Italian contradictions behind the scenes of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919): the Principle of Nationalities and the annexation of South Tyrol

Abstract

The arguments used to legitimize the annexation by the Italian state of territories from the former Austrian Tyrol—home to German- and Rhaeto-Romance-speaking populations—shortly after the end of World War I, present a compelling issue in twentieth-century international law. Despite directly contradicting the assumptions of the Principle of Nationalities formulated by Pasquale Stanislao Mancini, the annexation was ratified by the international community through the terms of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Employing legal historiographic methodology, particularly the critical analysis of sources through bibliographic and documentary review, this study seeks to answer the following question: What criterion or determining factor after World War I justified the annexation of these portions of Tyrol by the then Kingdom of Italy? Drawing on the work of jurist Vidan Blagoyévitch, the research concludes that the geographical criterion invoked by Italy was accepted by the European community, which, at the time, was concerned with securing the Alpine border with Germanic territories. This study aims to contribute to a broader understanding of the criteria used in the formation of nation-states, using the Italian case as a paradigm in which the principles crafted by Mancini and applied during the unification process were altered according to political convenience.