We received and are happy to publish this communication from Dr. Umberto Zuballi (for years President of the Regional Administrative Court of Friuli Venezia Giulia), sent to the editorial staff of Fatto Quotidiano regarding the Montanari issue, but not published. 

 

As an old Istrian, I cannot remain silent in the face of the current, sad controversy over the foibe. First of all, it makes no sense to compare or contrast the Day of Remembrance with that of Memory, or even with April 25. They are different moments in our history, which must be shared.

As for the Day of Remembrance, the law establishing it was approved by Parliament with a very large cross-party majority. This is a dutiful act, after decades in which the tragedy of the foibe and the exodus had been – if not forgotten – set aside. Naturally, this has nothing to do with historical judgments and even less with partisan politics. As for the sad accounting of the foibe victims, it should be remembered that the vast majority of them had the sole guilt of being Italian, just as the exodus of more than three hundred thousand Istrians, Fiume and Dalmatians was caused by the desire to remain Italian. Recently, both in Slovenia and Croatia, numerous foibe have been discovered where the remains of Slavs, opponents of Tito and others, barbarically killed in those terrible years, lie.

I invite anyone who wants to learn more to read the writings of Leo Valiani, then “Primavera a Trieste” by Quarantotti Gambini, “Verde acqua” by Marisa Madieri, the articles by Claudio Magris on the subject or to watch the play “Magazzino 18”. To delve deeper into the sad story, it may be useful to read the report of the commission of Italian, Slovenian and Croatian historians or the letters of Milovan Gilas, Tito's right-hand man, who highlighted the predominantly Italian character of the Istrian coast.

Certainly a visit to the Julian-Dalmatian quarter of Rome, not far from EUR, or to the Villaggio del Pescatore in the province of Trieste, would also be beneficial. There you will find serious, dignified, hard-working people, far from any hatred or revanchism. As Montanelli wrote, the price of a reckless war wanted by fascism was paid by an innocent people, in his opinion perhaps the best part of Italy.

There have certainly been and unfortunately still are political speculations on the foibe, on both sides, but these are squalid operations that have nothing to do with the dutiful memory of a tragedy and an injustice. In 2020, on July 13, the President of Slovenia and our President Mattarella went to pay homage to the Basovizza foiba and immediately afterwards to the monument that commemorates the Slavs shot by the fascists. Without making rankings, without silly contrasts, the two Heads of State bowed their heads holding hands. In silence. These events require silence and respect. For those who want, even a prayer.

Umberto Zuballi