History Princely County of Gorizia and Gradisca

1 history

1.1 province of habsburg empire
1.2 border region of italy
1.3 world war ii , post-war division

history
province of habsburg empire

the medieval county of görz had been acquired austrian habsburgs in 1500, when last meinhardiner count leonhard died without heir. habsburg suzerainty interrupted briefly venetians in 1508/09, before görz incorporated inner austrian territories of habsburg monarchy. in 1647 emperor ferdinand iii elevated görz town of gradisca immediate county descendants of privy councillor prince hans ulrich von eggenberg. after princely house of eggenberg had become extinct, gradisca re-unified gorizia in 1754, creating county of gorizia , gradisca (grafschaft görz und gradisca / contea di gorizia e gradisca).

during napoleonic wars, gorizia , gradisca fell under french rule. in 1805, of territories on right bank of isonzo river (including town of gradisca d isonzo , westernmost suburbs of gorizia) assigned napoleonic kingdom of italy. majority of territory remained part of austrian empire until 1809, when incorporated illyrian provinces under direct domination of french empire. in 1813, austrian rule restored. county established again in former borders, including enclaves of monfalcone , grado, had been under venetian control before 1797. in 1816, however, county included in wider administrative unit, called kingdom of illyria, capital in laibach. in 1849, kingdom of illyria dissolved, , austrian littoral formed, comprising county of gorizia , gradisca, trieste , istria. in 1861, territory of county gained autonomy princely county of gorizia , gradisca (gefürstete grafschaft görz und gradisca/principesca contea di gorizia e gradisca/poknežena grofija goriška in gradiščanska), crown land within austria-hungary. county had own provincial parliament , enjoyed large degree of self-government, although formally subjected imperial governor (landeshauptmann) seat in trieste, carried out government supervision whole territory of austrian littoral.

in 1915, italy entered in war against austria-hungary. western part of county devastated battles of isonzo, fought between 2 armies. in august 1916, gorizia occupied italian troops first time in history, in november 1917 austro-hungarian army threw italian forces in battle of caporetto. large numbers of population interned in civil camps around austria-hungary , italy, while half of province s territory laid in ruins.

in spring 1918, 2 mass political movements emerged in county, demanding larger autonomy within federalized habsburg monarchy. slovenes demanded union other south slavic peoples sovereign yugoslav state, while friulians demanded special autonomy western part of region, majority. 2 movements did not clash, since did not contend same territories. open issue town of gorizia, claimed both slovenes , friulians. underground movement, known italia irredenta (unredeemed italy), demanded unification of gorizia italy. dissolution of austria-hungary in late october 1918, short interim period followed, in no movement able establish authority. in november 1918, whole territory of county occupied italian military suppressed political movements challenging claims on region.

border region of italy

in november 1918, county officially abolished , incorporated in provisional administrative region of julian march. treaties of rapallo , saint germain-en-laye of 1920, whole territory of county became integral part of kingdom of italy. former habsburg policy favouring local autonomies replaced strict centralism. province of gorizia established, had little self-government compared old county. borders of new province partially changed. new province included areas of former austrian duchy of carniola assigned italy peace treaty (the districts of idrija, vipava , Šturje). on other hand, of territory in karst region, had belonged county of gorizia , gradisca, incorporated in province of trieste, while district of cervignano included in province of udine.

in 1924, province of gorizia abolished , territory incorporated province of friuli, capital udine, except administrative district of monfalcone , town of grado became part of province of trieste. in 1927 province of gorizia recreated approximately same territory, except district of cervignano del friuli remained under province of udine, , area of monfalcone , grado remained part of province of trieste. establishment of fascist regime, violent italianization of area started. policy carried out in 3 stages: first, public administration italianized, slovene , german losing previous status of official languages; second, education (both public , private) italianized; third, visual presence of slovene , german languages in public prohibited. latter included changing names of villages, prohibition use language other italian in public, prohibition give slavic names children, forcible changes of slovenian surnames, etc. policy accompanied political persecutions , intimidations. 1927, slovenian organizations outlawed, including media, publishing houses, cultural associations, financial , economic companies owned slovenian organizations. 1 publishing house, catholic hermagoras society, allowed publish books in slovene language, although religious literature. slovene intellectuals , free professionals forced leave region, many of them settled in kingdom of yugoslavia or emigrated argentina.

between 1927 , 1943, province of gorizia administrative territorial entity of fascist regime, governed government-appointed prefect , local fascist hierarchy. municipal autonomy abolished , podestà, appointed prefect, replaced elected mayors. legal political activity outside regime became impossible , of civil society institutions, @ least slovenian ones, dismantled.

in 1927, first militant anti-fascist organization, known tigr, established. organization, founded local slovenes (mostly young people of liberal, nationalist , social-democratic orientation) carried out several attacks on italian military , administrative personnel, further exacerbated situations in region. several slovenian cultural , political figures imprisoned, exiled or killed, famous being lojze bratuž.

world war ii , post-war division

the province of gorizia within operational zone adriatic coast (1943-1945)

in 1941, axis invasion of yugoslavia, situation became worse. 1942, yugoslav resistance penetrated in region bordering province of ljubljana. several important clashes between resistance , italian military happened. after italian armistice in september 1943, nazi germany occupied region, incorporating operational zone adriatic coast, led gauleiter friedrich rainer.

already in september 1943, large portions of region taken on communist-led liberation front of slovenian people, established several important bases in area, including famous franja partisan hospital. fights between communist-led resistance , nazis frequent. soon, german authorities adopted pragmatic approach regarding local slovenian population: public use of slovenian language allowed again. anti-communist collaborationist militia called slovene home guard allowed establish units in area, although had little success in recruiting locals. @ same time, politically motivated assassinations carried out communist cells within resistance movement. among victims, there several roman catholic priests , anti-fascists opposed communist ideology.

after end of world war ii in 1945, entire region liberated yugoslav people s army, forced withdraw western part. during forty days of yugoslav occupation, thousands of italians arrested communist authorities; of them released, several hundred of them perished in foibe massacres.

for 2 years, gorizia , gradisca contested region between italy , socialist federal republic of yugoslavia, divided so-called morgan line. territory west of line (including entire soča valley, lower vipava valley , of karst plateau) occupied british , u.s. forces, while east remained under yugoslav military administration. in september 1947, region divided between 2 countries: yugoslavia got of rural territory of eastern part, while of western lowlands , urban center of gorizia left italy. small portion of karst region between trieste , duino incorporated zone of allied-administered free territory of trieste (which became part of italy in 1954).

gorizia , gradisca ceased exist unified historical region. yugoslav portion became integral part of socialist republic of slovenia: of territory included in goriška region, except karst plateau, incorporated littoral–inner carniola statistical region. new urban center, called nova gorica ( new gorizia ) built between late 1940s , in 1950s. italian portion became part of friuli-venezia giulia autonomous region, included in province of gorizia.