A whole series of eminent historians, art historians, publicists, priests, journalists, writers and poets took place at the traditional 41st Pazin Memorial, held for the third year in a row in the Istria Hall of the Pazin Memorial House on the theme ‘Highlighted personalities from the life of Istria in the 20th century’.

The meeting was opened with anniversary topics related to significant historical events of the 20th century and the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the Pazin Chair of the Chakavian Parliament for the History of Istria, the organizer of the Pazin Memorial, which was discussed by its current President Josip Šiklić. Seventy years after the end of the Second World War, historian Darko Dukovski touched on the tumultuous and controversial events that took place on the Istrian peninsula at the very end of the war and the post-war period, while Davor Mandić reflected on the hundredth anniversary of the secret London Treaty, which after the First World War gave a large part of the eastern Adriatic to Italy. He recalled that the then United States, inspired by Wilson's right to self-determination of the people, prevented the full realization of the treaty. The diplomatic twist and immorality of the great powers at the time can be compared to the one we can once again observe every day by watching the evening TV diary, Mandić concluded.

The next series of lectures was to be opened by Miroslav Bertoš on the theme ‘Historian Cammilo De Franceschi between the enthusiasm of Ottocent and the reality of the 20th century’, but was prevented. This is why Milan Rakovac followed with the theme ‘Miljenko Benčić – from partisans to directors’. ‘He was one of the main protagonists of the almost ecstatic phase of the economic explosion from the second half of the sixties to the eighties, when Pazin became the greatest miracle in this Istrian miraculous place’, Rakovac said, adding that until then only Pula and Koper were industrial, coastal towns were tourist centres, and everything else was more or less left to itself’. Tullio Vorano spoke about Giovanni Ivan Pipan, the leader of Labin miners who devoted his life to improving the position of workers and advocated for Labin mines to be taken over by a mining cooperative. After the collapse of the strike, he was expelled from Istria, and trade union work continues in Chicago. Because of uncompromising action in the union of bakery products drivers, this working-class hero is killed by paid assassins. Josip Šiklić presented the report by Boris Biletić ‘Tugomil Ujčić-Senior Witness of the Time’, while Vladimir Pernić spoke on the topic ‘Renato Pernić-putnik Istrom’.

Sports biography and interesting facts from the life of the famous boxer Mate Tea Parlov was impressively talked about by sports journalist Robert Matteoni, and especially interesting was the description of the atmosphere of Parlov's most important fights.

After a break, the collection “Dr. Juraj Dobrila and the Century of the Land of Krasna” was presented and discussed by Slaven Bertoša, Robert Matijašić and editor Josip Šiklić. In the continuation of his presentation, Elvis Orbanić presented a paper by Stipan Trogrlić on the topic ‘Josip Ujčić, Archbishop of Belgrade – Peacemaker in troubled times’. Ujčić is also known, among other things, for his letter to the Archbishop of Zagreb Alojzije Stepinac, in which he resents the persecution and crimes against Serbs on 9 July 1941, which Stepinac forwarded to the fascist dictator Ante Pavelic. Mirela Mrak presented the topic “Archbishop Josip Pavlišić”, while Marijan Jelenić spoke about the Latinist of the Holy See Giuseppe Del Ton from Vodnjan. This poorly known and interesting figure came to the Vatican back in 1932 where he lived and worked until the pontificate of John Paul II. Del Ton, as a writer of papal bulls, was very close to the Bishops of Rome, and “we will never know what Del Ton’s ideas have gone through the world signed by the Pope’s name”. This humble and self-absorbed Vodnjan was known for its wise sayings (“Love is the longing for better”), and because of its impeccable life it was proposed for beatification.

Branislav Ostojić, the businessman and benefactor Prim Rovis Elvis Orbanić, the Mayor of Pula and one of the signatories of the Pazin Declaration Franjo Nefato Filip Zoričić, spoke on the topic of ‘The Parish of Šime Červar, role and significance’, while Ivan Žagar closed the meeting on the topic of ‘Paul Kupelwieser and the tourist modernisation of southern Istria (1894-1919)’. (A. DAGOSTIN) (Source: The Voice of Istria, 12.10.2015.)

 

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