Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.32728/h2023.02
Anti-Slavic Discourse and the Normalization of Fascism in the Echoes of the Proština Rebellion and the ‘Labin Republic’ in Rijekan/Fiumian and Liburnian Press
Ivan Jeličić
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* Corresponding author.
Abstract
This paper analyzes articles from the Rijekan/Fiumian and Liburnian press, i.e. Rijekaʼs daily newspaper in Italian La Vedetta dʼItalia and Lovranʼs partially bilingual Italian-Croatian weekly La Voce dellʼIstria / Glas Istre, in the period from the beginning of March to the end of April 1921. Although the newspapers did not extensively cover the events of the Proština Rebellion and the ‘Labin Republic’ in this period, due to the specificity of Rijekaʼs post-war context and the local orientation of Rijeka and Liburnian newspapers, the depictions of the aforementioned events provide an insight into the local (and non-) Italian nationalist discourse. In the short articles of La Vedetta dʼItalia, we see elements of anti-Slavic discourse (backwardness and underdevelopment), national polarization (Croats against Italians), the victimization of fascists, and the acceptance and approval of fascist violence as an integral part of enforcing public order. Some of the aforementioned elements are also present in La Voce dellʼIstria / Glas Istre, especially the anti-Slavic discourse. However, considering that Liburnia, unlike Rijeka, was already an integral part of the Kingdom of Italy, the interpretation of the events served to criticize local Istrian Croatian personalities who were politically exposed, as well as the Croatian language Istrian journal Pučki prijatelj. Additionally, in the weekly there are clear differences between writings in Italian and Croatian. While in the Italian-language articles we can see mistrust and accusations of Pan-Slavism against the Croatian and Slovenian-speaking inhabitants of Istria, on the other hand, through the texts in Croatian, there is an attempt to create loyalty towards the Italian state and the Savoy dynasty among the same population.
Keywords
’Labin Republic’; Proština Rebellion; Rijekan/Fiumian and Liburnian press; anti-Slavism; nationalism; fascism
Hrčak ID:
322462
URI
Publication date:
19.11.2024.
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