The History of our Emigration...

Well before the emigration from the Tyrol began arriving to our coasts at the end of the ninetheen century, the emigration of a sort had begun in the Tyrol and other areas Alpine areas of Northern Italy. This emigration was linked to the seasons so that such laborers such as grinders, woodsmen, chimney sweepers, repairs of straw chairs traveled throughout Europe seeking seasonal work. Such a movement did not have the separation and difficulties that later movments had to the Americas. It was actually a blessing and a resource providing the alpine populations with an opportunity to compensate for the climactic and environmental difficulties of these area that affected the local economies and the nurturances of their individual families. One could say that this type of emigration was quite compatible with the production cycles of alpine areas.
Gianna and Lou

Things changed radically between 1875 and World War I. The migration flood gates opened and the result was a great surge of people leaving the Tyrol, individuals and families. The first waves of migration headed toward South American and then the USA and Canada. The reasons were economic, demographic and social. The population was just too large for the cultivatable land and industry and manufacturing were non-existant. The only sector of manufacturing that remained active in that time period was the production of silk. However, desease struck the mulberry bushes of the small farmers and ruined that one production possibility. In 1882, there occurred a great flood devestating entire area. In that time period, the Italian states were striving for independence and in their third war of Independence, Austria lost the territories and/or states of Lombardy and the Veneto. All these states along with the Tirol had been unified as part of the Austrio-Hungarian empire and as such were part of that domain and viable trading partners with the Tyrol. To leave the Tyrol which extended from Rovereto to the Brenner Pass,one needed a passport to enter the newly formed Regno d`Italia. Trade with their former partners became difficult, complicated and expensive requiring expense duties exsaserbating the economic condition.
Ticket of Giuseppe Giovannini of Ravina-emigrant to Mexico -1882

In this context of economic crisis and natural disasters, the heavy Tyrolean emigration went primarily to South America: Brazil ,Argentina, Mexico and then to the mining areas of the USA. With the outburst of World I, our Tyrolean relatives and ancestors...specifically, the able bodied men between 21 and 42 were enlisted in the Austrian Army, specifically the Tiroler Kaiserjaeger, the Tyrolean Hunters of the Czar. They fought in Russia and subsequently returned to fight against the Italians. The Emigration from the Trentino continued ever after its annexation to Italy at the conclusion of the war. It was greatly reduced during the period of fascism. After the World War II, it resumed again due to the high unemployment, the very weak industrial sector and the absence of infrastructures. The majority of this post-war emigration was towards South American but a greater part to European countries that experienced the greater postwar riconstruction and activity: Belgium, Switzerland and Germany.

Family of Tyrolean Emigrants-1902

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