“The Genius of Trieste”: Maurizio Marzi Wildauer presents his book on the birth of a cosmopolitan city

On Wednesday 3 June at 6.00 pm, the headquarters of the Manlio Cecovini Study Society, located at 23 Viale Miramare in Trieste, will host the presentation of The Genius of Trieste. Birth and Destiny of a Cosmopolitan City by Maurizio Marzi Wildauer, featuring a preface by Francesco Magris.

The event, which is open to the public free of charge, will feature a discussion between the author, Luca G. Manenti and Michele Scozzai, offering the audience an opportunity to explore the history of Trieste and the cultural, political and social roots of its cosmopolitan identity.

Through a historical investigation spanning from 1719 to the end of the First World War, the volume retraces the process through which the Habsburgs guided Trieste towards modernity, transforming it into one of the foremost multicultural laboratories of contemporary Europe. At the same time, the book reveals how that very model of coexistence concealed the fragilities and tensions that, with the rise of nationalism, would dramatically shape the destiny of the eastern borderlands.

At the heart of the reflection lies the relationship between city, identity and belonging: what truly holds a community together? What balance can exist between cosmopolitan openness, collective memory and cultural rootedness? Drawing a parallel between early twentieth-century Trieste and present-day Europe, the author reflects on the fragile nature of seemingly integrated societies, highlighting the risks of coexistence lacking shared cultural and moral foundations.

The presentation forms part of the cultural activities promoted by the Cecovini Association to encourage historical dissemination and public discussion on themes of identity, memory and the history of the Adriatic and Central European area.