Mario Blasich (18 July 1878 – 3 May 1945) was an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

politician and physician, and an important member of the Autonomist Party of Fiume, during the short lived autonomy of the Free State of Fiume.

Life

Blasich graduated in medicine and participated in politics alongside

Riccardo Zanella Riccardo Zanella (27 June 1875 – 30 March 1959) was the only elected president of the short lived Free State of Fiume. Biography Zanella was born to an Italian father and Slovene mother in Fiume, Austria-Hungary (present-day Croatia). He a ...

, leader of the Fiuman Autonomist Party or Independent Party (as it was known to everyone in the city of Rijeka). In 1914, upon the outbreak of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Blasich was inducted into the Austro-Hungarian army alongside Zanella, and was sent to the Eastern Front. There he surrendered to the enemy, claiming to be an Italian

irredentist Irredentism is usually understood as a desire that one state annexes a territory of a neighboring state. This desire is motivated by ethnic reasons (because the population of the territory is ethnically similar to the population of the parent st ...

and asked to be sent to Italy to join the Italian army. His request was granted and upon arrival in Italy, he was enlisted with the rank of Captain Doctor, fighting for the duration of the war on the front line. The Hungarian government however for his initial surrenderment, condemned him to death for desertion. At the end of the war in 1919, Blasich continued to work closely with Zanella and the independent party. Initially he approved the companionship of Gabriele d'Annunzio, however he later politically opposed the poet. After the

Treaty of Rapallo Following World War I there were two Treaties of Rapallo, both named after Rapallo, a resort on the Ligurian coast of Italy: * Treaty of Rapallo, 1920, an agreement between Italy and the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (the later Yugoslav ...

on 12 November 1920, which established the Free State of Fiume in Rijeka, Blasich became the deputy to the Constituent Assembly and the Minister of the Interior of the Zanella Government, formed in October of that year. On 3 March 1922 the Government of the Free State of Fiume was overthrown by a coup d'etat lasting 18 months by Italian fascists and ex-legionnaires with the active participation of 2000 armed Trieste Fascists (Trieste earlier being annexed by Italy in 1920) led by

Francesco Giunta Francesco Giunta (21 March 1887 – 8 June 1971) was an Italian Fascist politician. A leading figure in the early years of fascism, he helped to build the movement in several regions of the country and was particularly active in Trieste. Duri ...

. Zanella and Blasich as a result were forced to flee to Yugoslavia. After the annexation of Fiume to Italy and the Treaty of Rome, 27 January 1924, almost all members of the Constituent Assembly in exile (except Zanella) returned to the city, and Blasich resumed his medical profession. Blasich lost the use of his legs due to illness, following the armistice of 8 September 1943. He was contacted by other supporters of the movement, Joseph Sincich, Peteani Leone, and Vittorio Sablich, Yugoslavian communist partisans whose aim was liberation from nazi-fascists, however Blasich refused state publicly that he supported the annexation of the city to Yugoslavia, as was required by the emissaries of Josip Broz Tito.

Death

In the night between 2 and 3 May 1945, while the last German troops abandoned the city that was captured by Yugoslav partisans, Blasich was killed in his home by Communist partisans. On 3 May 1945 and in the days immediately following his death, other separatist leaders, such as Joseph Sincich and Nevio Skull,Salvatore Samani, Biographical Dictionary of Rijeka, Dolo-Venice 1975, Letterpress Editorial Institute. Hamlet Ballarini, The antidannunzio in Rijeka. Riccardo Zanella, Trieste 1995, published by Italo Svevo. were also murdered in the Fiume Autonomists purge.

References

*Autonomy flood (1896–1947) and the figure of Riccardo Zanella (Proceedings of the Conference held in Trieste November 3, 1996), Rome 1997. *Studies Society Fiume Rome - Hrvatski Institut za Zagreb Povijest, Victims of Italian nationals in and around River (1939–1947) / u Žrtve talijanske nacionalnosti Rijeci the okolici (1939.-1947.), Rome 2002, Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Cultural Activities - Directorate General of archives. *Stelli John (ed.), The memory lives. River and witness interviews, Rome 2008, Society for the Study Fiumani. *Antonella Ercolani, From Rijeka in Rijeka. Profile political history from 1918 to 1947, 2009 Soveria Mannelli, Rubbettino, esp. 312-316. {{DEFAULTSORT:Blasich, Mario 1878 births 1945 deaths 20th-century Italian politicians 20th-century Italian physicians 19th-century Italian people Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I Prisoners sentenced to death by Hungary Italian prisoners sentenced to death People killed by Yugoslav Partisans Italian military personnel of World War I

Life

Death

See also

References