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Problems with bilingualism along the Trst-Poreč railway and other live national issues in Istria at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of national conflict in Istria at the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. Special attention is paid to the complications following the erection of bilingual signs along the Poreč-Trst railway. At a time of severe national tension, the implementation of visible bilingualism was highly insulting to the national sentiment of the Italian population of Trieste and Istria. It led to a resolute response by Italian representatives at the municipal, regional and national levels; its common goal was to prevent a “desecration” of Italian names and of the Italian character of the towns. These events made visible the obvious power of politics and its ability to easily manipulate the common people and, depending on the current interests, trigger or suppress protests and violent clashes.