Original scientific paper
Croatian Historical Context of the Paris Peace Conference and Treaties (1946-1947)
Petar Strčić
; Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The Croats from Istria and the part of the Kvarner Islands on the Adriatic Sea had never until 1943 been a constituent part of any Croatian state, not even of their native homeland, even though, in general, the first Slavs, later named Croats, inhabiting the territory of Croatia were found precisely in Istria (according to the Official Acts of the Holy See from 599 and 600). The aforementioned Croats, mostly serfs, colons and slaves had for centuries been under the governance of the Roman, Germanic, Austro-Hungarian, later Italian, German and Hungarian masters. The same applies to the remaining parts of the Croatian and Slovenian Adriatic coast. However, the ethnic consciousness was firmly preserved owing to the Saint Cyril and Methodius’s disciples, the Old Slavic/Old Croatian religious services, the Croatian Glagolitic script and the Chakavian dialect, the cultural, legal and other related Glagolitic foundations. That is how the people’s, and later on during the “era of nations”, the national modern consciousness developed. The Great- Italian national irredentist movement emerged in the 19th century in the united Apennine Savoy Empire; it particularly reached for the east Croatian and Slovenian Adriatic coast. The Irredenta dovetailed with the fascist movement in the 20th century twenties. – In 1915 the Entente convinced Italy into joining World War I against its hitherto allies, Vienna and Berlin, promising Italy the parts of the east Adriatic coast. However, Rome did not demand the city of Rijeka. In 1918 the coast became part of the State of Croats and Slovenes (it had the seat in Zagreb), which was formed in the part of the disintegrated Austria-Hungary; however, the Kingdom of Italy occupied the part of that coast. By the Treaties with the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (it had the seat in Belgrade), the Kingdom of Italy obtained the parts of the Croatian and Slovenian coast (including Rijeka). The constant repression took place even in the “liberal” fascist Kingdom of Italy, as well as the violent exodus of all Austrians, Czechs, Hungarians, Slovaks and around one hundred thousand Croats and Slovenes. – During World War II the antifascist war emerged alongside the coast led by the Communist Party of Croatia (branch of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia). The movement taking place in the Slovenian coastal region and the Croatian Istria during the capitulation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1943 decided on the union with their native homelands Slo-venia and Croatia. – The military triumph in 1945 and the publicly expressed will of the predominantly Croatian and Slovenian population during the “cold war” between the great powers of the triumphant antifascist coalition did not suffice for the hitherto Roman regions to become part of the antifascist Yugoslavia and within it, of their native homelands – the federal republics. Only at the Paris Peace Conference in 1946-1947 the Western great powers suddenly suspended their support for the Republic of Italy and began supporting the Federative People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. Perhaps that change occurred due to the revelation that Tito was not Stalin’s quisling, which was confirmed in 1948 in a public dispute between Moscow and Belgrade. In the meantime, as a result of Stalinists` operations in the area, a considerable number of Italian and Croats was forced into exodus. Paris Treaties conceded the entire disputed Croatian coast to Yugoslavia, i.e. Croatia, however not the Slovenian part of the coast nor Trieste. That was confirmed in 1954 and 1975 by the Treaties between Belgrade and Rome. – The Republic of Italy still reaches for the east Adriatic coast which is unquestionably Croatian and Slovenian, however it does not reach for the undoubtedly Italian canton in Switzerland.
Keywords
Croatian part of the Adriatic coast; history; Paris Peace Conference and Treaties (1946-1947)
Hrčak ID:
35552
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2008.
Visits: 3.796 *