trees in Ralli Park were motionless in the red light. And the two simply ran onward, holding hands, while the sparks from Piazza Guglielmo Oberdan flew through the air above them . . . Piazza Oberdanwas filled with people shouting in the red light. Around the large building, men in black shirts were dancing and yelling Viva! Viva! They ran back and forth, waving their arms, and calling out Eia, eia, eia!Others shouted back: Alala! Then the horns of the fire engines sounded through the throng, and the tumult was even greater because the men in black would not allow the wagons to approach. They surrounded them and clambered aboard, tearing the firefighters’ hoses from their hands.”
Boris Pahor, Bonfire in the Port trans. Donald Reindl
Italian Culture
The Slovenian National House in Trieste, 1920.
The Workers House in Trieste, 1920.
Wheat fields in Istria on fire.
Fascist threat during the elections.
The heart is becoming as tough as a rock.
Shall Slovenian workers’ homes continue to burn?
The old woman is dying at her prayers.
Slovenianness is a Progressive Factor.
Humanism is a Progressive Factor.
A humanistic Slovenianness: synthesis of evolution.
Gandhi, Gandhi, Gandhi!
Edinost is burning, burning,
Our nation, choking, choking.
Srečko Kosovel, The Golden Boat trans. Bert Pribac and David Brooks

Vito Timmel, L’incendio del Balkan (Museo Revoltella, Trieste)

(Courtesy of Mario Tomarchio)

(Courtesy of OZE NŠK)

(Courtesy of OZE NŠK)

(Courtesy of OZE NŠK)

(Courtesy of OZE NŠK)

Pogled na Vojaški trg iz požganega Narodnega doma / Piazza della Caserma vista dall’interno del Narodni dom bruciato / View of Piazza della Caserma from the Narodni dom after the arson (Courtesy of OZE NŠK)