History
The Resia, Torre and Natisone valleys were marked by the same historical events. After the settlement of the Alpine Slavs between the 8th and 9th centuries, they were under the rule of the Patriarchate of Aquileia (1077-1420) and the Republic of Venice (1420-1797), which allowed the communities to govern themselves independently. In those long years under Venetian rule, this was a territory called, by the neighbouring Slovenes, Beneška Slovenija or Benečija / Benecia, from Benetke, the Slovenian name for Venice. Napoleonic and Austrian rule (1797-1866) abolished the system of self-government and alienated common property. Under the Kingdom of Italy, Benecia experienced ups and downs, including the two world wars and the attempt to erase the wealth represented by the Slovene dialects. Its new rebirth was made possible by the fall of its borders and the firm will of the administration and the population to implement a development project in the wake of their identity and cultural tradition.
Lombard duchy in Friuli
In their long journey from Scandinavia towards the south and after staying for 42 years in Pannonia, Lombards head towards Italy. On 1st April 586 King Alboin climbs the King’s Mountain and admires the Friulian plain, which was then under Byzantine rule. Lombards conquer the Roman city Forum Iulii - now Cividale - settle there and they make it the capital of their first Italian duchy.
Battles between Slavs and Lombards
In the meantime, alpine Slavs settle between Noricum and Pannonia; they are also in search of new agricultural land. Slavs also set their eyes on the Friulian plain and try to settle down there. Though they encounter the Lombards’ strong resistance. In 633/4 five thousand warriors set up camp in Broxas, not far from Cividale. Duke Wechtar sets towards them with 25 knights and defeats them. The second clash between Slavs and Lombards happens on a high mountain. This time Slavs defeat and destroy Lombard nobility. In 720, after the battle in Lauriana, the two peoples come to an agreement: Slavs settle in Friulian eastern valleys, Lombards remain in the plain. A linguistic border originates.
The Franks - Verona-Aquileia March
In 776 the Franks led by Charlemagne put an end to the Lombard dominion, which by now comprised almost the whole of Italy. Friuli is included in the Verona-Aquileia March under the Italo-Frankish reign. The first written document about the Natisone Valleys dates back to 888:The king of Italy Berengar donates the Antro Cave and a vast territory comprising hills and rivers to the deacon Felix. In the 10th century Hungarian raids ravage the Friulian plain pushing towards various Italian regions and north of the Alps.
Patriarchate of Aquileia
After the Hungarian raids Friuli is left without a political leader. Aquileia Patriarchs’ authority and prestige emerge. In 738 they had moved their seat to Cividale. In 1077 Emperor Henry IV gave Patriarch Sigehard a feudal investiture and conceded him powers and privileges reserved to counts. The feud comprised almost the whole of Friuli, part of Istria and vast territories inhabited by Slovenes. The Natisone Valleys enjoy a special administrative and judicial autonomy.
Venetian Republic
In 1420 the Venetian Republic conquers the territories of the Patriarchate of Aquileia. The new authorities recognise and broaden the autonomy of Slovenes in the Natisone Valleys. In the beginning of the 16th century, following a war between Venice and the League of Cambrai, a border is traced for the first time between the Natisone and the Soča Valleys. The latter falls under Habsburg dominion. In exchang for autonomy and privileges, Venice requires the Slovenes to watch over the five passes leading to the Soča and Judrio Valleys: Pulfero, Luico, Clabuzzaro, Clinaz, San Nicolò. In 1616 a war for the fort in Gradisca breaks out. It also involves the Natisone and Soča Valleys. Contraband flourishes along the border and the authorities’ efforts to contrast it prove vain.
Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy
During his Italian campaign in 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte destroys the Republic of Venice and cedes its territories to Austria. In 1805 French troops return and cancel the autonomy of the Slovenes. Under the French rule the border between the Kingdom of Italy and the Illyrian Provinces has moved many times; in the years 1807, 1809 and 1811 it coincides with the river Soča.
Austria - Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia
Following the capitulation of the French Empire and after the Congress of Vienna, Austria establishes the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. The border line returns to be the one that used to separate the Republic of Venice from Austria - with minor changes. In the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia opposition towards the Austrian rule rises. Among the Slovenes dissatisfaction increases as well because they are deprived of their autonomy and common property is privatised. Many young people take part in the Italian Wars of Independence because they hope Italy will recognise the privileges they enjoyed under the Venetian rule. In 1848, on Mount San Martino, locals stop Austrian troops that were marching towards Udine to put down an insurrection.
Plebiscite - Kingdom of Italy
At the end of the third Italian War of Independence, on 21st and 22nd October 1866, in a village-fête climate, a plebiscite took place for the annexation of Friuli and Veneto to the Kingdom of Italy.The result is predictable: the great majority of the voters agree to the annexation; in the Natisone Valleys there was only one vote against. During the long negotiations for border settlement between Italy and Austria, it is suggested that Slavia be exchanged with Austrian territories. However, the suggestion is not considered because the peace treaty of Vienna does not include the changing of old borders.Italian authorities plan a linguistic and cultural annihilation of the new Slovene subjects, but local priests continue to preach in the language of the people; Moreover, by teaching catechism, they foster alphabetisation in the Slovene language.
World War I
On 28th July 1914, following Austria’s declaration of war to Serbia, World War I starts. Italy joins the armed conflict on 24th May 1915, siding with the Triple Entente and against Austria and its allies. Fighting powers face themselves along the Eastern Front, which goes from Mount Rombon to the sea. The front resists until the beginning of the battle of Kobarid on 24th October 1917, upon which it is moved on the river Piave. At the end of October the front line moves again with an Italian counteroffensive.In Italy the war ends on 4th November. Long negotiations follow to redefine borders. According to Italian agreements of 1915 with the Entente and demands for a “natural borer”, the Treaty of Rapallo (1920) assigns to Italy a vast territory inhabited by Slovene and Croatian people. On this occasion, the annexation of Slavia to the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes - the future Yugoslavia - is hypothesised again.
First post-war period - World War II
The border shift towards the East facilitates relations and exchanges among the people that had been divided by the old border. However, the fascist regime enacts a violent denationalisation policy against Slovenes and Croatians, which focuses on eradicating their political, religious and cultural representatives. On 1st September 1939, following the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, World War II starts. On 10th June 1940 Mussolini declares war on France, leading Italy into one of the bloodiest conflicts in history. At the beginning of April 1941 Italian troops occupy a good part of Slovenia. They establish Ljubljana province. In the same year, a liberation war against fascist occupation begins in Yugoslavia. Partisans operate also in Slavia and along the former border line. After the Italian capitulation on 8th September 1943, resistance is organised in networks. The Republic of Kobarid is established, but it is occupied by the Nazis at the beginning of November. In Italy the war is officially over on 25th April 1945.
Cold War - Iron Curtain
At the end of the war new borders are established by Paris Peace Treaties (1947). In Slavia the border is set again on the old Italian-Austrian frontier, while the question of the Free Territory of Trieste, divided into Zone A (Province of Trieste) and Zone B (part of Istria), remains open. In the meantime, a hard ideological and socioeconomic border originates between the Eastern bloc, led by the USSR, and the Western one, headed by the USA; it is the Iron Curtain that splits Europe in two. The two blocs fight the so-called Cold War. In 1948 Yugoslavia distances from the Soviet Union. With the London memorandum of 1954, Zone A is assigned to Italy and Zone B to Yugoslavia. A definitive border between Italy and Yugoslavia is decided upon with the Treaty of Osimo (10th November 1975).
European Union
The Treaty of Osimo signs a new era of collaboration between Italy and Yugoslavia. After Tito’s death (1980), the Yugoslavian federation sees a progressive centrifugal distancing of its constituting nations, which leads to its dissolution. Slovenia declares its independence on 25th June 1991 and on 1st May 2004 it becomes a member state of the European Union. Its joining the Schengen Area on 21st December 2007 means the dissolution of a border, that - because of its strictness and absurdity - has been nicknamed “prekleti konfin” (“the damn border”).