This article investigates the peculiarities of «fascismo di confine» in Zara, characterized by the
lesser extent of conflict between early Fascism on one hand, communism and ethnic minorities
on the other. Fascist activists, although defeated in two elections, gained momentum and visibility,
and, parallel to the rise of Mussolini’s influence, improved their networks and structures
contributing to a circulation of the local political elite. Violence, both in the discourse and the
activities of Fascists in Zara, was crucial in this process. Through the use of local press and
archival sources, it focuses on the main actors, their social background and their biographic
trajectory, questioning the framework and the limits for cooperation in regards to other political
factions. While Fascists had a significant degree of integration in local politics already
before Mussolini’s seizure of power, this event enacted a dialectic relationship to the central
apparatus, placing these activists under the control of loyal prefects and party functionaries.
