At the end of WWII, the Trieste-based Allied Military Government (A.M.G. V.G.) repelled the shameful racial laws force by Italy in 1938 against the Jews. It was one of the occupying authority’s very first actions.
And indeed a much needed one. Returning civilization and justice to this land was fundamental after 25 years of barbaric Italian rule, Fascist and then Nazi occupation. During that time, Trieste, once an Habsbourg well-run, civilized, and tolerant city of Mitteleuropa ended up a symbol of the cruel Italian unity, and a core of the two bloodthirsty totalitarian regimes ideal and political union.
It is no coincidence that Mussolini chose Trieste to proclaim, on 18 September 1938, the Italian racial laws, getting in line with his German ally. From that moment, even in Trieste the Jews became outcast, regarded as sub-humans, marginalized before the “final solution”. A final solution that is only another word for genocide. Evil made human contaminated the ancient Imperial city.
Trains left Trieste deport the Jews. For many of them, it was the last voyage: their destinations were the horror of concentration camps and death camps. Because in Trieste there was also a Nazi Lager, the antechamber to mass extermination camps. Many political opponents and Jews were brutally murdered in the Risiera di San Sabba.
Trieste’s Rice Mill, turned into a prison camp during WWII. This photo depicts the doors of the cells. There are red flowers to remember all victims.
But the A.M.G. V.G. issued General Order 3, repelling Fascist anti-Jewish laws. It happened on July 3rd, 1945. The signatory is U.S. Colonel Nelson W. Monfort, and his General Order represents liberation from the dark and evil in which Trieste was drowning, as well as the city’s return to light and life.
Ultimately, Trieste’s full liberation from the horrors of Fascism and Nazism came with its independence. Because under the Treaty of Peace of Paris of 10 February 1947 the Free Territory of Trieste became a new independent European State.
This new State’s administration was provisionally entrusted to the A.M.G. F.T.T. (Allied Military Government Free Territory of Trieste, 1947 – 1954) no longer an occupation Government, but its first Government of State. One that continued repealing the leftover fascist regime’s repressive laws in the Free Territory.
In 1954, the military administration transitioned to a civilian one. Washington and London sub-entrust the exercise of this provisional administration to the Italian Government with the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Free Territory of Trieste.
Trieste’s rebirth, which had started thanks to the Allies, to the point its Free Port had quickly returned to the levels of its glorious past as first port of Austria Hungary, was slowly halted by the new Italian rule.
The Free Territory was no longer treated as an independent State to be developed. Rather, it became some “colony” to exploit. And its Free Port was inexorably isolated and marginalized by diverting its traffics to competing Italian ports.
Triestines started emigrating en masse, especially to Australia. The rigorous Allied administrations was quickly substituted by the Italian huge and inefficient bureaucracy, with its many levels of corruption.
And so, as part of a well-planned operation, the two Allied Military Governments’ efforts to repeal Italian laws incompatible with the Free Territory were ignored. Such laws were once again enforced. Including the shameful racial laws.
As late as on 8 September 1960, the Ufficio Affari Riservati (Office for Classified Affairs) of the Italian Ministry of the Interior was warning all Italian Prefects about not using the data about Jews or about people of Jewish ancestry filed in compliance with the racial laws for purposes other than opening new dossiers in view of reparations, as envisioned by the new Italian laws regarding victims of political or racial discrimination.
Among the recipients of the classified note (which sure raises many questions since the Italian State had repealed racial laws as well) there is also the General-Commissioner for the Free Territory of Trieste (since there cannot be an Italian prefect in Trieste). This officer represents Trieste’s provisional, administering civilian Government.
This is an important evidence of the Free Territory of Trieste’s continuing independence after 1954. But, unfortunately, it is also an evidence of the Italian Government’s failure to comply with the decisions of the Allies who had already repelled Italian racial laws in Trieste as early as on July 3rd, 1945.
Translated from blog “Ambiente e Legalità” – “Environment and Legality” by Roberto Giurastante
