In the future, give support to historical-scientific research with the involvement of the associations and research centers of the Julian-Dalmatian exiles

The Julian-Dalmatian Community of Exiles must return and be considered a subject and not an object of History and political choices. Therefore, give course, supporting immediately, qualified historical studies on delicate and divisive subjects regarding the Italian victims during and after the Second World War.

The question of victims during and especially after the Second World War concerns not only Italy and Slovenia but also Italy and Croatia.

Very important initiatives have been carried out with Croatia in the past and also recently regarding war burials.

Some important contributions over time from Exiles' associations on the issue of victims and human losses

In the past, Senator Lucio Toth (national president of ANVGD) committed to participating in the work of the joint Italian-Slovenian commission on various issues relating to the Eastern border.

This Commission produced a document (in 2000) which was defined by Prof. Roberto Spazzali as "a starting point with some shadows".

Since then, despite Slovenia having delivered to the Mayor of Gorizia years ago a list of over a thousand Italians deported after May 1945 by Yugoslav partisans, very little has been done.

It is worth remembering the studies published over time on the Italian victims by the ANVGD “Padre Flaminio Rocchi” study centre.

FIUME – The Patronage of the then President of the Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage for the Italian-Croatian research on the victims of Italian nationality in Fiume and its surroundings from 1939 to 1947.

The experience of the Society of Fiumani Studies in this field is remarkable for the quality of its research. In 1998, a collaboration was established between the Society of Fiumani Studies and the Croatian Institute for History in Zagreb, which then gave birth to the bilingual volume Victims of Italian nationality in Fiume and its surroundings 1939-1947, published in 2002. Work presented in Rome, Zagreb, Rijeka, Trieste and Bologna. Furthermore, the recent recovery of the fallen from the Castua pit was an operation possible thanks to the research carried out by the Society of Fiumani Studies. The participation for 15 years of Dr. Marino Micich, designated by FederEsuli in 2005, as a member of the government commission for the granting of an honor to the relatives of the victims pursuant to law 92/2004.

Published in its time but in need of updating, the Golden Book of the Fallen in Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia edited by Luigi Papo (published by Unione degli Istriani), a necessary source for any research on the Italian victims and human losses on the eastern border from 1940 to 1947.

Enhance the archives and documents of the National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia and the National League on the issue of those disappeared in the foibe and concentration camps.

Exhibitions and documentation relating to Yugoslavian foibe and concentration camps by the IRCI of Trieste.

Resume initiatives aimed at exhuming the remains of Italian victims in Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia supported by Federesuli. I recall the cases carried out with the full cooperation of the Croatian counterpart exhumation of the Italian fallen from the Castua Pit and the Ossero Pit (in 2019).

Proposals to place commemorative stones on the many foibe, places of death, existing in the Istrian, Rijeka and Dalmatian territories.

Participation in university initiatives on the subject of the victims of the exodus: “Nicolò Cusano” University and the Society of Fiumani Studies promoted the “Master on the Exodus and the foibe: a cultural heritage not to be forgotten” promoted in 2020. Other initiatives in the recent past have been promoted by Coordinamento Adriatico with high-level university researchers.

At this historical moment, remembering the work carried out on the victims' issue by the various associations and institutions of the Julian-Dalmatian exiles is more necessary than ever.

Dr. Marino Micich
Director Archive Historical Museum of Rijeka