Cesare Battisti and the Trentino
all those students, who filled even the corridors, each listening to the lecture as well as to the sounds from the street, apprehensive of trouble.
The day passed quietly, however. But not so the evening; on leaving a social reunion, the Italian students were all attacked by a crowd of German students, who basely insulted them. The Italians gave proper retaliation, and when a large crowd came to the assistance of the Germans and surrounded the Italians, they were forced to use firearms in their own defense. In consequence there were several wounded, both German and Italian. The noise of pistol shots brought the city police upon the scene; only 12 German students were arrested, while there were 138 Italians imprisoned, among them Cesare Battisti.
The next day a veritable revolution broke out in Innsbruck. The populace ran through the streets of the city destroying and demolishing everything Italian, attacking unchecked any individuals suspected of being Italian, and finally demolishing the Italian Law School building. Only the bare walls were left standing.
Great was the outcry that followed, both in the irredente provinces and in Italy. Demonstrations were numerous, but a significant one which was to have been held at Venice on December 18, 1904, was prohibited by the Italian Government for fear of serious complications with Austria, whose attitude was becoming very threatening.
In the meantime our students languished in prison with Battisti while proceedings were instituted against them. The hatred of the Innsbruck inhabitants was such that it was impossible for me, who had the pleasure of taking care of my beloved students, to secure any extra food for them in the city. I had to have it sent from Trento in postal packages. After a month's imprisonment our students were released, as no tenable accusation could be found against them.
Page fifteen
