Abstract: The paper presents the role of local Catholic priests from Istria and the Kvarner Littoral in the fight against fascism and Nazism. The research is based on pertinent literature, archival sources and periodicals, offering a novel perspective on the origins of the anti-fascist spirit in the mentioned regions.
Keywords: Istria, Kvarner Littoral, Second World War, The Catholic Church, priests
Summary
The Second World War was especially turbulent in Istria and Kvarner. On the one hand, it was a consequence of massive and extensive military operations, while it was also the result of the region’s multinational and multicultural character, in which the Catholic Church played a substantial role. With this in mind, this article provides an overview of the role and activities of Catholic priests in Istria and the Kvarner coast during and soon following the Second World War, thereby evaluating the role of priests as anti-fascist fighters. Using this comparison, the study illustrates the Church in Istria and Kvarner’s unique position in the anti-fascist struggle. The research is based on relevant literature, periodicals, and archival sources, which serve as a foundation for the previously mentioned analysis of the importance that a part of the “ordinary” or lower clergy had and played in the liberation of Istria and the Kvarner coast from Italian fascism and German Nazism. Considering all of the above, it can be said that the paper provides a more accurate and prominent picture of the anti-fascist commitment of a large part of the national clergy and their engagement in the anti-fascist struggle, which has greatly influenced the lasting anti-fascist spirit of the region.