Franz Joseph ordered the “persecution” of Italians in Trentino, Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia. According to some historians, the emperor’s decision remained only on paper. But a careful reconstruction based on original sources shows that, unfortunately, this was not the case. And this policy was the basis of subsequent tensions between Italians and Slavs… The famous – or, if you prefer, infamous – order given by Franz Joseph of Habsburg to the Crown Council on 12 November 1866 to proceed with the Germanization and Slavicization of Trentino, Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia, is a historically indisputable fact, being reported in official documentation…