. . : : D’ANNUNZIO’S RIJEKA ADVENTURE : : . .

D’ANNUNZIO’S RIJEKA ADVENTURE

In a five-day armed clash just before Christmas 1920, the Italian regular army had the task of evicting Gabrielle D’Annuzio nolens volens from the Governor’s Palace and from Rijeka.

Gabrielle D'Annunzio u Guvernerovoj palači

The easternmost window of the White Salon just in front of D’Annunzio’s desk, sustained the most severe damage when the Palace sustained an artillery strike from the Italian gunboat Andrea Doria.

Oštećenja Bijelog salona nakon bombardiranja 1920. godine

D’Annunzio’s Rijeka adventure began after World War I when – disappointed that the Italian government had foresaken the annexation of Rijeka (promised to Italy by the secret 1915 Treaty of London in return for joining the Triple Entente) – he marched to the city with his volunteers. They entered Rijeka on 12 September 1919 and moved into the Governor’s Palace. For the next several years, D’Annunzio spoke to the people of Rijeka from its balcony.

The Italian government decided to take severe measures against D’Annunzio and force him out of Rijeka; however, he declared war against the regular Italian army.

The clashes, which lasted five days from 24 to 28 December, are known as cinque giornate di Fiume (Five Days of Rijeka) or the Bloody Christmas, when the Governor’s Palace was the main target. Having lost support, D’Annunzio surrendered and left the city on 18 January 1921 for his residence, the Vittoriale degli Italiani (The Shrine of Italian Victories), on Lake Garda.

Turbulent times continued in Rijeka and the Governor’s Palace. In March 1922, the Palace was hit by 28 cannon shots during an Italian Fascist attack intended to force Riccardo Zanella out of it, as he was the head of the interim government of the newly formed Free State of Fiume.

In 1923, under governor Gaetano Giardino, the Palace’s wall was reconstructed and the façade renovated in preparation for the ceremonial declaration of Rijeka’s annexation to the Kingdom of Italy. The annexation was declared there by the Italian King Vittorio Emanuele III in 1924.