«Malaugurato esilio». Jewish refugees from Veneto during the First World War (October 1917 - May 1919)

The essay analyses the experience of the refugee phenomenon of the Veneto Jew-ish communities - Venice, Padua and Verona - from the Battle of Caporetto to May 1919, when the gradual return to their respective homelands at the end of the First World War was completed. Through the study of contemporary Jewish press, the fund of the Committee of Italian Jewish communities and the archives of the Jewish communities involved, the author reconstructs the network of institutional, political and communitarian relations set in place for the reception, accommoda-tion and management of the co-religionist refugees. Particular attention is paid to the indigent refugees of the Venetian community who, contrary to their mainland co-religionists, were transferred to Livorno and provided with all the means of travel, assistance, accommodation, kosher food, school education and jobs. The essay also takes into consideration the occurrence of several episodes of tensions and protests from the refugees during these months. Furthermore, it underlines the class relations within the refugee movement, for example how the members of the Venetian middle-class found shelters in Florence and Rome with the help of rela-tives and friends, in contrast with the more troubled fate of their less wealthy co-religionists.

Keywords: Refugees, Italian Jews, First World War, Venice, Livorno, Caporetto

Matteo Perissinotto, Il «malaugurato esilio». La profuganza degli ebrei veneti durante la prima guerra mondiale (ottobre 1917-maggio 1919) in "MONDO CONTEMPORANEO" 1/2022, pp 5-30, DOI: 10.3280/MON2022-001001