Secondary Schools in Zadar with Croatian as the Language of Instruction and Italian Rule between 1918−1921 / Zadarske srednje škole na hrvatskom jeziku i talijanska vlast 1918.-1921. godine

Abstract

In this paper an analysis is made of the influence of the changed political situation on the workings of secondary schools in Zadar in which the language of instruction was Croatian. At the end of the World War I in 1918, the political situation on the Croatian side of the Adriatic had not calmed down. From November 4th, 1918, the Italian army progressively occupied northern Dalmatia and a part of central, while at the same time putting both institutional and non-institutional pressure on the operations of Croatian schools. Italian public and official communication are imposed, and the occupied areas of Dalmatia are kept separate from the hinterland. In such circumstances, the functioning of the school system is made more difficult, as a portion of Croatian and Serbian teachers leave Zadar, and Italian teachers take their place. Occasionally the teaching process is disturbed due to physical attacks and the occupation of the school space by the Italian army. With the signing of the Treaty of Rapallo from November of 1920, the fate of previous Croatian scholastic institutions is sealed, and they cease operations at the end of the 1920/1921 school year.

Keywords

• zadar
• world war i
• secondary school
• italian occupation
• treaty of rapallo