50th Amniversary of South Tyrolean Uprising Against Italian Occupiers

[Thusnelda]

Hi Skadites,

50 years ago, South Tyrolean patriots started a day of fight (called the "Feuernacht") and struggle against the Italian occupiers of South Tyrol, destroying important power poles and bombing Italian infrastructure in order to force the reunification of South Tyrol with the rest of Tyrol and Austria.

South Tyrol (German by culture, language and ethnicity) was unjustifiably given to Italy after the First World War by the winning powers and is a part of Italy since then. South Tyrolean people had to endure brutal means of aggressive italianization afterwards, like the ban of German language in schools.

Nowadays South Tyrol has gained an autonomous status within Italy but real patriots can never accept this condition because the only acceptable solution is the reunification with the rest of Tyrol and Austria.

As a Bavarian the question of South Tyrol is important to me because South Tyroleans are Bavarian people as well.

Südtirol ist nicht Italien!

South Tyrolean patriots, like survivors of the battle, societies for traditional costumes and culture and gun clubs, organized a prideful celebration of the 50th anniversary.

Gedenken an die Feuernacht

[Caledonian]

It's mind boggling how for so long they haven't been able to acquire any semblance of independence all these years.

[SaxonPagan]

I'm afraid Hitler went far too easy on the Italians over this issue.

It should have been reclaimed by Germany in the 30's when they had the chance!

[Heinrich Harrer]

I'm afraid Hitler went far too easy on the Italians over this issue.

It should have been reclaimed by Germany in the 30's when they had the chance!

While I would have wished for Südtirol to be brought back into the Reich alongside Österreich, I can understand why he didn't confront Italy about it.

Unfortunately Germany was already surrounded by enemies on all sides, and the territories in the east were a much larger and more pressing issue. Can't alienate one of the few remaining allies you have left. Hopefully the issue would have been reopened after the war would have been won.

[SaxonPagan]

Yes, I can see the Führer's logic here but Italy turned out to be more of a hindrance than a help to Germany in WW2 ... if only he'd known!

Mind you, South Tyrol has more independence now than it had during the inter-war years so that's at least some consolation.