The Fiume Question 1918-1920

ÖT KONTINENS, az Új- és Jelenkori Egyetemes Történeti Tanszék tudományos közleményei, N o 2011/1.
ELTE, BUDAPEST, 2012.
finalising Fiume’s annexation. His other plan was to occupy Rome with his
legionaries using Fiume as his base.
Mussolini, who had an increasing significance in Italian internal politics of that
time, 24 first seemed to support D’Annunzio’s second scenario. On September 25,
1919 he wrote a letter to D’Annunzio, suggesting the occupation of Trieste,
proclaim the overthrow of the monarchy, and appoint a governing directorate
with the purpose of dispatching troops to the major cities of northern Italy. 25
Mussolini’s attitude changed within two weeks. On October 7, 1919 he flew to
Fiume, where he had a 2-hour long discussion with D’Annunzio. Unfortunately, no
written records of this discussion survived. It is likely that referring to the elections
of November 16, 1919, he asked D’Annunzio to be patient. It means that Mussolini
most probably asked the ’Commander’ to postpone the implementation of his
second plan. 26 Mussolini changed his attitude because he had expected his own
political views to gain momentum in the elections of November 16, consequently
the Fiume question became of secondary significance for him.
In addition to elaborating his plans, D’Annunzio, as commander of Fiume, took
concrete steps to take all power into his hands. On October 26, 1919 he held a
referendum to decide Fiume’s national status. Based on census figures 10,330
people had the right to vote, but 30% of them refrained from voting. A total of
7,155 votes were collected, from which 6,999 voted for the ’Commander’, as
D’Annunzio preferred to be addressed, and his national party list. 27
Although the commander won in the elections of October, later serious
conflicts arose between D’Annunzio and the members of Fiume’s Italian National
Council. The legionaries demonstrated in front of the commander’s mansion
almost on a daily basis in order to prove their loyalty. D’Annunzio used these
opportunities to incite his followers to fight. Most often he spoke about poor and
exploited proletarian nations, which can only free themselves by launching a new,
holy war against the robber nations, who had accumulated all the wealth. Fiume,
in his view, would become the centre of the new Crusade. These speeches were
very effective: his supporters celebrated their Commander in extasy. 28
It is also interesting to note that D’Annunzio - who had already been a
celebrated poet and writer before the First World War - was the forerunner of
modern political communication. His personality, way of communication and
public speeches were admired by huge masses. 29
The Fiume National Council was unwilling to accept the historical role,
envisaged by D’Annunzio. They only wanted to join Italy. 30 Most importantly, they
24 DUGGAN 1994, 198.
25 ORMOS Mária, Mussolini, Kossuth Könyvkiadó, Budapest 1987, 125.
26 ORMOS, 126.
27 KIS 1975, 143-144.
28 KISS 1989, 111-112.
29 FRIED 2001, 180.
30 FRIED 2001, 188.
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