The Free State of Fiume () was an independent free state that existed from 1920 to 1924. Its territory of comprised the city of Fiume (today

Rijeka Rijeka (; Fiume ( �fjuːme in Italian and in Fiuman dialect, Fiuman Venetian) is the principal seaport and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Ba ...

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

) and rural areas to its north, with a corridor to its west connecting it to the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...

Fiume Rijeka (; Fiume ( �fjuːme in Italian and in Fiuman Venetian) is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia. It is located in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and in 2021 had a po ...

gained autonomy for the first time in 1719, when it was proclaimed a free port of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

in a decree issued by the

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

Charles VI. In 1776, during the reign of Empress

Maria Theresa Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position suo jure, in her own right. She was the ...

, the city was transferred to the

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

and in 1779 gained the status of within that kingdom. The city briefly lost its autonomy in 1848 after being occupied by Croatian '' ban'' (viceroy) Josip Jelačić but regained it in 1868, when it rejoined the

, again as a . Fiume's status as an

exclave An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is s ...

of Hungary meant that despite being landlocked, the kingdom had a port. Until 1924, Fiume existed for practical purposes as an autonomous entity with elements of statehood. In the 19th century, the city was populated mostly by

Italians Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...

and as minorities by

Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...

and

Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...

and other ethnicities. National affiliations changed from census to census, as at that time "nationality" was defined mostly by the language a person spoke. The special status of the city, being placed between different states, created a local identity among the majority of the population. The official languages in use were Italian, Hungarian, and German; most of the business correspondence was carried out in Italian, and most families spoke a local dialect, a blend of Venetian with a few words of Croatian. In the countryside outside the city, a particular kind of Croatian Chakavian dialect with many Italian and Venetian words was spoken.

Politics

After

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and the demise of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

, the question of the status of Fiume became a major international problem. At the height of the dispute between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later called

Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...

) and the

, the Great Powers (the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

) advocated the establishment of an independent

buffer state A buffer state is a country geographically lying between two rival or potentially hostile great powers. Its existence can sometimes be thought to prevent conflict between them. A buffer state is sometimes a mutually agreed upon area lying between t ...

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

became the arbiter in the Yugoslav–Italian dispute over the city. Wilson suggested that Fiume be set up as an independent state and, indeed, as a potential home for the

League of Nations The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...

organization. The dispute led to lawlessness, and the city changed hands between a South-Slav National Committee and an Italian National Council, leading finally to the landing of British and French troops, who took over the city. The National Council overstamped Austro-Hungarian notes – the Fiume Kronen – which were used as official currency. The confusing situation was exploited by Italian poet/general Gabriele D'Annunzio, who entered the city on 12 September 1919 and began a 15-month period of occupation. A year later, after failure of negotiations with the Italian government, D'Annunzio proclaimed the Italian Regency of Carnaro. On 12 November 1920, the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rapallo, whereby both parties agreed to acknowledge "the complete freedom and independence of the State of Fiume and oblige to respect it in perpetuity". With that act, the eternal "Free State of Fiume" was created, which, it turned out, would exist as an independent state for about four years. The newly created state was immediately recognized by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. D'Annunzio refused to acknowledge the agreement and was expelled from the city by the regular forces of the

Italian Army The Italian Army ( []) is the Army, land force branch of the Italian Armed Forces. The army's history dates back to the Italian unification in the 1850s and 1860s. The army fought in colonial engagements in China and Italo-Turkish War, Libya. It ...

, in the "Bloody Christmas" actions from 24 to 30 December 1920. In April 1921, the electorate approved a plan for a free state and for a consortium to run the port. The first parliamentary elections were held, contested between the autonomists and the pro-Italian National Bloc. The Autonomist Party, which was supported by votes from the majority of the Croats, gained 6,558 votes; the National Bloc, composed of Fascist, Liberal, and Democratic parties, received 3,443 votes. The leader of the Autonomist Party, Riccardo Zanella, became president. Control over the Free State was in an almost constant state of flux. Following the departure of D'Annunzio's troops in December 1920, the Italian National Council of Fiume reassumed control and appointed a provisional government. A pact with the local Italian commander handed control to the military on 18 January 1921. A group of D'Annunzio loyalists seized part of the town until they were in turn pushed out in September. In October, autonomist Riccardo Zanella was appointed provisional president; his rule lasted until 3 March 1922, when Italian Fascists carried out a ''

coup d'état A coup d'état (; ; ), or simply a coup , is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to powe ...

'' and the legal government escaped to Kraljevica. On 6 March, the Italian government was asked to restore order, and Italian troops entered the city on 17 March. They returned control to the minority of the constituent assembly who were loyal to the Italian annexationists. After proclamation of the Rapallo Treaty, the Communist Party of Fiume () was instituted in November 1921. The Communist Party of Fiume was the smallest Communist Party in the world. It was founded following the principles of the Third International, according to which each sovereign state had to have its own Communist Party organization. Fiume--outlawsdiary00tormuoft

On 27 January 1924, the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed the

Treaty of Rome The Treaty of Rome, or EEC Treaty (officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community), brought about the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC), the best known of the European Communities (EC). The treaty was signe ...

, agreeing to the

annexation Annexation, in international law, is the forcible acquisition and assertion of legal title over one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. In current international law, it is generally held t ...

of Fiume by Italy and the absorption of Sušak by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. All parties ratified the agreement in Rome on 22 February 1924, and it became effective the same day. It was registered in the ''League of Nations Treaty Series'' on 7 April 1924. The

government-in-exile A government-in-exile (GiE) is a political group that claims to be the legitimate government of a sovereign state or semi-sovereign state, but is unable to exercise legal power and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile usu ...

of the Free State considered this act invalid and nonbinding under

international law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...

and continued its activities until well after the 1950s. In the aftermath of the Second World War, Zanella and Tito were still discussing the possibility of reinstating the old free state, but changes in the international geopolitical picture led the Yugoslav Communist regime to seize the opportunity and annex the city in 1947 after two years of occupation, aided by

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

's strong support during the Paris peace conference.

Aftermath

With the surrender of Italy in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the "Rijeka" issue resurfaced. In 1944, a group of citizens issued the Liburnia Memorandum, in which it was recommended that a confederate state be formed from the three cantons of Fiume, Sušak, and Ilirska Bistrica. The islands of Krk (Veglia), Cres (Cherso), and Lošinj (Lussino) would enter the common condominium (a government operating under joint rule) as well. Zanella of the government-in-exile still sought reestablishment of the Free State. The Yugoslav authorities, who took possession of the city from German occupation on 3 May 1945, objected to the plans and took concrete steps to settle the dispute. The leaders of the autonomists – Nevio Skull, Mario Blasich, and Sergio Sincich – were murdered, and Zanella went into hiding. With the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, Fiume (now called Rijeka) and

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; ; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian: ; ; ) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. Located at th ...

officially became part of Yugoslavia.Treaty of Peace with Italy, Signed in Paris, on 10 February 1947, Part I, Section I, Article 3, La frontiere entre l'Italie et la Yougoslavie.
/ref>

References

External links

* The Charter of Carnaro
Fiume and the Adriatic Problem by Douglas Wilson JohnsonSocieta di studi Fiumani
{{DEFAULTSORT:Free State of Fiume Former countries in the Balkans

Yugoslav Croatia 1920 establishments in Yugoslavia 1924 disestablishments in Yugoslavia Former countries of the interwar period Former countries City-states States and territories disestablished in 1924

Politics

Aftermath

See also

References

Further reading

External links