World War I Refugees: Country Trends--Italy


Figure 1.--The American Red Cross primarily organized an effort to support American doughboys in France. This effort quickly sporeas out to assist other Allied armiess, including Italy. These activities are well known. Less well known is the work with foreign civilins. At first the Red Cross also began aiding Allied soldiers, but the need was so great that the ARC began aiding civilian refugees as well. These activities are less well known. The ARC provided extensive aid to refugees in towns and villages throiughout Italy. Here an ARC worker chatting with two little refugee girls that we think were provided with warm clothing. The photograph was taken in Belluno, Italy in 1917 and 18. Source: Americam Red Cross. Library of Congress.

Italy was allied with the Central Powers when World War I broke out. This is appear to have resulted primarily from the 19th centry Franco-Italian War. The Germans and Austrians were shocked when the Italians decided a year after the Wr broke out to side with the Allies. Lured by the opportunity to gain territory, however, Italy entered the War on the Allied side (May 1915). Here the enducement were Adriatic areas with Italian populatiomns that were part of the Italian Empire. The Allies not only offered territory, but also promises of financial amd material support. This immediately sent populations in movement, but not the movement of refugees seen in Belgium and France fleeing German armies. there were Italin refugeess both from Austian Empire region and from Italy itself. Rather large numbers of young men immediately fled the Austrian Adriatic areas populated by ethnic Italians. Austria-Hungary was a multi-ethnic empire and among its various ethnicities were Italians. Some 87,000 ethnic Italians from Trieste, Trento, Dalmatia, and other locations fled to Italy. They wanted at all cost to avoid conscription and service in the Austrian Arm. Many wanted to join up and fight for Italy. Adding to this movement, the Austrian authorities began expelling ethnic Italian civilians (mostly women, children and the elderly) which were of no use to the war effort. Available evidence suggests tht 42,000 ethic Italians were expelled into Italy. A companion measure was relocate some 52,000 ethnic Italians away from the front and move them to other areas of the Empire. There were also additionl relocations based on ‘national security’. We have less information on this, but apperantly several thousand people were involved. The greatest Italian refugee crisis ocurred in the final year of the war. The Germans and Austrians achieved a major break through at Caporetto (October-November 1917). Some 400,000 Italian civilians streamed out of northern Italy into the south to avoid the advancing Austrian-German armies. One million Italian soldiers retreated and with them some 0.5 million civilians. Even before the war, Italy was not self-suffient in food production. Drafting a massive army, meant concripting large number of agriculturl workers--which of course adversely affected food production. Italy could not have fed its army and the huge influx of civilian refigees. As in many other combatant countries, only American food aid prevented mass starvation. The American Red Cross played an importnt role in assisting Italian redugees. The primary role of the Red Cross was to assist the American Expeditionary Force in France, providing services such as assisting POWs, a range of comfort services, operating abulances, hospitals, ectc. The need was so great, that the ARC also began helping Allied armies and eventually civilian refugees. The ARC cooperated with the Italian Government to assist the refugees. The ARC opened canteens and rest houses. The ARC provided clothing and other supplies. The ARC helped care for the refugees in the towns and villages throughout Italy. The ARC activities inluded supporing refugee colonies, hospitals, dispensaries and food kitchens. They also helped operate of workrooms for the manufacture of many kinds of articles, such as clothing, embroidery, mattresses and furniture.

Alliances

Italy was allied with the Central Powers when World War I broke out. This is appear to have resulted primarily from the 19th centry Franco-Italian War. The Germans and Austrians were shocked when the Italians decided a year after the War broke out to side with the Allies. Lured by the opportunity to gain territory, however, Italy entered the War on the Allied side (May 1915). Here the enducement were Adriatic areas with Italian populatiomns that were part of the Austrian Empire. The Allies not only offered territory, but also promises of financial and material support.

Refugee Flow

Italy's declaration of war immediately sent populations in movement, but not the movement of refugees seen in Belgium and France fleeing German armies. There were Italin refugeess from both sides of the Austrian-Italian border. Italians fled fron both the Austrian Empire region and from Italy itself. From the Austrian Empire there was both a voluntary flow and deportations from Adriaric regions. And the flow was both to Italy and to interior areas of the Austrian Empire. From Italy the flow was voluntary and south away from the fighting.

Austrian Empire

Ethnic Italians in the Austrian Empire were involved in both a voluntary flow and deportations from Adriaric regions. And the flow was both to Italy and to interior areas of the Austrian Empire. This is a topic not well covered in most World War I histories. Rather large numbers of young men immediately fled the Austrian Adriatic areas populated by ethnic Italians. Austria-Hungary was a multi-ethnic empire and among its various ethnicities were Italians. Some 87,000 ethnic Italians from Trieste, Trento, Dalmatia, and other locations fled to Italy. They wanted at all cost to avoid conscription and service in the Austrian Arm. Many wanted to join up and fight for Italy. Adding to this movement, the Austrian authorities began expelling ethnic Italian civilians (mostly women, children and the elderly) which were of no use to the war effort. Available evidence suggests that 42,000 ethic Italians were expelled into Italy. A companion measure was the relocation of some 52,000 ethnic Italians in northern Italy away from the front and moving them to other areas of the Empire. There were also additionl relocations based on ‘national security’. We have less information on this, but apperantly several thousand people were involved.

Italian Kingdom

The greatest Italian refugee crisis ocurred in the final year of the war. The Germans and Austrians achieved a major break through at Caporetto (October-November 1917). Some 400,000 Italian civilians streamed out of northern Italy into the south to avoid the advancing Austrian-German armies. One million Italian soldiers retreated and with them some 0.5 million civilians. Even before the war, Italy was not self-suffient in food production. Drafting a massive army, meant concripting large number of agriculturl workers--which of course adversely affected food production. Italy could not have fed its army and the huge influx of civilin refigees. As in many other combatant countries, only American food aid prevented mass starvation. The American Red Cross played an importnt role in assisting Italian refugees. The primary role of the Red Cross was to assist the American Expeditionary Force in France, providing services such as assisting POWs, a range of comfort services, operating abulances, hospitals, ectc. The need was so great, that the ARC also began helping Allied armies and eventually civilian refugees. The ARC cooperated with the Italian Government to assist the refugees. The ARC opened canteens and rest houses. The ARC provided clothing and other supplies. The ARC helped care for the refugees in the towns and villages throughout Italy. The ARC activities inluded supporing refugee colonies, hospitals, dispensaries and food kitchens. They also helped operate of workrooms for the manufacture of many kinds of articles, such as clothing, embroidery, mattresses and furniture. The ARC made a special effort to care for needy children. The RC worked with the Italian Government in feeding, clothing and caring for the thousands of war orphans and other displaced children. This meant the operation of summer colonies (camps), orphanages, day nurseries, industrial schools, playgrounds and health centers, and the distribution of food and clothes. The ARC managed to help over 150,000 needdy Italian children. Some 50,000 of these children were for in institutions beczuse they were orphaned or their families were unable to care for them. [ARC]

Sources

American Red Cross (ARC). "A statement of finances and accomplishments for the period July 1, 1917 to February 29, 1919," Chapter V. Work elsewhere overseas (October 1919).







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Created: 3:51 AM 9/16/2015
Last updated: 5:33 AM 9/27/2016