The prestigious setting of the Castelvecchio Unified Army Club in Verona hosted the awards ceremony for the 20th edition of the "Gen. Loris Tanzella" Literary Prize, organized by the Verona Provincial Committee of the National Association of Venezia Giulia and Dalmatia, under the patronage of the Municipality of Verona.

This year, too, the works awarded by the jury chaired by Professor Loredana Gioseffi (President of the ANVGD Verona) provided a broad overview of the history, narrative, and poetry inherent to the Italianness of the Eastern Adriatic. Individual stories of persecution, abandonment, resilience, and rebirth come together like pieces of a larger mosaic called the exodus; archival research provides material for new research and more appropriate contextualization; and far-reaching and sustained projects, thanks to the commitment of new generations of exiles and native Italians. Many aspects of the history that General Loris Tanzella learned about through his wife, Maria Silvi, an Istrian exile, wanted to honor his memory by promoting a literary competition now in its twentieth year.

The audience included not only the winners of the event, who received their awards from the jury members (Professor Lodredana Gioseffi, Professor Donatella Stefani Veronesi, Dr. Andrea Tenci, and Professor Lamberto Amadei), but also many institutional representatives and leaders of Julian-Dalmatian associations. [LS]

 SPECIAL JURY PRIZE

DANTE ADRIATICUS PROCEEDINGS OF INTERNATIONAL STUDY CONFERENCES Rome, July 1, 2021 – Verona, October 9, 2021 – Pula, November 13, 2021

with Donatella Schurzel, Giuliana Eufemia Budicin, Maria Grazia Chiappori, Lorenzo Salimbeni, and Barbara Vinciguerra

The volume "Dante Adriaticus" commendably restores the Adriatic region's full integration into the European cultural movements that, over the centuries, have played a significant role in the reading of the Divine Comedy and the dissemination and understanding of Dante. Bringing together the proceedings of three separate conferences held in Rome, Verona, and Pula between July and November 2021, the volume features numerous essays by scholars specializing in Dante's work, the tradition and memory of the Divine Comedy in Italy, and a concluding keynote address by Giulio Ferroni, author, among other things, of a well-known journey through the Italian locations mentioned in the poem. The various contributions explore from multiple perspectives the connection between Dante and the northeastern Adriatic region (Istria, Fiume, and Dalmatia), analyzing both specific textual references to the peninsula's borders, such as the famous passage from Canto IX of the Inferno, "as at Pola, near the Carnaro, which Italy encloses and bathes its borders," and the contribution that that same area has made over time to Dante studies and cults in Italy. Essays on the places and medieval history of Istria are complemented by those that highlight the contribution the northern Adriatic has made, from the earliest centuries, to the dissemination of the Divine Comedy (ancient manuscripts and prints), to the renewal of Dante's imagery from the Risorgimento onward, and to the presence of Dante-inspired works in the arts. The volume thus represents a particularly rich and prestigious contribution to the contemporary process of valorizing the Italian language and culture in the eastern Adriatic.

TESTIMONIALS SECTION

FIRST PRIZE

Geppino Micheletti (1905-1961) Life, works, and awards of the doctor who was the hero of the Vergarolla massacre

by Duccio Vanni

The book is a historical essay of extraordinary importance, drawing on archival sources and firsthand accounts from the family of Dr. Geppino Micheletti, a surgeon whose professional excellence was inextricably linked to the tragic events on Italy's eastern border. The name of the heroic surgeon is one of the best known within the vast world of Julian-Dalmatian exiles, yet even those approaching these historical events for the first time cannot help but be overwhelmed by the intensity of this life story, dedicated to others and to his profession.

This is therefore a crucial book for reviving the figure of Geppino Micheletti. The story unfolds as the surgeon who, after the Vergarolla massacre that killed over one hundred people in Pola (this year marks the eightieth anniversary of the tragedy), operated continuously for over 24 hours to save the survivors, despite being informed that his two young children were among the confirmed victims.

This act of extreme self-denial earned him the Silver Medal for Civil Valor.

The volume provides a faithful portrait of Micheletti's professional and personal life, which, even after the events of Vergarolla, continued to distinguish itself through an exemplary dedication to work throughout his life.

The author, a university professor of History of Medicine, proposes that Dr. Micheletti's work be fully incorporated into the university curriculum of healthcare studies and made known to future medical and surgical professionals, given the heroic surgeon's outstanding virtues and qualities, not only technical and professional, but also ethical and human.

FIRST PRIZE EX AEQUO

A LIFE HANGING BY A THREAD “Remembrance Day” and Erminia's story

edited by Rossana B. Mondoni

As the author cites, “Erminia Dionis is a firsthand witness with her own unique, exemplary story, as she was able to draw strength from a misfortune and become a positive role model for all of us.” It is the image of a broken childhood and a prematurely achieved maturity, but without resorting to extremism or thoughts of revenge, with impeccable clarity, she recounts her experiences, particularly those of her cousin Norma Cossetto, whose tragic death deeply affected her. At the age of just 15, she was forced to flee Istria, to which she was deeply attached, for having spat on Norma's rapist, and reached Trieste, where she lived for several years as a stateless person, without an identity. Supported by extraordinary courage, a decisive personality, and an impregnable strength of will, she resolutely followed her vocation and passion for fashion, which completely engrossed her. In Trieste, she opened her own tailoring shop, establishing herself as a prestigious designer and pattern maker, garnering success and honors in the fashion world.

"But in his heart there is always his little ancient world: the old Istria, the sweet dialect, the blue sea, the Italian flag.".

The book, in its entirety, also includes significant testimonies not only from Erminia's family, but also from illustrious figures in the exile community, historians, and several journalists, writers, and politicians who knew her. It is enriched with important and useful teaching aids, making it accessible to students, including maps illustrating the eastern border area. The Historical Tables, edited by Piero Tarticchio, add value to the work, guiding the reader in understanding the complex and tragic events of the eastern border. Finally, a photo album recalls important moments in Erminia's life, highlighting her admirable commitment as an eyewitness to the tragic events that involved her personally and in the activities of the Julian-Dalmatian exiles' association.

SECOND PRIZE

Fogolèr Story of an Istrian family

by Grazia del Treppo

HONORABLE MENTION

ROVIGNO AND GRADO sisters in Sant'Eufemia

by Tullio Svettini

HONORABLE MENTION

"Albona and Albonesi: One Hundred Years and One Hundred Photos of Eval"

by Maria Claudia Valdini

NARRATIVE SECTION

FIRST PRIZE

OF THIS SEA WHICH IS THE WORLD…

by Rosanna Turcinovich Giuricin

Young Bepi's journey from his native Rovinj to Zadar, from Istria to Dalmatia, becomes a journey of initiation from the safety of his home to the harsh reality of life as a man caught up in a new, threatening world, as it loomed on the eve of World War II. His encounter and friendship with Mate, a watchmaker and Yugoslavian islander whose origins and life experiences were completely different from his own, profoundly impacted the young man, making him realize that the certainties of his past had vanished.

Throughout her clear, flowing, and compelling narrative, the author describes in meticulous detail the variety, charm, and evocative power of the sea-dominated landscapes that accompany the protagonist's journey, a journey that never breaks the connection with his own experiences and those of his family in his native Rovinj. The story, where geography meets history, explicitly references the complex historical context of the eastern border, where diverse civilizations, Latin and Slavic, intertwined, and where multiple dominations have left indelible marks. The reader is thus captivated on a journey of exploration and discovery and becomes a traveler himself—curious, attentive, and surprised, prompted to reflect on what the sea represents for the people who live there: “The sea is a fundamental element, it changes you, it changes your relationship with the rest of the world, it opens your mind, it predisposes you to encounters, it dilutes certainties, it stimulates the osmosis between habits and customs.The devastation of the Second World War struck the populations of Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia, forcing them into a very painful exodus into the unknown.

Bepi, the author's father, after endless vicissitudes, returned home to his Rovinj where “the remaining Italians would have paid for their choice with invisibility.” 

SECOND PRIZE

BLAME

by Luciana Melon

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION

WHERE THE WORLD HAS LOST ITS ROADS The story of a life

by Antonio Zappador

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION

THE WISTERIA OF HATRED The strange case of the Signorelli family

by Massimo Esposito

 

YOUTH SECTION

SINGLE PRIZE

I'M GOING TO PREPARE YOU Traditional cuisine from Istria, Veneto, and Dalmatia

EDITED BY CNI GIOVANI

The project was carried out with enthusiasm and passion by a group of young people from the Italian National Communities of Slovenia and Croatia, aiming to revive a culinary heritage along a journey through Istria, Dalmatia, and the Veneto.

The cookbook presents a collection of 50 recipes, each carefully documented with the hope that these traditions will not be lost and will continue to be passed down from generation to generation. The protagonists were the grandmothers who expertly developed their recipes, handed down with love to their children and grandchildren, while also recounting the history and origins of each dish, demonstrating that cuisine is identity, tradition, and culture. A precious heritage, intertwined with flavors, personal stories, and culinary secrets, highlights the centuries-old ties between Istria and Venice, linked by a dense and extensive network of trade between the ports on Istria's western coast, hubs of transit for goods, including foodstuffs, with the Serenissima and vice versa. Of extreme interest is the first section of the cookbook, which, with accuracy and precise references, presents the history of cuisine in the Gulf of Venice (as the Adriatic was then known) from the modern era to the mid-twentieth century. Historians have failed to adequately address the gastronomic interconnection between the two shores of the Adriatic, preferring instead to reference the trade in wood and the precious Istrian stone, which was used extensively in shipbuilding and in civil and religious architecture.

Therefore, the value of this project, realized with the contribution of the Veneto Region and the Union of Italians, is evident in the determination and professionalism with which it was developed, in the careful research into the gastronomic culture that unites the two shores of the Adriatic and which is deeply rooted in the history of the peoples who have inhabited and still inhabit them.

POETRY AND MUSICOLOGY SECTION

FIRST PRIZE

POEMS JOSEPH PICCIOLA 

Edited and historical-biographical essay by Maria Ballarin

The author, in her essay, gives an accurate, passionate and exhaustive presentation of Giuseppe Picciola in his role as a poet and of his work, defining him “A multifaceted exponent of the irredentist movement between 1878 and 1912, the year of his death, a keen literary critic, a scholar of Dante, and a sensitive and refined poet…”.  Drawing on richly detailed documentation and thoughtful clarifications, the book offers a broad reflection on Picciola's personal story. His fervent patriotism as a staunch irredentist militant and the bitterness of his painful exile from his native Parenzo at a very young age became inextricably linked, defining his entire life. His encounter with Giosuè Carducci proved decisive in his life as a man and an intellectual, and he shared a shared passion for patriotism, cementing a lasting friendship over time.

His poetics, in which a strong Carduccian influence shines through, favours intimate, familiar and civil themes with delicate, nostalgic and patriotic accents for which Picciola was praised by the illustrious scholar Bruno Maier as “The greatest rhymer and literary critic of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in Istria.” 

SECOND PRIZE

ISTRIAN MEMORIES – A COLLECTION OF POEMS

by Giorgio Tessarolo

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION

LUIGI DONORA' TRADITIONAL LITURGICAL AND DEVOTIONAL SONGS SUNG IN ISTRIA

with Giuliana Donorà, Giovanna de Liso, Luca Rossetto Casel

NEW HISTORICAL RESEARCH SECTION

FIRST PRIZE

NICOLO' TOMMASEO Between history and family memories 150 years after his death

by Alvise Tommaseo Ponzetta

The author, using clear, flowing prose that makes the book easy to read, exhaustively describes the multifaceted personality of his illustrious ancestor, Nicolò Tommaseo. Through extensive consultation of family documents and writings, he reveals previously unknown aspects of the great Dalmatian patriot. Born in Šibenik, an ancient Dalmatian city that from 1412 to 1797 was part of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, his adopted homeland, he remained deeply connected to it throughout his eventful and tormented life. The book retraces key moments of this life, giving ample space to his Venetian period.

A polemical soul, a free-thinking intellectual, and rigorous in his principles, he displayed admirable consistency, always remaining faithful to republican ideas. He never joined any political group and preferred a life of economic hardship to compromise with power. His liberal and democratic thinking was taught by the priest and philosopher Antonio Rosmini. He studied classical studies and explored the most diverse literary forms. Among the numerous books published during his life, the weighty work that was the "New Dictionary of Synonyms of the Italian Language”, still consulted today, contributing significantly to its dissemination and knowledge. Of extreme interest are the pages of the book dedicated to the political thought of Tommaseo, who believed that Italian history was not limited to the Savoy State, but that a federal Italy, with its multiplicity of traditions and cultures, was best suited to realizing it. A protagonist, along with Daniele Manin, of the famous insurrection of March 1848 that led to the proclamation of the Republic of Venice, he contrasted his absolute principles with the political choices of Manin, who would draw closer to the House of Savoy and Cavour. Disliked by the Austrian authorities, he experienced prison and exile, going so far as to say, paradoxically, that: “In exile you can rediscover freedom!”.

SECOND PRIZE

THE STEAMSHIP TOSCANA THE SHIP OF THE EXODUS FROM PULA

by Alessandro Cuk

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION

Jews in Istria and their contribution to its economic development

by Eufemia Giuliana Budicin

  

HISTORY AND HISTORICAL ESSAYS SECTION

FIRST PRIZE

FAITHFUL TO THE MEMORY OF LOST WORLDS Istria, Rijeka, Dalmatia

by Claudio Antonelli

 

SECOND PRIZE

…because the FIREFIGHTERS are always there Trieste and its firefighters through centuries of history, news and real life

by Viviana Facchinetti

SECOND PRIZE EX AEQUO

A COUNTRY IN THE STORM: PEDENA 1943/1948

by Guido Rumici

 

HONORABLE MENTION

ISTRIAN IDENTITY

by Paolo Zucconi

 

HISTORICAL AND ARCHIVAL RESEARCH SECTION

FIRST PRIZE

OSIMO IN THE PRESS THE NEGOTIATION IN 1974 AND THE ASSOCIATION IN 1994 OF SLOVENIA WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION

edited by Eufemia Giuliana Budicin

The author, through meticulous and thorough research, provides a comprehensive anthology of national newspapers, including references to works published on the Treaty of Osimo, which paid particular attention to periodicals. The volume, carefully highlighting each stage of the process that culminated in the signing of the Treaty through titles and articles, takes time to cite the views of the most important newspapers, and facilitates the understanding and reconstruction of a complex event that definitively established the demarcation of the eastern border with the transfer of Italian sovereignty over Zone B to Yugoslavia. Public opinion in Trieste and the local newspaper, "Il Piccolo," which is included in the review, vigorously contested the assignment of Zone B to Yugoslavia, in harmony with the painful dissent expressed by exile associations. The dismemberment of Yugoslavia, the declarations of independence of Slovenia and Croatia, and the subsequent acceptance by the European Economic Community of the new states, led to the recognition of the two successor countries of the former Yugoslavia, while maintaining international treaties such as the Treaty of Osimo. Here too, Italian politicians, with the exception of the right and, in the press, the newspaper "Il Giornale," agreed to Slovenia's entry into the EU in 1994 without demanding a renegotiation of the Treaty. Professors Donatella Schurzel and Lorenzo Salimbeni actively contributed to the research project's revision of the final draft. Professor Davide Rossi, author of recent historical-legal texts on the Treaty of Osimo, deserves appreciation for enhancing the work with an analytical essay rich in insights and reflections that arouse keen interest.

SECOND PRIZE

THE ANCIENT FAMILIES OF THE SERENISSIMA IN DALMATIA

by Valentina Petaros

SECOND PRIZE EX AEQUO

THE JULIAN-DALMATIAN EXODUS IN THE PROVINCE OF TARANTO

by Vito Fumarola