Postal History of Fiume (1918-34)
After
World War I, the city of Fiume (now
Rijeka)
was claimed by both
Yugoslavia and
Italy.
While its status was unresolved, its postal system was operated by a
variety of occupation forces and local governments.
The first
Italian postage stamps for Fiume were issued
on
December 2, 1918.
They were produced by
overprinting "FIUME" on the contemporary stamps of
Hungary.
Both hand stamping and printing presses were used. In January 1919, two
postage
due and a
savings bank stamp were surcharged as well.
January also saw the first appearance of an issue produced specifically for
Fiume. It consisted of 17 values, ranging from 2 centesmi to 10 corona, and
used four designs: a figure representing "Italy", the town clock tower with an
Italian flag hanging from it, an allegory of "Revolution", and a sailor
raising the Italian flag. The first printings were inscribed just "FIUME".
In July they were redesigned with the inscription "POSTA FIUME", along
with other minor changes.
Meanwhile, a set of 12
semi-postal stamps was issued
on May 18,
commemorating the 200th day of peace since the end of the war.
Later in 1919 the higher values were surcharged with lower values, and the
semi-postals were overprinted "Valore globale" for use as regular stamps.
On September 12, 1920,
the 1st anniversary of the city's takeover by the forces of
Gabriele d'Annunzio, the city government issued a series of 14 values
featuring a portrait bust of d'Annunzio, intended for regular use, and a set
of four with various allegorical designs, intended for the use of the
legionnaires on that day only.
On November 18, the four commemoratives of 12 September were overprinted
"ARBE" and "VEGLIA", marking the occupation of the islands of
Arbe and
Veglia, and
on
November 20, more were overprinted "Reggenza / Italiana / del / Carnaro", and
with new values.
In January 1921,
Italian troops put an end to d'Annunzio's rule, and the subsequent provisional
government overprinted the d'Annunzio heads with "Governo / Provvisorio".
On
April 24, 1921, the first constituent assembly overprinted the semi-postals of
1919 with "24 - IV - 1921" and "Costituente Fiumana". The following year the
2nd assembly added a "1922" to the overprints.
On
March 23, 1923 a
new issue put an end to the flurry of overprints. Its 12 values, inscribed
"Posta di Fiume", used four designs, a
Venetian
sailing ship, a
Roman arch, St.
Vitus, and a
rostral column, all printed over a buff-colored background. After the
January 27, 1924
Treaty of Rome assigned Fiume to Italy, these stamps were
overprinted "REGNO / D'ITALIA" (22 February) and then "ANNESSIONE /
ALL'ITALIA" (1 March). Subsequently Fiume used the stamps of Italy. To
commemmorate the tenth anniversary of the annexation of Fiume to Italy, two
series of stamps were issued on March 12, 1934.
Fiume è il nome di una città che
oggi si chiama Rijeka, posta entro i confini croati, in fondo alla penisola
d’Istria. Le vicende cui fu oggetto nel periodo tra novembre 1918 e gennaio
1924 la rendono estremamente interessante dal punto di vista filatelico: in
questo periodo Fiume è infatti postalmente autonoma ed emette suoi
francobolli.
Prima del 1918 Fiume fa parte dell’Ungheria, ma le
vicende della prima guerra mondiale la portano in bilico tra l’annessione alla
Croazia e quella all’Italia; nel frattempo, per tutto il 1918 e gennaio del
1919, si provvede a sovrastampare i francobolli ungheresi di vecchio uso con
la dicitura “Fiume”, mentre dal 1919 vedono la luce i primi francobolli
interamente fiumani.
La situazione di stallo si sblocca il 12 settembre
1920, quando
Gabriele D’Annunzio organizza un colpo di mano e occupa la città
con una legione di volontari, ma la sua avventura dura solo qualche mese, fino
all’ultimo giorno del 1920, lasciando però una traccia filatelica
rappresentata da due serie dedicate a lui e alla sua impresa, oltre ad alcune
soprastampe “reggenza italiana del Carnaro”, ultimo tentativo di salvare la
situazione.
Il motivo dell’abbandono dei legionari di
D’Annunzio è la decisione, presa in accordo dal governo italiano e da quello
jugoslavo, di fare di Fiume uno stato indipendente. Tale resterà fino al 27
gennaio 1924, quando i patti di Roma tra Italia e Jugoslavia renderanno la
città di Fiume parte integrante del territorio italiano.
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