The dawn of the Sokol gymnastic associations in Trieste and its surroundings (1869-1870)
Despite the prudence and balance of its promoters, the creation of the slavic gymnastic association Southern Sokol in Trieste was forbidden by the Austrian authorities, in a big city with a difficult political context. The sense of identity and belonging of the different nationalities of Trieste, although still not so strong, was growing impetuously, especially among Slovenes and Italians, accompanied by the first clashes between them. Yet, the emerging Southern Sokol still managed to build its peculiar identity on the ideals of Sokol associations, first born in Bohemia, and to adapt it to the local context.
