Epilog: Krieg und Erinnerung

Überegger, Oswald

doi:10.30965/9783657702565_009

Cited by 1 publication

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“…This disillusioned the population, which had previously been widely considered -by others and themselves -loyal subjects to the Empire. 120 As John Deak and Jonathan Gumz can show, this transformation of Austria-Hungary's constitutional rule of law into military law under military administration eroded loyalty relations between the regional inhabitants and the empire. 121 By the war's end, most Italian-speaking Welsch Tyroleans rejected the idea of remaining part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.…”

Section: Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, the Austrian-dominated officer corps transferred images of the enemy and aversions against Italy to their Italian-speaking soldiers. 125 The same Rudolfo Bolner, for example, described an encounter with a colonel during the swearing-in ceremony for the new Emperor Karl I., which culminated in public humiliation:…”

Section: Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, the report testifies to the disintegration of soldiers from the Austro-Hungarian Army, which was already well advanced by the end of 1916 and led to this unit's unopposed breaking off of the oath ceremony. 127 It seems that discrimination was mainly practised by higher-ranking military officers and less in daily life at the level of platoons, companies or battalions. Massimiliano Sega, for instance, was still able to describe his new platoon comradeship with the following positive words at the beginning of 1917: 'Al fronte ssono rivatto giorno 28 febrajo qui in questa Conpagia mi trovo propro bene he tutti parlla he ssi puo in tendde E anhca riquardo innostri ssupriori ssono Buoni il mio Zucomandant ssono il Rosaro del Costa'.…”

Section: Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As Oswald Überegger remarked, this development was not without a certain irony, according to which the alienation sought to be combated was actually homemade by the military leadership. 132 Even if the Irish units understood the Easter Rising predominantly as a breach of loyalty, downplayed it, or even sought to demonstrate their attachment to the empire accordingly, 133 All Irish regiments to leave for England'. 134 As this journal entry indicates, the Easter Rising confirmed anti-Irish resentments of the British military leadership and the loyalty of Irish soldiers as British troops came under general suspicion.…”

Section: Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Imperial Nationalism of Minority Soldiers. Italian-Speaking Tyroleans and Irishmen in the First World War

Steinbacher

2023

Studies on National Movements

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In the First World War, national minorities fought on all sides. How did these soldiers negotiate their identity as a national minority with their loyalty to and identification with the state for which they fought in the severest war of nations in modern times until then? This paper explores the complex landscape of this question by comparing Irish soldiers in the British Army and Italian-speaking Tyrolean soldiers in the Habsburg forces. Using a sample of war diaries from combatants on both sides and drawing on the more recently upcoming literature on minorities in the First World War, perceptions of these groups about their nationality are examined. The analysis will show how combatants were integrated into a network of loyal relationships to the respective empire through factors such as culture, language and emotions. This is made productive through the analytical category of imperial nationalism. The article emphasises the importance of regiments bridging national identity and imperial loyalty. Italy’s entry into the war (1915) and the Easter Rising (1916) were critical events for soldiers of each side regarding their national self-image. The soldiers’ reactions show the broad spectrum of individual national identity, ranging from increased identification with the Empire to disintegration. Subsequently, both groups increasingly faced discrimination, to which they reacted differently. While the Italian-speaking Tyroleans tended to gradually distance themselves from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Irish soldiers mostly maintained their imperial loyalty. These different results illustrate the complex interplay of allegiance, identity and nationality of minority soldiers and the impact of changing circumstances on these factors during the Great War.

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Section: Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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