Italian Eritrea
Encyclopedia
Italian Eritrea was the first colony of the Kingdom of Italy. It was created in 1890 (but the first Italian settlements were done in 1882 around Assab
) and lasted officially until 1947.
was populated and developed - mainly in the area of Asmara
- by groups of Italian colonists, who moved there from the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1869 the bay of Assab
was bought by the Rubattino Shipping Company from the local Sultan, and was acquired by Italy
(1882) who found the port inadequate for exploitation of its hinterlands, and came to use Assab as a coaling station. During the twentieth century Assab became Ethiopia
's main port.
The Italians took advantage of disorder in northern Ethiopia following the death of Emperor Yohannes IV in 1889 to occupy the highlands with General Oreste Baratieri
and established their new colony, henceforth known as "Eritrea": they received recognition from Menelik II, Ethiopia's new Emperor.
The Italian possession of maritime areas previously claimed by Abyssinia/Ethiopia was formalized in 1889 with the signing of the Treaty of Wuchale
with Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia (r. 1889–1913), after the defeat of Italy's general Baratieri by Ethiopia at the battle of Adua where Italy launched an effort to expand its possessions from Eritrea into the more fertile Abyssinian hinterland.
Menelik would later renounce the Wuchale Treaty as he had been tricked by the translators to agree to making the whole of Ethiopia into an Italian protectorate. However, he was forced by circumstance to live by the tenets of Italian sovereignty over Eritrea.
After 1890 the Italian government started to improve the new colony, called Colonia Primogenita, or first and preferred (in comparison to the other new colonies -like Italian Somalia and Italian Libya
- being developed by the Italians in Africa).
Around the turn of the century the Italian government promoted the arrival of a few dozen Italian families
, who settled mainly in the area of Asmara and Massawa
. The Italian Eritreans
grew from 4,000 during World War I
to nearly 100,000 (including the temporary military families) at the beginning of World War II.
The Italians endorsed a huge expansion of Catholicism
in Eritrea, insomuch that by 1940 nearly one third of all the Eritrean population was Catholic, mainly in Asmara and the area of Keren
where many churches were built. Indeed the Cathedral of Asmara, built in 1922, was the main religious center of the Roman Catholicism in Eritrea
: in the early 1940s Catholicism was the declared religion of more than 28% of people in the colony.
Italian administration of Eritrea brought improvements in the medical and agricultural sectors of Eritrean society. For the first time in history the Eritrean poor population had access to sanitary and hospital services in the urban areas.
Furthermore, the Italians employed many Eritreans in public service (in particular in the police and public works departments) and oversaw the provision of urban amenities in Asmara and Massawa
. In a region marked by cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity, a succession of Italian governors maintained a notable degree of unity and public order. The Italians also built many major infrastructural projects in Eritrea, including the Asmara-Massawa Cableway
and the Eritrean Railway
. The line was essentially destroyed by warfare in subsequent decades, but has been rebuilt between Massawa and Asmara. Vintage equipment is still used on this line.
Benito Mussolini
's rise to power in Italy in 1922 brought profound changes to the colonial government in Eritrea. After il Duce declared the birth of Italian Empire
in May 1936, Italian Eritrea (enlarged with northern Ethiopia's regions) and Italian Somalia were merged with the just conquered Ethiopia in the new Africa Orientale Italiana new administrative subdivision. The Fascists in those years imposed harsh rule, that stressed the political ideology of colonialism in Eritrea in the name of a "new Roman Empire".
Eritrea was chosen by the Italian government to be the industrial center of the Italian East Africa
.
The Italian government continued to implement agricultural reforms but primarily on farms owned by Italian colonists (exports of coffee boomed in the 1930s). In the area of Asmara there were in 1940 more than 2,000 small and medium sized industrial companies, concentrated in the areas of construction, mechanics, textiles, electricity and food processing. Consequently, the living standard of life in Eritrea in 1939 was considered one of the best of Africa
for the Italian colonists and for the Eritreans.
Mussolini's government considered the colony as a strategic base for future aggrandizement and ruled accordingly, using Eritrea as a base to launch its 1935–1936 campaign to colonize Ethiopia. Even in World War II
the Italians used Eritrea to attack Sudan
and occupy the Kassala
area. Indeed, the best Italian colonial troops were the Eritrean Ascari
, as stated by Italian Marshall Rodolfo Graziani
and legendary officer Amedeo Guillet
.
According to the Italian census of 1939 the city of Asmara
had a population of 98,000, of which 53,000 were Italians. This fact made Asmara the main "Italian town" of the Italian empire
in Africa. Furthermore, because of the Italian architecture of the city, Asmara was called Piccola Roma (Little Rome). In all Eritrea the Italians were 75,000 in that year.
Asmara was known to be an exceptionally modern city, not only because of its architecture, but Asmara also had more traffic lights than Rome did when the city was being built. The city incorporates many features of a planned city. Indeed, Asmara was an early example of an ideal modern city created by architects, an idea which was introduced into many cities across the world, such as Brasilia
, but which was not altogether popular. Features include designated city zoning and planning, wide treed boulevards, political areas and districts and space and scope for development. Asmara was not built for the Eritreans however; the Italians built it primarily for themselves. One unfortunate aspect of the city's planning was separate areas designated for Italians and Eritreans, each disproportionately sized.
The city has been regarded as "New Rome" or "Italy's African City" due to its quintessential Italian touch, not only for the architecture, but also for the wide streets, piazzas and coffee bars. While the boulevards are lined with palms and indigenous shiba'kha trees, there are numerable pizzerias
and coffee bars, serving cappucinos and lattes, as well as ice cream
parlours. The people in Asmara dress in a unique, yet African style. Asmara is also highly praised for its peaceful, crime-free environment. It is one of the cleanest cities of Africa.
Many industrial investments were endorsed by the Italians in the area of Asmara and Massawa
, but the beginning of World War II
stopped the blossoming industrialization of Eritrea.
from the Italians in spring 1941, most of the infrastructures and the industrial areas were extremely damaged and the remaining ones (like the Asmara-Massawa Cableway) were successively removed and sent toward India and British Africa as a war booty.
The following Italian guerrilla war
was supported by many Eritrean colonial troops (like the "hero" of Eritrean independence, Hamid Idris Awate
) until the Italian armistice in September 1943. Eritrea was placed under British
military administration after the Italian surrender in World War II
.
The Italians in Eritrea started to move away from the country after the defeat of the Kingdom of Italy
by the Allies
, and Asmara in the British census of 1949 already had only 17,183 Italian Eritreans on a total population of 127,579. Most Italian settlers left for Italy, with others to United States, Middle East, and Australia.
The British maintained initially the Italian administration of Eritrea, but the country soon started to be involved in a violent process of independence (from the British in the late forties and after 1952 from the Ethiopians, who annexed Eritrea in that year).
During the last years of World War II
some Italian Eritreans like Dr. Vincenzo Di Meglio
defended politically the presence of Italians in Eritrea and successively promoted the independence of Eritrea. He went to Rome
to participate in a Conference for the independence of Eritrea, promoted by the Vatican.
After the war Di Meglio was named Director of the "Commitato Rappresentativo Italiani dell' Eritrea" (CRIE). In 1947 he supported the creation of the "Associazione Italo-Eritrei" and the "Associazione Veterani Ascari", in order to get alliance with the Eritreans favorable to Italy
in Eritrea.
As a result of these creations, he cofounded the "Partito Eritrea Pro Italia" (Party of Shara Italy) in September 1947, an Eritrean political Party favorable to the Italian presence in Eritrea that obtained more than 200,000 inscriptions of membership in one single month.
Indeed the Italian Eritreans strongly rejected the Ethiopia
n annexation of Eritrea after the war: the Party of Shara Italy was established in Asmara in 1947 and the majority of the members were former Italian soldiers with many Eritrean Ascari
(the organization was even backed up by the government of Italy).
The main objective of this party was Eritrea freedom, but they had a pre-condition that stated that before independence the country should be governed by Italy for at least 15 years (like happened with Italian Somalia).
With the Peace Treaty of 1947 Italy
officially accepted the end of the colony. As a consequence the Italian community started to disappear, mainly after the Ethiopia
n government took control of Eritrea.
Assab
Assab is a port city in the Southern Red Sea Region of Eritrea on the west coast of the Red Sea. In 1989, it had a population of 39,600. Assab possesses an oil refinery, which was shut down in 1997 for economic reasons...
) and lasted officially until 1947.
Acquisition of Assab and creation of the colony
From 1882 to 1941 Eritrea was ruled by the Kingdom of Italy. In those sixty years EritreaEritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
was populated and developed - mainly in the area of Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
- by groups of Italian colonists, who moved there from the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1869 the bay of Assab
Assab
Assab is a port city in the Southern Red Sea Region of Eritrea on the west coast of the Red Sea. In 1989, it had a population of 39,600. Assab possesses an oil refinery, which was shut down in 1997 for economic reasons...
was bought by the Rubattino Shipping Company from the local Sultan, and was acquired by Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1882) who found the port inadequate for exploitation of its hinterlands, and came to use Assab as a coaling station. During the twentieth century Assab became Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
's main port.
The Italians took advantage of disorder in northern Ethiopia following the death of Emperor Yohannes IV in 1889 to occupy the highlands with General Oreste Baratieri
Oreste Baratieri
Oreste Baratieri was an Italian general and governor of Eritrea who led the Italian army and was defeated in the First Italo–Ethiopian War's Battle of Adowa.-Early career:...
and established their new colony, henceforth known as "Eritrea": they received recognition from Menelik II, Ethiopia's new Emperor.
The Italian possession of maritime areas previously claimed by Abyssinia/Ethiopia was formalized in 1889 with the signing of the Treaty of Wuchale
Treaty of Wuchale
Treaty of Wuchale was a treaty signed by King Menelik II of Shewa, later the Emperor of Ethiopia with Count Pietro Antonelli of Italy in the town of Wuchale, Ethiopia, on 2 May 1889...
with Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia (r. 1889–1913), after the defeat of Italy's general Baratieri by Ethiopia at the battle of Adua where Italy launched an effort to expand its possessions from Eritrea into the more fertile Abyssinian hinterland.
Menelik would later renounce the Wuchale Treaty as he had been tricked by the translators to agree to making the whole of Ethiopia into an Italian protectorate. However, he was forced by circumstance to live by the tenets of Italian sovereignty over Eritrea.
After 1890 the Italian government started to improve the new colony, called Colonia Primogenita, or first and preferred (in comparison to the other new colonies -like Italian Somalia and Italian Libya
Italian Libya
Italian Libya was a unified colony of Italian North Africa established in 1934 in what represents present-day Libya...
- being developed by the Italians in Africa).
Italian diaspora
The term Italian diaspora refers to the large-scale migration of Italians away from Italy in the period roughly beginning with the unification of Italy in 1861 and ending with the Italian economic miracle in the 1960s...
, who settled mainly in the area of Asmara and Massawa
Massawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
. The Italian Eritreans
Italian Eritreans
Italian Eritreans are Eritrean-born descendants of Italian settlers as well as Italian long-term residents in Eritrea.-History:...
grew from 4,000 during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
to nearly 100,000 (including the temporary military families) at the beginning of World War II.
The Italians endorsed a huge expansion of Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
in Eritrea, insomuch that by 1940 nearly one third of all the Eritrean population was Catholic, mainly in Asmara and the area of Keren
Keren, Eritrea
Keren is the second largest city in Eritrea. It is situated about 91 kilometers northwest of Asmara. The town serves as the capital of the Anseba region, and is home to the Bilen ethnic group.-History:...
where many churches were built. Indeed the Cathedral of Asmara, built in 1922, was the main religious center of the Roman Catholicism in Eritrea
Roman Catholicism in Eritrea
The Roman Catholic Church in Eritrea is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church. Located in the African country of Eritrea, this church is under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.-Characteristics:...
: in the early 1940s Catholicism was the declared religion of more than 28% of people in the colony.
Italian administration of Eritrea brought improvements in the medical and agricultural sectors of Eritrean society. For the first time in history the Eritrean poor population had access to sanitary and hospital services in the urban areas.
Furthermore, the Italians employed many Eritreans in public service (in particular in the police and public works departments) and oversaw the provision of urban amenities in Asmara and Massawa
Massawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
. In a region marked by cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity, a succession of Italian governors maintained a notable degree of unity and public order. The Italians also built many major infrastructural projects in Eritrea, including the Asmara-Massawa Cableway
Asmara-Massawa Cableway
The Asmara-Massawa Cableway was built by the Italians in 1938 in Eritrea, with the work done by the Ceretti and Tanfani Italian engineering firm. It connected the port of Massawa with the city of Asmara and ran a distance of some 75 kilometres. It moved food, supplies and war materials for the...
and the Eritrean Railway
Eritrean Railway
The Eritrean Railway is the only railway system in Eritrea. It was constructed between 1887 and 1932 by the Kingdom of Italy for the Italian colony of Eritrea, and connected the port of Massawa with Bishia near the Sudan border. The line was essentially destroyed by warfare in subsequent decades,...
. The line was essentially destroyed by warfare in subsequent decades, but has been rebuilt between Massawa and Asmara. Vintage equipment is still used on this line.
Italian Eritrea during the Fascist Era
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's rise to power in Italy in 1922 brought profound changes to the colonial government in Eritrea. After il Duce declared the birth of Italian Empire
Italian Empire
The Italian Empire was created after the Kingdom of Italy joined other European powers in establishing colonies overseas during the "scramble for Africa". Modern Italy as a unified state only existed from 1861. By this time France, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Netherlands, had already carved...
in May 1936, Italian Eritrea (enlarged with northern Ethiopia's regions) and Italian Somalia were merged with the just conquered Ethiopia in the new Africa Orientale Italiana new administrative subdivision. The Fascists in those years imposed harsh rule, that stressed the political ideology of colonialism in Eritrea in the name of a "new Roman Empire".
Eritrea was chosen by the Italian government to be the industrial center of the Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
.
The Italian government continued to implement agricultural reforms but primarily on farms owned by Italian colonists (exports of coffee boomed in the 1930s). In the area of Asmara there were in 1940 more than 2,000 small and medium sized industrial companies, concentrated in the areas of construction, mechanics, textiles, electricity and food processing. Consequently, the living standard of life in Eritrea in 1939 was considered one of the best of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
for the Italian colonists and for the Eritreans.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Italians used Eritrea to attack Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and occupy the Kassala
Kassala
Kassala is the capital of the state of Kassala in eastern Sudan. Its 2008 population was recorded to be 419,030. It is a market town and is famous for its fruit gardens. It was formerly a railroad hub, however, as of 2006 there was no operational railway station in Kassala and much of the track...
area. Indeed, the best Italian colonial troops were the Eritrean Ascari
Eritrean Ascari
The Eritrean Ascari were indigenous soldiers from Eritrea who were enrolled as askaris in the "Royal Corps of Colonial Troops" of the Italian Army.-Characteristics:...
, as stated by Italian Marshall Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani
Rodolfo Graziani, 1st Marquis of Neghelli , was an officer in the Italian Regio Esercito who led military expeditions in Africa before and during World War II.-Rise to prominence:...
and legendary officer Amedeo Guillet
Amedeo Guillet
Amedeo Guillet was an officer of the Italian Army. He was born in Piacenza. Descended from a noble family from Piedmont and Capua, he graduated from the Academy of Infantry and Cavalry of Modena in 1930 and began his career in the Italian Army. Dying at the age of 101, he was one of the last men...
.
According to the Italian census of 1939 the city of Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
had a population of 98,000, of which 53,000 were Italians. This fact made Asmara the main "Italian town" of the Italian empire
Italian Empire
The Italian Empire was created after the Kingdom of Italy joined other European powers in establishing colonies overseas during the "scramble for Africa". Modern Italy as a unified state only existed from 1861. By this time France, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Netherlands, had already carved...
in Africa. Furthermore, because of the Italian architecture of the city, Asmara was called Piccola Roma (Little Rome). In all Eritrea the Italians were 75,000 in that year.
Asmara was known to be an exceptionally modern city, not only because of its architecture, but Asmara also had more traffic lights than Rome did when the city was being built. The city incorporates many features of a planned city. Indeed, Asmara was an early example of an ideal modern city created by architects, an idea which was introduced into many cities across the world, such as Brasilia
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
, but which was not altogether popular. Features include designated city zoning and planning, wide treed boulevards, political areas and districts and space and scope for development. Asmara was not built for the Eritreans however; the Italians built it primarily for themselves. One unfortunate aspect of the city's planning was separate areas designated for Italians and Eritreans, each disproportionately sized.
The city has been regarded as "New Rome" or "Italy's African City" due to its quintessential Italian touch, not only for the architecture, but also for the wide streets, piazzas and coffee bars. While the boulevards are lined with palms and indigenous shiba'kha trees, there are numerable pizzerias
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
and coffee bars, serving cappucinos and lattes, as well as ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
parlours. The people in Asmara dress in a unique, yet African style. Asmara is also highly praised for its peaceful, crime-free environment. It is one of the cleanest cities of Africa.
Many industrial investments were endorsed by the Italians in the area of Asmara and Massawa
Massawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
, but the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
stopped the blossoming industrialization of Eritrea.
British occupation and the end of the colony
When the British army conquered EritreaEast African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
from the Italians in spring 1941, most of the infrastructures and the industrial areas were extremely damaged and the remaining ones (like the Asmara-Massawa Cableway) were successively removed and sent toward India and British Africa as a war booty.
Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia
The Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia was as an armed struggle fought from the summer of 1941 to the autumn of 1943 by remnants of Italian troops in Italian East Africa, following the Italian defeat during the East African Campaign of World War II.-History:...
was supported by many Eritrean colonial troops (like the "hero" of Eritrean independence, Hamid Idris Awate
Hamid Idris Awate
Hamid Idris Awate was an Eritrean independence leader and the creator of the Eritrean Liberation Army .-Early Life:...
) until the Italian armistice in September 1943. Eritrea was placed under British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
military administration after the Italian surrender in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The Italians in Eritrea started to move away from the country after the defeat of the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
by the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
, and Asmara in the British census of 1949 already had only 17,183 Italian Eritreans on a total population of 127,579. Most Italian settlers left for Italy, with others to United States, Middle East, and Australia.
The British maintained initially the Italian administration of Eritrea, but the country soon started to be involved in a violent process of independence (from the British in the late forties and after 1952 from the Ethiopians, who annexed Eritrea in that year).
During the last years of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
some Italian Eritreans like Dr. Vincenzo Di Meglio
Vincenzo Di Meglio
Vincenzo Di Meglio was an Italian doctor, who worked in the Africa Orientale Italiana in the late thirties and during World War II, and an Italian Eritrean politician who saved Eritrea from being divided in 1947 between Sudan and Ethiopia.-Life:...
defended politically the presence of Italians in Eritrea and successively promoted the independence of Eritrea. He went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to participate in a Conference for the independence of Eritrea, promoted by the Vatican.
After the war Di Meglio was named Director of the "Commitato Rappresentativo Italiani dell' Eritrea" (CRIE). In 1947 he supported the creation of the "Associazione Italo-Eritrei" and the "Associazione Veterani Ascari", in order to get alliance with the Eritreans favorable to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in Eritrea.
As a result of these creations, he cofounded the "Partito Eritrea Pro Italia" (Party of Shara Italy) in September 1947, an Eritrean political Party favorable to the Italian presence in Eritrea that obtained more than 200,000 inscriptions of membership in one single month.
Indeed the Italian Eritreans strongly rejected the Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n annexation of Eritrea after the war: the Party of Shara Italy was established in Asmara in 1947 and the majority of the members were former Italian soldiers with many Eritrean Ascari
Eritrean Ascari
The Eritrean Ascari were indigenous soldiers from Eritrea who were enrolled as askaris in the "Royal Corps of Colonial Troops" of the Italian Army.-Characteristics:...
(the organization was even backed up by the government of Italy).
The main objective of this party was Eritrea freedom, but they had a pre-condition that stated that before independence the country should be governed by Italy for at least 15 years (like happened with Italian Somalia).
With the Peace Treaty of 1947 Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
officially accepted the end of the colony. As a consequence the Italian community started to disappear, mainly after the Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n government took control of Eritrea.
Governors of Italian Eritrea
- Baldassarre Orero from January 1890 to June 1890
- Antonio Gandolfi from June 1890 to February 1892
- Oreste BaratieriOreste BaratieriOreste Baratieri was an Italian general and governor of Eritrea who led the Italian army and was defeated in the First Italo–Ethiopian War's Battle of Adowa.-Early career:...
from February 1892 to February 1896 - Antonio Baldissera from February 1896 to December 1897
- Ferdinando MartiniFerdinando Martini-Biography:Born in Florence, he worked as journalist and writer. He collaboreated to Il Fanfulla and in 1879 he founded the Fanfulla della domenica literary supplement, which he directed until 1882; he was also editor of La Domenica letteraria from 1882 al 1885 and professor at the University of...
from February 1897 to March 1907 - Giuseppe Salvago Raggi from March 1907 to August 1915
- Giovanni Cerrina Feroni from August 1915 to September 1916
- Giacomo De MartinoGiacomo De MartinoBaron Giacomo de Martino was the Envoy of Italy to the United States during the regime of Benito Mussolini. On January 23, 1927 he traveled to Chicago, and spent several days touring the city addressing the Italian community and explaining Fascism....
from September 1916 to July 1919 - Camillo De Camillis from July 1919 to November 1920
- Ludovico Pollera from November 1920 to April 1921
- Giovanni Cerrina Feroni from April 1921 to June 1923
- Giacopo Gasparini from June 1923 to June 1928
- Corrado Zoli from June 1928 to July 1930
- Riccardo Di Lucchesi from July 1930 to January 1935
- Emilio De BonoEmilio De BonoEmilio De Bono was an Italian General, fascist activist, Marshal, and member of the Fascist Grand Council . De Bono fought in the Italo-Turkish War, World War I, and the Second Italo-Abyssinian War.-Early life:De Bono was born in Cassano d'Adda...
from January 1935 to November 1935 - Pietro BadoglioPietro BadoglioPietro Badoglio, 1st Duke of Addis Abeba, 1st Marquess of Sabotino was an Italian soldier and politician...
from November 1935 to May 1936
See also
- Italian EritreansItalian EritreansItalian Eritreans are Eritrean-born descendants of Italian settlers as well as Italian long-term residents in Eritrea.-History:...
- Italian Colonial Empire
- AsmaraAsmaraAsmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
- Cinema ImperoCinema ImperoThe Cinema Impero is an Art Deco-style Cinema built by the Italians in Asmara in 1937.-History:Cinema Impero was the largest movie theater constructed in Asmara during the last period of the Italian colony of Eritrea...
- Asmara President's OfficeAsmara President's OfficeThe Asmara President's Office is the building, in Italian neoclassical style, where the President of Eritrea lives and rules the country. It has some resemblance with the White House of Washington, D.C..- History :...
- Fiat Tagliero BuildingFiat Tagliero BuildingThe Fiat Tagliero Building in Asmara, capital city of Eritrea, is a Futurist Style service station completed in 1938 and designed by the Italian architect Giuseppe Pettazzi....
- Vincenzo Di MeglioVincenzo Di MeglioVincenzo Di Meglio was an Italian doctor, who worked in the Africa Orientale Italiana in the late thirties and during World War II, and an Italian Eritrean politician who saved Eritrea from being divided in 1947 between Sudan and Ethiopia.-Life:...
- Eritrean AscariEritrean AscariThe Eritrean Ascari were indigenous soldiers from Eritrea who were enrolled as askaris in the "Royal Corps of Colonial Troops" of the Italian Army.-Characteristics:...
- Roman Catholicism in EritreaRoman Catholicism in EritreaThe Roman Catholic Church in Eritrea is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church. Located in the African country of Eritrea, this church is under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.-Characteristics:...
External links
- Old photos of Italian Eritrea
- Website with photos of Italian Asmara
- Postcards of Italian Asmara
- Website with documents, maps and photos of the Italians in Eritrea (in Italian)
- Detailed map of Eritrea in 1936 (click on the sections to enlarge)
- "1941-1951 The difficult years" (in Italian), showing the end of Italian Eritrea