Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31726/via.32.8
Preparations for the Arrival of the Interallied Boundary Commission in Istria in 1946: Local Political Practices and Challenges in Zone B
Eric Ušić
orcid.org/0000-0002-8430-8509
; Filozofski fakultet u Rijeci Sveučilište u Rijeci
Abstract
This article analyzes the (pro)Yugoslav preparations for the arrival of the Interallied Boundary Commission carried out in Istria's Zone B in February and March 1946. The focus is on the political practices and agitation-propaganda activities of local organizations (People’s Committees and Communist Party units) as well as the problems and challenges faced by local activists across Istria. Based on archival material from the State Archives in Pazin, the article examines how party directives were channeled and implemented at the local micro level, and how local committees, party units, and activists interpreted, carried out, and adapted these directives to the conditions in the field. The Yugoslav authorities in Zone B enabled the direct and relatively unhindered implementation of the preparatory campaign, which included a range of symbolic activities such as creating banners and flags, writing pro-Yugoslav graffiti, activating and mobilizing the local population, forming local delegations, sending telegrams and letters, organizing public demonstrations, and more. Although structured and organized »from above,« with a clear plan and outlined steps, the article shows that the campaign in some instances and locations encountered difficulties and inconsistent implementation. The archival analysis reveals that activists faced a range of challenges and problems, such as micro-obstructions from individuals and groups, misunderstanding or disengagement from local residents, language barriers, and intercultural tensions. Additionally, the analysis shows that the campaign significantly affected the functioning of local authorities, often hindering the administrative work of people’s committees in favor of political field activities. Overall, the article provides an insight into the operational mechanisms and challenges of Yugoslav political action and organization at the micro level throughout Istria, contributing to the understanding of local processes, relationships, and practices within the broader geopolitical context of the border demarcation between Italy and Yugoslavia. The work also sheds light on the complex interplay and contrasts between top-down political approaches and bottom-up local action, highlighting the complexity and dynamics of political mobilization and everyday life in postwar Istria.
Keywords
Istria; Zone B; Interallied Boundary Commission; political mobilization; Yugoslavia
Hrčak ID:
342275
URI
Publication date:
23.12.2025.
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