On the occasion of the Day of Remembrance, instituted by Law No 92 of 30 March 2004 to preserve and renew the memory of the tragedy of the deaths and exodus of Italians from the lands of Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia, the Instituto Italiano de Cultura in Madrid, under the auspices of the Italian Embassy, it is organizing a commemorative event on Monday 9 February at 7 p.m.
The ceremony will be held in the presence of the ambassador of Italy, Giuseppe Buccino Grimaldi, and Elena Fontanella, director of IIC Madrid.
The program includes an interview with Senator Roberto Menia, signatory of the law that instituted the Day of Remembrance and author of the book 10 February – From foibe to exodus, made by Francesco del Vigo, deputy director of Il Giornale. Senator Menia will review the historical events of the eastern border, highlighting the drama of the Titian persecutions and the exodus of the Italian communities, for too long forgotten in the collective memory.
The film Red Land (Rosso Istria), by Maximiliano Hernando Bruno, will then be screened in its original version to deepen, through cinematic language, the history of these events. The initiative is carried out in collaboration with Fogolar Furlan and Comites Madrid. Projection in original version without subtitles.
After the Italian armistice of 1943 and at the end of the Second World War in 1945, thousands of Italians were executed and thrown into the foibe (deep natural cavities typical of the Karst region, which were used as mass graves) by Yugoslav partisans under the command of Josip Broz Tito.
It is estimated that between 5,000 and 20,000 people were killed, including not only military or fascists but also civilians, priests and officials representing the Italian presence in the area. It was a combination of revenge for the previous fascist forced Italianization and a political cleansing to eliminate those who opposed the annexation of these territories to communist Yugoslavia.
The entrance will be free until full occupancy, although reservation is required by writing to confirmaciones.iicmadrid@gmail.com, indicating name, surname and telephone number of all persons for whom the reservation is requested, and specifying in the subject “Rosso Istria”.