Victory Monument in Bolzano
By Contested Histories Initiative •
The Victory Monument in Bolzano was erected on the orders of Benito Mussolini in 1928. Since then, it has been at the symbolic centre of ethnic clashes between the German- and Italian-speaking communities and a symbol of the unresolved legacy of Italian Fascism. Until recently, the monument has been one of the key regional, political, and ethnic grievances in the South Tyrol region. However, the 21st-century public policy efforts to historicize and modify the monument brought about a significant change in attitudes towards the Victory Monument. This case study traces nearly 100 years of contestations surrounding the Victory Monument and explores the decision-making process that led to the contextualization of the monument.