Lexi Webster
The Free State of Fiume, also known as the Province of Carnaro, was an independent state that existed from 1920 to 1924. The territory of the Free State of Fiume included the city of Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia) and rural areas to its north, with a corridor connecting it to the Kingdom of Italy in the west. The city of Fiume had a complex history, with competing claims on it by various nations, including Italy, Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Hungary. The status of Fiume was a major international issue after World War I and the fall of Austria-Hungary, with the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signing the Treaty of Rapallo in 1920 to recognize its independence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Fiume, also known as the Free State of Fiume, was a port of the old Austro-Hungarian monarchy situated on the Istrian Peninsula on the Adriatic Sea. Today, it corresponds to Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in Croatia. |
| Population | Fiume had a population of 49,806 within an area of 28 sq km (6,900 acres). The population included Italians, Croats, Hungarians, and other ethnicities. |
| Languages | Italian, Hungarian, German, and a local dialect influenced by Venetian and Croatian were spoken in Fiume. |
| History | Fiume was an independent free state from 1920 to 1924, gaining autonomy in 1719 when it became a free port of the Holy Roman Empire. It was annexed by Italy in 1924 and later became part of Yugoslavia in 1947. |
| Governance | Fiume's governance was often in flux, with various groups vying for control, including nationalists, fascists, and autonomists. It was occupied by Italian troops and later became a province of Italy, with the city of Fiume as its capital. |
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What You'll Learn
- The Free State of Fiume was an independent state from 1920 to 1924
- Fiume was a port of the old Austro-Hungarian monarchy
- The Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rapallo in 1920, recognising the independence of Fiume
- The status of Fiume was disputed between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes and the Kingdom of Italy after World War I
- The city of Fiume is now known as Rijeka, Croatia
The Free State of Fiume was an independent state from 1920 to 1924
The Free State of Fiume, pronounced 'fyume', was an independent state from 1920 to 1924. It was formed from the city of Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia) and the rural areas to its north, with a corridor to its west connecting it to the Kingdom of Italy. The total territory of the Free State of Fiume was 28 km2 (6,900 acres).
Fiume had a long history of changing hands and shifting allegiances before it became an independent state. It gained autonomy for the first time in 1719 when it was proclaimed a free port of the Holy Roman Empire. The city was transferred to the Kingdom of Hungary in 1776 and gained the status of corpus separatum within that kingdom in 1779. Fiume lost its autonomy in 1848 after being occupied by Croatian ban Josip Jelačić, but it regained its independence in 1868 when it rejoined the Kingdom of Hungary.
After World War I and the fall of Austria-Hungary, the status of Fiume became a major international problem, with Italy and Yugoslavia both claiming rights to the city and its port. In 1919, Italian poet and general Gabriele D'Annunzio seized control of Fiume and annexed it to Italy. However, this act was not recognised by the Italian government, and D'Annunzio was expelled from the city by Italian forces in December 1920.
On 12 November 1920, the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rapallo, agreeing to recognise the "complete freedom and independence" of the State of Fiume. The newly created state was immediately recognised by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. The first parliamentary elections were held in April 1921, with the Autonomist Party, supported by the majority of Croats, winning against the pro-Italian National Bloc. Riccardo Zanella, the leader of the Autonomist Party, became provisional president.
However, the control of the Free State of Fiume remained unstable, with various groups vying for power. Italian Fascists carried out a coup d'état in March 1922, and Italian troops entered the city in March 1923. Finally, on 27 January 1924, the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rome, agreeing to the annexation of Fiume by Italy. The agreement was ratified on 22 February 1924 and became effective the same day, bringing an end to the short-lived independence of the Free State of Fiume.
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Fiume was a port of the old Austro-Hungarian monarchy
Fiume, now known as Rijeka, was a port of the old Austro-Hungarian monarchy. The monarchy, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire or the Dual Monarchy, was a multinational constitutional monarchy in Central Europe that existed between 1867 and 1918. It was a union between the northern and western parts of the former Austrian Empire (Cisleithania) and the Kingdom of Hungary (Transleithania). Fiume was a part of the Kingdom of Hungary within the monarchy, and it served as a crucial maritime outlet for the kingdom and the eastern part of the empire.
The city of Fiume had a diverse population, with Italians forming the majority during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, there were also significant numbers of Croats, Hungarians, and other ethnicities. The official languages in use were Italian, Hungarian, and German, reflecting the multicultural nature of the city. The status of Fiume as an exclave of Hungary gave the landlocked kingdom access to a port. This port played a significant role in the economy of the region, with Hungarian shipping companies like Adria operating from Fiume.
Fiume's port underwent significant development during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fuelled by generous Hungarian investments. The expansion of international trade and the city's connection to the Austro-Hungarian railway network in 1873 further boosted its growth. By 1913-1914, the port of Fiume had become the tenth-busiest port in Europe. The city also had a significant naval base and was home to the Austro-Hungarian Naval Academy, where officers of the Austro-Hungarian Navy were trained.
The status of Fiume became a matter of dispute after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in 1918. Italy laid claim to the city, citing the significant Italian population within it. However, Fiume was ultimately annexed to Italy in 1924, and it lost some of its importance in Italian economic life due to the separation from its hinterland. The question of Fiume's status and the competing claims led to complex political and diplomatic negotiations, with various treaties being signed to address the issue.
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The Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rapallo in 1920, recognising the independence of Fiume
The Treaty of Rapallo, signed in 1920, was an agreement between the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia) to recognise the independence of the state of Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia). The treaty was signed on November 12, 1920, in Rapallo, Italy, and it established the Free State of Fiume, a city-state with a unique local identity due to its location between different states.
Fiume had a complex history even before the Treaty of Rapallo. The city was populated mainly by Italians, with minorities of Croats, Hungarians, and other ethnicities. Its special status as a port for the landlocked Hungarian kingdom within the Austro-Hungarian Empire added to its complexity. Fiume's status became even more contentious after World War I and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, leading to international disputes over the region.
The Treaty of Rapallo addressed these disputes by establishing Fiume as an independent free state. It recognised the boundaries of the former Austro-Hungarian Corpus separatum, with the addition of a strip of land connecting it to Italian territory in Istria. This arrangement left the suburb of Sušak to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, as it was situated across the Rječina River. The treaty also included provisions for commissions to demarcate the new border and facilitate economic and educational cooperation between the parties.
Despite the treaty, the status of Fiume remained contentious. Italian nationalist Gabriele d'Annunzio, who had previously seized the city, opposed the treaty and refused to leave. This opposition led to the Bloody Christmas clash in December 1920, when the Italian Navy drove d'Annunzio out of Fiume to establish the Free State. However, the Free State of Fiume was short-lived, lasting only about four years before Italy annexed it under the 1924 Treaty of Rome.
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The status of Fiume was disputed between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes and the Kingdom of Italy after World War I
Fiume, or Rijeka, is a city in modern-day Croatia. The status of the city was disputed between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (also known as Yugoslavia) and the Kingdom of Italy after World War I. The dispute arose due to competing claims on the city and the surrounding region.
In the final phase of World War I, Emperor Charles I of Austria attempted to prevent the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by declaring his intention to transform the monarchy into a federal state, indicating that Fiume would be part of Croatia-Slavonia or a newly established South Slavic kingdom. However, this declaration was rejected by the National Council of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs, who sought to establish an independent state.
The Kingdom of Italy also had claims on the region, as the Treaty of London (1915) promised Italy a large area of continental Dalmatia. Italian nationalist poet Gabriele D'Annunzio seized Fiume in September 1919 and annexed it to Italy, further complicating the situation. The dispute led to lawlessness, with the city changing hands between a South-Slav National Committee and an Italian National Council.
To resolve the conflict, the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rapallo in November 1920, agreeing to recognize the independence of the Free State of Fiume. This state existed from 1920 to 1924 and was recognized by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. Despite the treaty, the status of Fiume remained contentious, with various groups vying for control. In 1922, a coup resulted in the military occupation of the city by Italian forces, and in 1924, the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed the Treaty of Rome, agreeing to the annexation of Fiume by Italy.
The question of Fiume's status continued to resurface in subsequent years, with the city changing hands between different occupying forces during World War II. The issue was finally resolved in 1947 when the Italian province of Fiume was formally abolished, and the city was annexed to Yugoslavia, becoming part of modern-day Croatia.
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The city of Fiume is now known as Rijeka, Croatia
The city of Fiume, now known as Rijeka, is located in present-day Croatia. The history of Fiume is a complex one, with the city's control shifting between various entities and its status being a subject of international debate in the early 20th century.
Fiume, situated on the Istrian Peninsula along the Adriatic Sea, was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After World War I and the fall of the empire, the question of Fiume's status became a significant international issue. The city had a diverse population, with Italians forming the majority, followed by minorities of Croats, Hungarians, and other ethnicities. The local language, a blend of Venetian and Croatian, also reflected the cultural mix of the region.
In 1919, Fiume was occupied by the Italian poet and nationalist Gabriele D'Annunzio, who annexed it to Italy. This action was later smoothed over by the Treaty of Rapallo in 1920, which created the "`Free State of Fiume," recognising its independence. However, the question of Fiume's status continued to be a source of tension between Italy and Yugoslavia, with both sides laying claim to the city and its surrounding areas.
The Treaty of Rome in 1924 ultimately led to the annexation of Fiume by Italy, and it became the provincial capital of the Province of Fiume. During World War II, the province fell under the control of Hitler's Germany, and it saw one of Italy's highest death rates from Nazi death camps. In 1945, Yugoslav Partisans took control of Rijeka, and in 1947, the city was formally ceded to Yugoslavia under the Treaty of Paris.
Today, the former territory of the Province of Fiume roughly corresponds to Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in Croatia, with the city of Fiume (Rijeka) as its capital. The city's name change to Rijeka reflects its incorporation into Croatia and its historical ties to the Adriatic Sea ("Rijeka" translates to "river" in Croatian).
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Frequently asked questions
Fiume, also known as the Free State of Fiume, was an independent state that existed from 1920 to 1924. Its territory included the city of Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia) and rural areas to its north.
The Free State of Fiume was created through the Treaty of Rapallo signed on November 12, 1920, between the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. The treaty recognised the independence of Fiume and resulted in the creation of an independent state.
Fiume had a complex relationship with Italy. It was occupied by Italian troops in 1919 and later became a province of the Kingdom of Italy from 1924 to 1943. The city of Fiume was annexed to Italy in 1924 through the Treaty of Rome.
Fiume was a disputed territory between Italy and Yugoslavia, with both sides claiming the area. Yugoslav Partisans took control of Rijeka, the capital of the Province of Fiume, in 1945. In 1947, the Italian province of Fiume was formally abolished, and the territory was ceded to Yugoslavia under the Treaty of Paris.
Fiume had a diverse cultural makeup, with Italians, Croats, Hungarians, and other ethnicities populating the city in the 19th century. The official languages were Italian, Hungarian, and German, and the local dialect was a blend of Venetian and Croatian.
