The Separation of South Tyrol from Austria and the Option Agreement as an example of Forced Migration in the 20th Century

Abstract

These sections of this module are to show South Tyrol as an example of how internal borders have shifted in Europe as a result of the First World War, and which impacts the annexation of South Tyrol to Italy had.

Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy at the end of the First World War, South Tyrol was separated from Austria and incorporated into Italy. In the following years the Italianisation of South Tyrol was begun by the fascist-dominated Italian government.

Under Hitler’s Nazi regime, both Hitler and Mussolini decided to give the German-speaking population in South Tyrol a choice of resettlement to the Third Reich (South Tyrol Option Agreement). In total, 75,000 people resettled and most settled in North Tyrol (present-day Austria).

After 1945 the majority of people who had emigrated by choice returned to South Tyrol. The South Tyroleans were granted autonomy, although the implementation of this agreement took a very long time. In 1992 the level of self-government as envisaged in the agreement was implemented into Italian legislation in the form of an autonomy agreement.