Betwixt and between. The hybrid identity of a South Tyrolean Bersagliere in the 1935-1936 Italo-Abyssinian War

For South Tyrol, annexation by Italy after World War I resulted in significant changes: the Fascist regime attempted to Italianize the territory and its people using various measures. One of them was the obligation of young men to fulfil military service in the Italian army. Thus, for example, Andr...

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Main Author: Markus Wurzer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Juraj Dobrila University of Pula 2016-01-01
Series:Tabula
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/261404
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author Markus Wurzer
author_facet Markus Wurzer
author_sort Markus Wurzer
collection DOAJ
description For South Tyrol, annexation by Italy after World War I resulted in significant changes: the Fascist regime attempted to Italianize the territory and its people using various measures. One of them was the obligation of young men to fulfil military service in the Italian army. Thus, for example, Andrä Ralser served in Sicily and was afterward – in 1935 – drafted to fight in the Italo-Abyssinian War. During this period, he kept a war diary. This source provides some insight into the way in which Ralser dealt with his identity at this particular time. This analysis is preceded by a methodological reflection on the manner in which experienced events are conveyed into a diary in general, suggesting that the writer’s biography has to be reconstructed in advance. Finally, an investigation into Ralser’s identity shows its dynamic, relative, and hybrid character and how – depending on the context – the diarist felt related to different groups such as South Tyroleans, Bersaglieri, Catholics and Europeans. The article analyses the entangled relationships between these linguistic, territorial, military and religious indicators of identification in a colonial context: when and under which circumstances did the diarist experience (or not experience) moments of group identity?
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spelling doaj.art-2d073dfefbe74ecba55246827e1e7fa82024-04-15T14:03:56ZengJuraj Dobrila University of PulaTabula1331-78301849-16852016-01-011414316210.32728/tab.14.2016.09Betwixt and between. The hybrid identity of a South Tyrolean Bersagliere in the 1935-1936 Italo-Abyssinian WarMarkus WurzerFor South Tyrol, annexation by Italy after World War I resulted in significant changes: the Fascist regime attempted to Italianize the territory and its people using various measures. One of them was the obligation of young men to fulfil military service in the Italian army. Thus, for example, Andrä Ralser served in Sicily and was afterward – in 1935 – drafted to fight in the Italo-Abyssinian War. During this period, he kept a war diary. This source provides some insight into the way in which Ralser dealt with his identity at this particular time. This analysis is preceded by a methodological reflection on the manner in which experienced events are conveyed into a diary in general, suggesting that the writer’s biography has to be reconstructed in advance. Finally, an investigation into Ralser’s identity shows its dynamic, relative, and hybrid character and how – depending on the context – the diarist felt related to different groups such as South Tyroleans, Bersaglieri, Catholics and Europeans. The article analyses the entangled relationships between these linguistic, territorial, military and religious indicators of identification in a colonial context: when and under which circumstances did the diarist experience (or not experience) moments of group identity?https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/261404hybrid identityItalo-Abyssinian War 1935-1936South Tyrolwar diaryOrientalism
spellingShingle Markus Wurzer
Betwixt and between. The hybrid identity of a South Tyrolean Bersagliere in the 1935-1936 Italo-Abyssinian War
Tabula
hybrid identity
Italo-Abyssinian War 1935-1936
South Tyrol
war diary
Orientalism
title Betwixt and between. The hybrid identity of a South Tyrolean Bersagliere in the 1935-1936 Italo-Abyssinian War
title_full Betwixt and between. The hybrid identity of a South Tyrolean Bersagliere in the 1935-1936 Italo-Abyssinian War
title_fullStr Betwixt and between. The hybrid identity of a South Tyrolean Bersagliere in the 1935-1936 Italo-Abyssinian War
title_full_unstemmed Betwixt and between. The hybrid identity of a South Tyrolean Bersagliere in the 1935-1936 Italo-Abyssinian War
title_short Betwixt and between. The hybrid identity of a South Tyrolean Bersagliere in the 1935-1936 Italo-Abyssinian War
title_sort betwixt and between the hybrid identity of a south tyrolean bersagliere in the 1935 1936 italo abyssinian war
topic hybrid identity
Italo-Abyssinian War 1935-1936
South Tyrol
war diary
Orientalism
url https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/261404
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