The Fiume Question 1918-1920

László Gulyás - Loránt Bali: The Fiume Question 1918-1920
had enough of D’Annunzio’s conflicts with the Italian government. 31 This is why
the city’s Italian intellectuals started to distance themselves from D’Annunzio. The
Commander, in order to stabilise his power, on September 8, 1920 proclaimed the
Italian Regency of Carnaro in the City of Fiume. He elaborated the Carnaro Charter,
the constitution of the new state as well. By this time the political stituation
became hopeless; the majority of the city’s citizens looked upon the legionaries as
parasites, depleting the city’s food reserves. The situation was not getting any
better, although, D’Annunzio occasionally engaged in piracy in order to fill up the
supply depots. 32
The end of the Fiume Adventure
In June 1920 the Nitti government fell and on June 15 the celebrity of Italian
politics, the 78-year old Giovanni Gioletti formed a new government. The first step
of Gioletti’s foreign policy was to come to an agreement with the Yugoslav
government. On November 12, 1920 Italy and the Yugoslav state signed an
agreement in Rapallo, 33 by which Italy renounced Dalmatia, and, in return, the
Yugoslav state gave up the Istrian Peninsula, including the city of Trieste. 34 The
ports of Abhasia (Opatija) and Zara (Zadar) were placed under Italian authority,
while Fiume became a free state. 35
D’Annunzio did not recognise the Treaty of Rapallo and threatened with
military action. Gioletti sent a parliamentary delegation to Fiume but they were
unable to compromise with D’Annunzio. Gioletti decided to blocade Fiume and
D’Annunzio responded by declaring war between Fiume and Italy. The Italian
troops on the holy night of December 1920, at the expense of heavy street fights
were able to enter Fiume. Andrea Dorina a battleship shot at the main strategic
points of the city from the port. Following a 5-day war, D’Annunzio’s troops left
Fiume, leaving 53 casualties and 207 wounded legionaries behind. 36
D’Annunzio locked himself up in his residence, located on the shore of Lake
Garda. It was the end of his Fiume adventure. The city became a free city,
protected by the League of Nations, but it was able to enjoy its free status only for
a few years. In 1924 Fiume became part of the Italian state. 37
31
FRIED 2001, 181-187.
32
FRIED 2001, 188.
33
GOLDSTEIN, Ivo, Croatia. A History, Hurst Company, London, 114-115.
34
This step of Yugoslav government was sharply criticized by Croatian politicians, see SOKCSEVITS
Dénes, Horvátország története a 7. századtól napjainkig, Mundus Novus, Budapest 2011, 479-480.
35
The full document see HORVÁTH Jenő, A trianoni békeszerződés megalkotása és a revízió útja,
Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, Budapest 1939, 405.
36
FRIED 2001, 188.
37
HAJDÚ, 108.
150