"The Genius of Trieste": a discussion on identity, belonging and the destiny of a cosmopolitan city
On Wednesday 3 June, the headquarters of the Manlio Cecovini Study Society hosted the presentation of The Genius of Trieste. Birth and Destiny of a Cosmopolitan City by Maurizio Marzi Wildauer, published by Rubbettino with a foreword by Francesco Magris.
The author was joined in conversation by the Society’s Scientific Director, Luca G. Manenti, and Michele Scozzai, in an event that offered the audience the opportunity to reflect on the history of Trieste through an original perspective combining historical analysis, political philosophy and cultural anthropology.
From the outset, the discussion focused on the central theme of the book: the relationship between human beings and the places in which they live. Scozzai highlighted how the volume stems from a reflection on the meaning of belonging and on the role that places play in shaping both individual and collective identity. In Marzi Wildauer’s interpretation, this theme becomes the key to understanding the history of Trieste.
According to the author, the bond between a community and its territory is a fundamental element in understanding historical and political developments. This forms the starting point for his analysis of medieval Trieste, a city enclosed within clearly defined physical and symbolic boundaries, governed by its own statutes and characterised by a strong connection between territory, laws and communal identity.
The turning point identified in the book is 1719, the year in which the Habsburgs established the Free Port. Marzi Wildauer explained that his work does not focus on a simple chronological reconstruction of events, but rather on the cultural and spiritual transformations that this development brought about within the Triestine community. The arrival of Habsburg modernity, the creation of the Teresian Quarter and the profound changes introduced by the Enlightenment radically altered the relationship between the city and its inhabitants.
Particular attention was devoted to the figures of Maria Theresa and, above all, Joseph II. While Maria Theresa is presented as the material architect of modern Trieste, Joseph II is described as the principal force behind its cultural transformation. According to the author, his policies of secularisation and the reduction of the influence of religious institutions contributed to the emergence of a new society increasingly oriented towards trade and economic growth.
One of the most debated topics of the evening concerned the cosmopolitan character of Trieste. Marzi Wildauer offered an interpretation that invites reflection on the origins of this model of coexistence, observing that the city’s openness to different communities, languages and faiths was closely linked to the economic function of the Free Port. Within this framework, Trieste became a meeting place for diverse populations organised into communities and “nations”, each preserving its own language, traditions and cultural references.
The discussion then moved to the relationship between cosmopolitanism and identity. One of the questions addressed was whether a society founded primarily on economic interests can develop a shared sense of belonging over time. According to the author, the history of Trieste demonstrates that prosperity and international openness do not necessarily eliminate identity-based tensions, which can re-emerge with considerable force during periods of crisis.
This interpretation also informed the analysis of nationalism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Marzi Wildauer argued that the gradual formation of new collective identities, fostered by the rooting of second- and third-generation inhabitants within the territory, contributed to the profound transformation of a city that for a long time had remained largely focused on commerce and only marginally involved in the major political conflicts of the period.
The conversation also explored the role of Freemasonry, religious communities, anti-clericalism and the various concepts of national belonging that shaped the city’s history. What emerged was the portrait of a complex Trieste: a laboratory of coexistence, but also a place where many of the great tensions of modern Europe manifested themselves with particular intensity.
The event concluded with an engaging discussion with members of the audience, who further explored issues relating to language, cultural identity, the relationship between cosmopolitanism and patriotism, and the role played by the city’s various communities in shaping its historical development.
Through the exchange between the author and the speakers, the presentation offered an opportunity not only to reflect on Trieste’s past, but also to consider the challenges contemporary societies face in seeking a balance between openness, integration and cultural rootedness.
WATCH THE GALLERY
The author was joined in conversation by the Society’s Scientific Director, Luca G. Manenti, and Michele Scozzai, in an event that offered the audience the opportunity to reflect on the history of Trieste through an original perspective combining historical analysis, political philosophy and cultural anthropology.
From the outset, the discussion focused on the central theme of the book: the relationship between human beings and the places in which they live. Scozzai highlighted how the volume stems from a reflection on the meaning of belonging and on the role that places play in shaping both individual and collective identity. In Marzi Wildauer’s interpretation, this theme becomes the key to understanding the history of Trieste.
According to the author, the bond between a community and its territory is a fundamental element in understanding historical and political developments. This forms the starting point for his analysis of medieval Trieste, a city enclosed within clearly defined physical and symbolic boundaries, governed by its own statutes and characterised by a strong connection between territory, laws and communal identity.
The turning point identified in the book is 1719, the year in which the Habsburgs established the Free Port. Marzi Wildauer explained that his work does not focus on a simple chronological reconstruction of events, but rather on the cultural and spiritual transformations that this development brought about within the Triestine community. The arrival of Habsburg modernity, the creation of the Teresian Quarter and the profound changes introduced by the Enlightenment radically altered the relationship between the city and its inhabitants.
Particular attention was devoted to the figures of Maria Theresa and, above all, Joseph II. While Maria Theresa is presented as the material architect of modern Trieste, Joseph II is described as the principal force behind its cultural transformation. According to the author, his policies of secularisation and the reduction of the influence of religious institutions contributed to the emergence of a new society increasingly oriented towards trade and economic growth.
One of the most debated topics of the evening concerned the cosmopolitan character of Trieste. Marzi Wildauer offered an interpretation that invites reflection on the origins of this model of coexistence, observing that the city’s openness to different communities, languages and faiths was closely linked to the economic function of the Free Port. Within this framework, Trieste became a meeting place for diverse populations organised into communities and “nations”, each preserving its own language, traditions and cultural references.
The discussion then moved to the relationship between cosmopolitanism and identity. One of the questions addressed was whether a society founded primarily on economic interests can develop a shared sense of belonging over time. According to the author, the history of Trieste demonstrates that prosperity and international openness do not necessarily eliminate identity-based tensions, which can re-emerge with considerable force during periods of crisis.
This interpretation also informed the analysis of nationalism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Marzi Wildauer argued that the gradual formation of new collective identities, fostered by the rooting of second- and third-generation inhabitants within the territory, contributed to the profound transformation of a city that for a long time had remained largely focused on commerce and only marginally involved in the major political conflicts of the period.
The conversation also explored the role of Freemasonry, religious communities, anti-clericalism and the various concepts of national belonging that shaped the city’s history. What emerged was the portrait of a complex Trieste: a laboratory of coexistence, but also a place where many of the great tensions of modern Europe manifested themselves with particular intensity.
The event concluded with an engaging discussion with members of the audience, who further explored issues relating to language, cultural identity, the relationship between cosmopolitanism and patriotism, and the role played by the city’s various communities in shaping its historical development.
Through the exchange between the author and the speakers, the presentation offered an opportunity not only to reflect on Trieste’s past, but also to consider the challenges contemporary societies face in seeking a balance between openness, integration and cultural rootedness.
WATCH THE GALLERY
